The Document Retention Life Cycle in Microsoft 365

• Failure to produce documents during litigation or as required by regulation can be expensive and damage an organization’s reputation.
• Microsoft 365 supports a document life cycle that includes creation and labeling, management while active, and disposition at the end of the retention period.
• Not all capabilities are supported in lower-tier Microsoft 365 offerings, such as E3.

Organizations understand that many business documents are subject to retention regulations, and they may be subject to significant consequences for not complying with them. However, regulations, standards, and organizational policies vary according to the type of document. Microsoft 365 provides core retention capabilities designed to satisfy many requirements for its customers.

Creating a Document Retention Strategy

Many scenarios, including internal investigations, regulatory action, and litigation, require organizational documents to be produced. Indeed, according to the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), “if a litigant requests a document that you cannot provide because it has been destroyed, then a judge or jury may in some circumstances be permitted to conclude that the document contained information detrimental to your position.”