Data Lifecycle Management
Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management helps you keep what you need and delete what you don't. Through retention policies and labels, you can automatically retain content for compliance, then delete it when no longer needed—reducing storage costs and legal risk.
What is Data Lifecycle Management?
Lifecycle Management automates content governance:
| Action | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Retain | Keep content for a specified period for compliance |
| Delete | Remove content automatically when retention expires |
| Retain then Delete | Keep for compliance, then clean up |
| Do Nothing | No automated action (manual management) |
Retention vs. Sensitivity Labels
| Feature | Retention Labels | Sensitivity Labels |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | How long to keep | Who can access |
| Actions | Retain, delete, review | Encrypt, mark, restrict |
| Can Coexist |
They Work Together
A document can have both a sensitivity label (Confidential - FERPA) and a retention label (Keep 7 years). They serve different purposes and don't conflict.
Key Concepts
Retention Policies
Apply to entire locations automatically:
- All Exchange mailboxes
- All SharePoint sites
- All Teams channels
- Specific users or groups
Retention Labels
Apply to individual items:
- Manually by users
- Automatically based on content
- By trainable classifiers
Adaptive Scopes (E5/A5)
Dynamic policies that adjust automatically:
- "All Finance department users"
- "All sites with 'Project' in the name"
- Updates as users/sites change
Common Retention Periods
| Content Type | Typical Retention | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Student Records | 7 years after graduation | FERPA |
| Financial Records | 7 years | IRS requirements |
| Employment Records | 7 years after termination | EEOC/DOL |
| Research Data | 3 years after grant closeout | 2 CFR 200 |
| General Email | 3-5 years | Institutional policy |
| Teams Chat | 1-3 years | Institutional policy |
Retention + Legal Holds
| Scenario | Result |
|---|---|
| Retention says delete, no hold | Content deleted |
| Retention says delete, hold active | Content preserved |
| Retention expired, hold released | Content then deleted |
Legal Holds Win
Legal holds from eDiscovery always override retention policies. Content under hold is never deleted, regardless of retention settings.
Quick Links
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Purview Data Lifecycle | Policy management |
| Retention Policies | Microsoft documentation |
| Implementation Guide | Enterprise deployment guide |
Related Solutions
- Records Management — File plans and disposition review
- eDiscovery — Legal holds that override retention
- Information Protection — Sensitivity labels (work alongside retention)