1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,500 A signed contract disappears from a shared folder. 2 00:00:02,500 --> 00:00:04,860 Nobody knows who removed it, whether it should still exist 3 00:00:04,860 --> 00:00:07,020 or whether a copy lives somewhere else. 4 00:00:07,020 --> 00:00:09,540 With paper records, the process was more straightforward. 5 00:00:09,540 --> 00:00:11,740 You had a filing cabinet, a locked drawer, 6 00:00:11,740 --> 00:00:13,860 and a retention schedule that told you exactly 7 00:00:13,860 --> 00:00:15,560 how long to keep each box. 8 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:18,760 Then, on a planned date, someone approved it for shredding. 9 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:20,160 Work doesn't happen that way anymore. 10 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:22,040 A contract might sit in SharePoint, 11 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,140 the approval email in Exchange Online, 12 00:00:24,140 --> 00:00:26,800 and the discussion in Teams, while someone also has a copy 13 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:29,780 in one drive, so what exactly keeps all of that under control? 14 00:00:29,780 --> 00:00:31,720 Microsoft Per View Records Management 15 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:33,500 is the part of Microsoft Per View 16 00:00:33,500 --> 00:00:35,820 that helps your organization keep official records 17 00:00:35,820 --> 00:00:37,660 protected for the required time, 18 00:00:37,660 --> 00:00:41,780 then dispose of them in a controlled way when that time ends. 19 00:00:41,780 --> 00:00:44,720 That sounds simple, but the risk of getting it wrong is serious. 20 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:46,460 If someone asks why you kept a document, 21 00:00:46,460 --> 00:00:49,060 changed it, or deleted it, we think that's what happened, 22 00:00:49,060 --> 00:00:49,880 isn't a good answer. 23 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:51,740 You need a clear rule, a clear process, 24 00:00:51,740 --> 00:00:53,380 and a history of what people did. 25 00:00:53,380 --> 00:00:55,900 Think of Microsoft 365 like a modern office building. 26 00:00:55,900 --> 00:00:58,060 SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange Online, 27 00:00:58,060 --> 00:01:00,260 and Teams are the rooms where work happens. 28 00:01:00,260 --> 00:01:03,020 Per View Records Management works behind the scenes. 29 00:01:03,020 --> 00:01:05,580 That isn't another app where most employees spend their day. 30 00:01:05,580 --> 00:01:07,540 It's more like the records office in the basement, 31 00:01:07,540 --> 00:01:09,900 setting rules for which paperwork becomes official, 32 00:01:09,900 --> 00:01:12,460 how long it stays, and when it can leave the building. 33 00:01:12,460 --> 00:01:15,020 In this knowledge nugget, we'll first separate an ordinary file 34 00:01:15,020 --> 00:01:17,260 from an official record, then look at the rule attached 35 00:01:17,260 --> 00:01:19,020 to that record, the controls that protected, 36 00:01:19,020 --> 00:01:21,220 the review before deletion, and the audit history 37 00:01:21,220 --> 00:01:22,980 that helps you show what happened. 38 00:01:22,980 --> 00:01:24,460 First, we need to answer the question 39 00:01:24,460 --> 00:01:28,040 behind every record rule, what actually counts as a record. 40 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:29,820 A record is more than a file. 41 00:01:29,820 --> 00:01:31,900 A record is official evidence that your organization 42 00:01:31,900 --> 00:01:34,180 did something, decided something, approved something, 43 00:01:34,180 --> 00:01:35,460 or agreed to something. 44 00:01:35,460 --> 00:01:38,380 That could be assigned contract, a final financial report, 45 00:01:38,380 --> 00:01:41,140 an employee record, or an approved company policy. 46 00:01:41,140 --> 00:01:42,620 The word official matters here. 47 00:01:42,620 --> 00:01:45,220 Your team might create 10 drafts of a policy 48 00:01:45,220 --> 00:01:47,360 before leadership approves the final version. 49 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,120 Those drafts are part of the work, 50 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,140 but they don't all carry the same weight as the approved policy 51 00:01:52,140 --> 00:01:53,800 that tells people what they must do. 52 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:54,640 Think about a contract. 53 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:56,860 While people negotiate, you have word documents 54 00:01:56,860 --> 00:01:58,400 with tracked changes, comments, and names 55 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:02,080 like contract final V3, or contract final V3 really final. 56 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:04,980 Those are working files that people expect to change. 57 00:02:04,980 --> 00:02:07,040 Then the agreement gets signed, and that signed copy 58 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,260 becomes evidence of what both sides agreed to. 59 00:02:09,260 --> 00:02:12,380 The email that confirms final approval may matter too, 60 00:02:12,380 --> 00:02:13,800 and those items need more care 61 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:15,900 because they may answer a question years later, 62 00:02:15,900 --> 00:02:16,840 what did we agree to? 63 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:18,620 Who approved it, when did the agreement end? 64 00:02:18,620 --> 00:02:21,040 That's why not every file should get the same treatment. 65 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,660 If you treat every draft, chat, note, and download 66 00:02:23,660 --> 00:02:26,440 like a formal record, you create a huge pile of content 67 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:27,640 that becomes hard to manage. 68 00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:29,600 You also keep more information than you need, 69 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:31,760 but if you fail to protect the official items, 70 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,280 you can lose the evidence your organization relies on. 71 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,160 Records management helps you draw that line. 72 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:37,960 For each type of record, your organization 73 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:39,800 needs a plain rule with three parts. 74 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:41,880 First, the retention trigger. 75 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:43,520 What starts the clock? 76 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:44,360 Sometimes it's simple. 77 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:46,880 You might retain a final report for a set number of years 78 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:48,480 after the file is created. 79 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:50,920 Other records follow a business event instead. 80 00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:52,880 A contract may need to stay for a number of years 81 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,080 after the contract ends, and employee file 82 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:57,840 may need to stay for a period after the employee leaves. 