Sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365

Sensitivity labels are one element in a range of tools that can be deployed in Microsoft 365 to protect information, as shown in the diagram below. Image source: Microsoft page 'What is Azure Information Protection' If you are new to information protection, it is important to understand that Azure Information Protection (AIP) is not the …

Changing patterns of office work

A recent (September 2021) Verge post titled 'File Not Found' by Monica Chin (@mcsquared96) noted how pre-defined storage locations for digital content have become mostly redundant for the younger generation that grew up using Google to find content - 'the concept of file folders and directories, essential to previous generations’ understanding of computers, is gibberish …

What licences or roles are needed to manage records in Microsoft 365

One of the difficulties for many records managers new to Microsoft 365 is that they may not know or have access to everything they need to know to manage records in that environment. This post provides an overview of the accounts, licences and roles that may be needed to manage records in Microsoft 365. As …

How records managers can manage retention labels and policies in Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 includes the capability, subject to licencing, to apply retention labels and non-label retention policies to content stored in Exchange mailboxes, SharePoint Online sites, Microsoft 365 Groups and OneDrive for Business accounts. Non-label retention policies may also be applied to Teams chats, Teams channel (including private channel) posts, and Yammer messages. For Teams chats …

In place vs in place management of records in Microsoft 365

The ability to manage records 'in place' in SharePoint has existed since around 2013. But this is not the same thing as leaving records where they were created or captured and managing them there - 'in place'. This post explains the difference between the two 'in place' options. In brief: The Microsoft 'in place' model …

A decision tree for managing records in SharePoint and Teams

One of the first things to understand, when managing records in Microsoft 365, is where the records are stored. Generally speaking, most records will be stored in either (a) Exchange mailboxes (which also store the 'compliance copies' of Teams chats) or (b) SharePoint sites (including sites linked with MS Teams). Some emails may be copied …

Classifying records in Microsoft 365

The classification of records is fundamental recordkeeping activity. It is defined in the international standard ISO 15489-1:2016 (Information and Documentation - Records Management) as the 'systematic identification and/or arrangement of business activities and/or records into categories according to logically structured conventions, methods and procedural rules'. (Terms and Definitions, 3.4) The purpose of classification is defined …

All the ways SharePoint sites can be created

SharePoint is a core foundational element in Microsoft 365. It is primarily used for the storage of digital objects (including pages) in document libraries and rows and columns of data in lists. It is ubiquitous and almost impossible to remove from a Microsoft 365 licence because it 'powers' so many different things. While the idea …

Using MS Teams without an Exchange Online mailbox

When people chat in Microsoft Teams (MS Teams), a 'compliance' copy of the chat is saved to either personal or (Microsoft 365) Group mailboxes. This copy is subject to retention policies, and can be found and exported via Content Search. But what happens if there is no Exchange Online mailbox? It seems the chats become …

Recordkeeping roles and permissions in Microsoft 365

(Updated 3 September 2020 with reference to customised admin roles) Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based collaboration and content system that includes a wide range of functionality to create, capture and manage records, primarily in SharePoint Online but also in OneDrive for Business, Exchange Online and in MS Teams.  This post outlines the roles and permissions …