83 00:02:57,840 --> 00:02:59,560 In both cases, the file's creation date 84 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:01,160 isn't the main date that matters. 85 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,040 The business event is. 86 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,960 Second, the retention period, how long you keep it? 87 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,520 Your organization decides this based on its own business, 88 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:10,360 legal, and compliance needs. 89 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:12,560 Per view doesn't decide whether a contract belongs 90 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:14,320 for five years or seven years. 91 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:16,080 The people who own the business process, 92 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:18,040 along with legal or compliance teams, 93 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:19,320 decide that rule. 94 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:21,520 Third, what happens when the time ends? 95 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:23,200 Maybe the record can be deleted, 96 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:24,800 maybe someone needs to review it first, 97 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,840 or maybe another business process needs to happen 98 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:27,680 before disposal. 99 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:29,520 The key is that the end action should be planned 100 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:31,800 from the start, not guessed years later, 101 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:33,480 when folders are already full. 102 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:34,880 Let's go back to that signed contract. 103 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:36,440 The rule could read like this. 104 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:38,240 Keep the signed agreement for seven years 105 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:40,880 after the contract expires, then send it for review 106 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:41,880 before deletion. 107 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:43,560 That one sentence gives you the trigger, 108 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:45,160 the period, and the end action. 109 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,120 This is how a paper retention schedule becomes 110 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:49,640 something Microsoft 365 can follow. 111 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:51,560 The business team knows what the record means, 112 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:53,680 and when the contract ends, compliance teams 113 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:55,320 help define the required rule, 114 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,240 and Microsoft 365 admins turn that approved rule 115 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,040 into a control that works across the places 116 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:01,280 where content lives. 117 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:02,680 So you don't start with technology. 118 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:04,840 You start by deciding which files count 119 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,400 as official evidence when their clock should start, 120 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:08,880 how long they need to remain, 121 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:10,480 and what should happen at the end. 122 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:11,840 Once you have that answer, 123 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,960 purview can attach the right rule directly to the item. 124 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:16,800 Retention labels are the rule book. 125 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:18,800 So once you know an item needs a rule, 126 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:20,640 purview uses a retention label 127 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:22,280 to attach that rule to the item. 128 00:04:22,280 --> 00:04:24,560 Think of a retention label as a digital rule card 129 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,480 attached to a document, an email, or any piece of content. 130 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,440 The label tells Microsoft 365 when to start counting, 131 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:31,560 how long to keep the item, 132 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:33,520 and what should happen when that time runs out. 133 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:34,880 And that matters because a contract 134 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:36,520 doesn't always stay in one neat folder. 135 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:39,360 Someone might move it, a team might reorganize a sharepoint 136 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:41,640 side, or the business might work with the file 137 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:43,840 through teams, and the underlying file still 138 00:04:43,840 --> 00:04:45,120 lives in sharepoint. 139 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:46,920 The label stays focused on the item, 140 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:48,960 so the retention rule stays connected to the content that 141 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:49,720 needs it. 142 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:51,720 For a formal record, that control 143 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:53,800 at the item level gives you much more precision 144 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:55,920 than a broad rule over an entire location. 145 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:57,080 Let's use a simple example. 146 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:00,040 You create a retention label called contract seven years 147 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,640 after expiry, then disposition review. 148 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:04,080 Even without seeing the admin screen, 149 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:05,560 you can understand the intent. 150 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,160 The clock doesn't start when someone first saves the contract. 151 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:10,080 It starts when the contract expires, 152 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,200 and then purview keeps the record for seven years. 153 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:13,400 When those seven years are complete, 154 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:14,680 purview doesn't just treat the item 155 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,200 like an old download in a folder, 156 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,280 but instead sends the record into the review process 157 00:05:18,280 --> 00:05:19,600 defined by your organization. 158 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:20,480 That is the rule book. 159 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,240 A retention label has three questions built right in. 160 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:24,360 When does the clock start? 161 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:25,720 How long does the records stay? 162 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:27,040 What happens at the end? 163 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:29,080 The first question is more important than it sounds. 164 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:30,920 For a simple document, the clock might start 165 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:32,840 when the item is created, last changed, 166 00:05:32,840 --> 00:05:33,960 or when the label was applied. 167 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:36,520 But many business records follow an event outside the file 168 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:39,720 itself, like a contract ending, an employee leaving, 169 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:41,280 or a project closing. 170 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:42,840 In those cases, the record needs a rule 171 00:05:42,840 --> 00:05:44,920 that follows the business event, not just the day 172 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:46,160 someone uploaded a PDF. 173 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,280 This is where beginners often mix up retention labels 174 00:05:48,280 --> 00:05:49,640 and retention policies. 175 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,280 They sound similar because both can tell Microsoft 365 176 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:54,400 to keep or delete content over time, 177 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:55,840 but they work at different levels. 178 00:05:55,840 --> 00:05:58,080 A retention policy is like applying one house rule 179 00:05:58,080 --> 00:05:59,240 to a whole area. 180 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:01,160 For example, you could apply a broad policy 181 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:03,600 to an exchange online mailbox, a SharePoint site, 182 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:04,960 or Teams messages. 183 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:06,560 That makes sense for general content 184 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,360 where one consistent rule covers a lot of information. 185 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:11,400 Maybe your organization keeps general Teams messages 186 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,320 for a set time, or maybe all content in a broad business site 187 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:16,000 needs a baseline retention period. 188 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:17,480 A retention label is more focused. 189 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:18,600 It tells purview. 190 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,960 This particular item belongs to this record category, 191 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:22,560 so give it this specific rule. 192 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:24,960 That makes labels a better fit for official documents 193 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:26,400 that need their own retention path, 194 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,640 especially when the clock starts from a business event 195 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:31,200 or the item will need a control decision at the end. 196 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,680 You can use both approaches in the same connected platform, 197 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:35,440 but they solve different problems. 198 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:37,640 Policies handle broad coverage, while labels 199 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,080 handle the records that need individual treatment. 200 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,640 The next question is, who puts the label on the item? 201 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:44,920 In some cases, a person applies it manually, 202 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:46,920 which works when someone has the business knowledge 203 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,360 to recognize an official record at the right moment, 204 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:50,920 like when a final agreement arrives 205 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:52,600 or a policy receives approval. 206 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,080 But relying on people to remember every label every time 207 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:56,120 can be difficult. 208 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,240 Per view can also apply labels automatically 209 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,200 when your organization defines clear conditions 210 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,560 for matching the right content, using known signals, 211 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:04,040 set properties, or other conditions 212 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,000 that identify the type of item. 213 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,000 Instead of following users around and asking them 214 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,000 to choose from a long list, the organization creates the rule 215 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,160 and purview applies it in the background. 216 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,560 The smart approach depends on the record type. 217 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,600 If a person must make a judgment call, manual labeling may fit. 218 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:20,480 But if a record follows a clear pattern, 219 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,680 automatic labeling brings more consistency, 220 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,040 either way the label turns a written retention schedule 221 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:27,480 into something Microsoft 365 can act on. 222 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:29,600 For you, the practical step is simple. 223 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:31,360 Take one written rule and make sure it 224 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:33,200 answers those three questions clearly. 225 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:34,280 What starts the clock? 226 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:35,440 How long does the item stay? 227 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:36,920 What happens when the time ends? 228 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:38,680 A label can tell per view to keep an item, 229 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:40,760 but the next building block adds a stricter control 230 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:42,360 treating that item as official evidence 231 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:45,200 rather than ordinary working content. 232 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:47,560 Record declaration locks the evidence. 233 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,720 A retention label tells per view how long an item needs to stay 234 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:52,720 and record declaration takes the next step 235 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:54,880 by marking that item as an official record 236 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,520 and applying stricter controls around it. 237 00:07:57,520 --> 00:07:59,720 Think of an ordinary working file as paperwork sitting 238 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:02,200 on someone's desk where people can update it, add comments, 239 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,520 and replace it while the work is still moving. 240 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:06,960 A declared record is the final signed paperwork 241 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,080 moved into a locked archive room. 242 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:10,720 The work may continue around it, 243 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:12,840 a new policy version may be written or a contract 244 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:15,480 may be renewed, but the declared record preserves 245 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:17,800 the official version that existed at that point in time. 246 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:18,960 So why does that lock matter? 247 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,000 Because official records can become evidence. 248 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,400 An auditor may need to see the approved financial report 249 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:24,560 from a certain year. 250 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:26,840 A legal team may need to find the signed agreement 251 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,640 that covered a dispute or an internal investigation may need 252 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:33,120 to confirm which policy applied when a decision was made. 253 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,880 In each case, the question isn't only whether we can find 254 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,680 a file, but also whether we can trust this is the file 255 00:08:38,680 --> 00:08:40,040 that existed at the time. 256 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:42,440 That's what record declaration is designed to support. 257 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:44,160 Consider a final company policy. 258 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:45,640 During the writing process, different people 259 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,680 might edit the policy, add notes or ask for changes, 260 00:08:48,680 --> 00:08:50,680 but once the policy receives approval, 261 00:08:50,680 --> 00:08:53,040 that approved version can become the record. 262 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,000 And declaring it as a record helps protect that version 263 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:57,560 for the required time. 264 00:08:57,560 --> 00:08:59,240 The same idea applies to a signed agreement. 265 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,600 You don't want the official signed copy treated like an ordinary draft 266 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,320 that someone can quietly replace, edit, or remove 267 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:07,160 because they were cleaning up a folder. 268 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:09,840 A completed employee record can work the same way. 269 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,040 Once it becomes the official business evidence, 270 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:13,840 the organization can apply a record label 271 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,360 to keep it protected through its retention period. 272 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:18,000 There's an important point for beginners here. 273 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,160 Records management controls retention across time, 274 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,160 making sure an official item remains available 275 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:23,440 for as long as the rule requires, 276 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,120 even if someone tries to delete it before that period ends. 277 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:27,600 And it also adds record controls 278 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:29,760 that help preserve the item's evidence. 279 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:31,440 But records management doesn't do every form 280 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,040 of protection in Microsoft Perview. 281 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:35,720 It doesn't encrypt a document, decide who can open a document, 282 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:37,680 or stop someone from sending sensitive information 283 00:09:37,680 --> 00:09:38,760 to the wrong place. 284 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:39,880 Those are different jobs. 285 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,200 A sensitivity label protects access and sharing, 286 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:44,400 and you might use it to apply encryption or limit 287 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:45,640 who can open a file. 288 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:47,840 Data loss prevention or DLP watches 289 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:50,000 for risky movement of sensitive information 290 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:51,600 and can help detect or block actions 291 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:54,080 like sharing protected information in ways your organization 292 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:55,880 doesn't allow. 293 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,120 Records management answers a different question. 294 00:09:58,120 --> 00:09:59,960 How long must this official evidence stay? 295 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:02,000 And what controls should apply while it stays? 296 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,960 Picture a signed contract that contains confidential terms. 297 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:07,360 A sensitivity label can control who has access to it. 298 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,160 DLP can watch for risky sharing, 299 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,240 and a retention label that declares it as a record 300 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:12,840 controls its life as evidence. 301 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:14,280 Keeping the contract from disappearing 302 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:16,440 before it's required retention period ends. 303 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:18,680 These tools can work together, but they shouldn't be confused. 304 00:10:18,680 --> 00:10:20,960 One protects the document while people use it 305 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,800 and the other protects the business obligation across time. 306 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,320 That difference helps you avoid a common mistake. 307 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,560 Treating a record label like a general security setting, 308 00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:29,400 it isn't. 309 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,280 A record label is the rule that tells Microsoft 365 310 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:33,640 this item is official evidence. 311 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:34,960 Keep it according to this schedule 312 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,760 and apply the stricter record controls we've chosen. 313 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:39,360 That also means you need to be thoughtful 314 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:41,560 before declaring something as a record. 315 00:10:41,560 --> 00:10:44,840 Once you lock every rough draft, duplicate, and informal note, 316 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:46,840 you make normal work much harder because the goal 317 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,320 is to protect the final official evidence, 318 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,640 not freeze every piece of content the moment it appears. 319 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:54,880 Keeping a record is only half the job, though. 320 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:57,680 Every retention rule eventually reaches a harder question. 321 00:10:57,680 --> 00:10:59,880 When the required time ends, who decides 322 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:01,600 that the record can finally go? 323 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:03,960 Disposition review is the gate before deletion. 324 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:05,840 Keeping a record for the right amount of time 325 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:07,080 is only half the story. 326 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,320 The other half is what happens when that time runs out. 327 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:11,880 That decision is called disposition and it needs care. 328 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,280 Delete a record too early and your organization 329 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:16,520 could lose evidence it still needs for a legal case 330 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:18,280 and audit or a business dispute. 331 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,240 Keep every expired record forever 332 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:22,720 and you end up with a growing pile of old content, 333 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:24,840 more information to protect and more material 334 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:26,560 that could be requested in a lawsuit. 335 00:11:26,560 --> 00:11:28,760 Per view records management gives you a gate 336 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:30,080 between those two risks. 337 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:31,600 It's called disposition review. 338 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:33,880 Think about the old paper process for a second. 339 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:36,600 A box reaches its planned destruction date 340 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,720 but nobody should feed it straight into the shredder 341 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:39,960 without checking it first. 342 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:41,400 Someone responsible for the records 343 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:43,600 looks at the box, confirms nothing has changed 344 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:45,400 and then approves what happens next. 345 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:47,320 Disposition review brings that same decision 346 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:49,120 into Microsoft 365. 347 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,320 When a record reaches the end of its retention period, 348 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:53,280 per view can send it to designated reviewers 349 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:54,920 instead of deleting it right away. 350 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:57,200 The reviewer opens the item in the purview portal 351 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:00,040 and decides whether the record can be permanently deleted. 352 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:01,480 That review gives your organization 353 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:04,240 one final chance to ask a practical question. 354 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:05,880 Is there any reason we still need this? 355 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:07,120 Take our contract example. 356 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,520 The contract ended and its seven year retention period 357 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:10,320 has now finished. 358 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:13,840 At that point, the contract reaches the disposition review Q. 359 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,040 The reviewer checks whether there is an ongoing dispute, 360 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:18,320 a legal request or another business reason to keep it. 361 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,440 If nothing requires the contract to remain, 362 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,360 the reviewer can approve disposal. 363 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:23,720 If the contract is still relevant, 364 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:25,160 the reviewer can pause the process 365 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:27,800 instead of letting it disappear just because a date arrived. 366 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:29,960 That is a much safer process than a calendar reminder 367 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:31,360 that somebody may miss. 368 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,600 A simple record type might need just one review stage. 369 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:36,560 For example, a records team could review routine contracts 370 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:38,200 that have reached their end date. 371 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,360 One group checks the Q, makes the decision 372 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:41,920 and completes the process. 373 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:43,920 Other record types may need more than one stage. 374 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:46,400 A sensitive financial record might need a business owner 375 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:48,120 to confirm it is no longer needed, 376 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,720 followed by a compliance or records team review 377 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:52,080 before the final action. 378 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:54,400 Per view can support that kind of multistage review 379 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:56,840 where the record passes through more than one approval step. 380 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:58,240 More stages bring more control, 381 00:12:58,240 --> 00:12:59,880 but they also create more work. 382 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:02,520 So you should match the process to the risk of the record. 383 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:05,400 Don't build a longer approval chain for every ordinary item. 384 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:06,960 At the same time, don't give one person 385 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,920 the final decision on records that need legal, finance, 386 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:11,040 or compliance input. 387 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:13,960 There's one practical setup choice that saves trouble later. 388 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:15,800 Assign reviewers through a maintained group 389 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:18,040 when you can instead of naming one person. 390 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:21,120 People change jobs, they take leave, they leave the company. 391 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:22,880 A group can continue to own the review work 392 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:25,520 as its members change, which means records don't sit 393 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,280 in a queue waiting for somebody who no longer works there. 394 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:29,880 You also need to plan permissions. 395 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:32,200 Being a general Microsoft 365 admin 396 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,720 doesn't automatically mean someone can review records 397 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:36,000 waiting for this position. 398 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:38,000 The people who need to see an act on these items 399 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,640 require the right records management permissions. 400 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:42,920 That's worth checking before you switch on a label 401 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:45,240 that sends large amounts of content into review. 402 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:47,720 For you, the starting point is not the purview screen. 403 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,640 Write down who owns the final decision for each record type. 404 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:53,280 Ask who can confirm that the record is no longer needed, 405 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:54,960 who needs to approve disposal, 406 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:56,560 and what should happen if a reviewer finds 407 00:13:56,560 --> 00:13:58,880 an active legal or business reason to keep it. 408 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:00,280 Once those answers are clear, 409 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:03,080 purview can root the record through a repeatable process. 410 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:05,640 After a record has been kept reviewed and disposed of, 411 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:07,040 one more question remains. 412 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:08,560 Can you show what happened? 413 00:14:08,560 --> 00:14:10,280 Audit history provides the proof. 414 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:12,560 Records management is not only about setting a rule, 415 00:14:12,560 --> 00:14:15,520 it's also about being able to show that people followed it. 416 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:16,880 That is where audit history comes in. 417 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,160 Microsoft purview audit keeps a centralized history 418 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:21,720 of activities across Microsoft 365. 419 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,040 Depending on the activity and your audit setup, 420 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:27,040 it can help you investigate who acted, what they did, 421 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:28,000 and when they did it. 422 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,680 For records work, that matters when someone asks questions 423 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:31,680 after the fact. 424 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:34,680 Imagine an auditor asks why a signed contract no longer exists. 425 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:37,480 You need more than an empty folder and somebody's memory. 426 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:39,640 Your organization should be able to connect the dots. 427 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:41,240 The contract had a retention label. 428 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:43,080 The retention period reached its end. 429 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,720 The correct reviewer approved the disposition decision 430 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:47,360 and the activity was recorded. 431 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:48,960 That creates a trail you can examine. 432 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:50,240 Maybe the question is different. 433 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:51,920 Who applied the label to this item? 434 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:54,600 Did someone try to delete it before the retention period ended? 435 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:56,760 When did the reviewer approve its disposal? 436 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:58,520 Audit history can help answer those questions 437 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:02,720 by providing recorded activity from across the Microsoft 365 platform. 438 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,680 There is one distinction that often surprises beginners. 439 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:07,960 The audit history does not live inside the document itself. 440 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:09,480 You won't open a word file and find 441 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:11,840 its complete audit trail stored in the file. 442 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:14,320 Purview stores that activity in the unified audit log, 443 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:16,720 which is a central place for audit records across services 444 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:21,120 such as SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange Online, Teams, and EntraID. 445 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:23,120 Think of it as the building's visitor and activity register, 446 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,160 not a note-clipped inside each piece of paper. 447 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:27,160 That means you need to think about audit retention 448 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:29,400 separately from record retention. 449 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,640 A record might need to stay for many years. 450 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:33,280 The audit information available to you 451 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:36,680 depends on how your organization has set up, purview audit, 452 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:38,040 and what licensing it has. 453 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:40,240 If you need a long history of record-related activity, 454 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:42,600 confirm that your audit set up keeps that history 455 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:44,440 for the period your organization requires. 456 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:46,600 Otherwise, you could still have the record, 457 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:48,800 but lose access to older activity details 458 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:50,600 that would help explain its journey. 459 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:53,920 This is why record decisions cannot sit with one team alone. 460 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:56,640 Business owners understand the records their teams create. 461 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:58,720 Compliance and legal teams define the rules 462 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:00,120 and the proof they need. 463 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:02,880 Microsoft 365 Admins configure the labels, 464 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:04,440 review permissions, and audit settings 465 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:05,760 that make those rules work. 466 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:07,280 Each group holds part of the answer. 467 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:09,120 The retention label defines the rule. 468 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:11,920 Record declaration protects the official evidence. 469 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,360 Disposition review controls the decision at the end. 470 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:16,840 Audit history documents the trail around those actions. 471 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,080 For you, the practical question is simple. 472 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:21,240 If someone challenged a deletion years from now, 473 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:23,600 could your organization show the rule, the approval, 474 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:25,560 and the recorded activity that led to it? 475 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:27,760 If not, the record may be protected, 476 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:31,360 but the process still has a gaps in the digital records life cycle. 477 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,200 So put the pieces together and Perview Records Management 478 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:36,360 gives official content a controlled path 479 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:37,600 through its working life. 480 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:40,480 First, your organization identifies what counts as evidence. 481 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,000 Then the right retention label attaches the approved rule. 482 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:44,840 If the item meets formal record controls, 483 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:46,600 it gets declared as a record. 484 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:48,360 Perview keeps it for the required time, 485 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,440 sends it for review when that time ends, 486 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:52,600 and audit keeps the history that explains the result. 487 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:53,440 That's the big picture. 488 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:56,160 Think of it like a digital filing cabinet with a built-in timer. 489 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:58,840 Now Perview doesn't sort every file into neat folders for you. 490 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:02,000 It applies a defined life cycle to the records that matter most. 491 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,840 In the old approach, teams relied on folders, spreadsheets, 492 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:06,480 calendar reminders, and memory. 493 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:09,320 In Microsoft 365, the record might live in SharePoint, 494 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:11,560 OneDrive, Exchange Online, or Teams. 495 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:13,560 Perview manages its rule in the background. 496 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:15,240 Before anyone creates a label, 497 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:17,520 start with the business decision behind it. 498 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:20,080 Start with one record type, like signed contracts, 499 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:22,840 employee records, or final financial reports. 500 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:24,680 Write its rule in plain English. 501 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:26,240 What starts the clock? 502 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:27,560 How long does it stay? 503 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:29,320 And what happens when the period ends? 504 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:31,480 Then name the business owner and the disposition reviewers 505 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:33,360 before you configure anything in Perview. 506 00:17:33,360 --> 00:17:35,240 That gives you a working records process, 507 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,000 not just a setting in a portal. 508 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:39,960 Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform for more knowledge nuggets 509 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:43,040 and share this with someone sorting out Microsoft 365 compliance.