One of the key benefits of Microsoft Purview is the ability to classify and govern data in Microsoft 365 automatically. One way we can do this is by auto-applying retention labels in Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle and Records Management.
Auto-applying retention labels is powerful because:
- You don't need to train your users or rely on them to classify data manually.
- The lifecycle of your data, including retention and deletion, is automatically governed without manual work from admins.
- It helps you to comply with data regulations and company policies efficiently and at scale.
You can automatically classify and manage data in Data Lifecycle and Records Management when it has sensitive information, based on a content’s properties or metadata, or using machine learning.
Simulation mode for Microsoft Purview retention labels
You want to feel confident that auto-classifications are correct and working as expected. Previously, there wasn’t a way to test the configuration of your auto-applied retention labels before deploying them to production. Admins would need to deploy policies straight to production and wait up to a week to view the results.
Today we are announcing the public preview of simulation mode for Microsoft Purview auto-applied retention labels, which is rolling out now to commercial tenants. Simulation mode enables admins to test their policy configuration by simulating content matched by the policy. The simulation can take as little as a few hours up to two days (depending on the amount of data analyzed), helping admins to rapidly test, modify, and confidently deploy their auto-apply retention labels. This feature is like simulation mode for auto-labeling policies for sensitivity labels.
In this first release, simulation mode will work with policies that apply labels when content has sensitive information, using Sensitive Information Types, or based on content’s properties or metadata, using KQL (Keyword Query Language). It will not work for content classified using machine learning trainable classifiers.
How does simulation mode for retention labels work?
Here is how simulation mode fits into the current retention label deployment workflow:
- Create a retention label and auto-apply retention policy as normal. Ensure you choose one of these auto-apply options in the Info to label step:
- ‘Apply label to content that contains sensitive info.’
- ‘Apply label to content that contains specific words or phrases, or properties.’
- Simulation mode works with both adaptive and static scopes.
- The wizard to create a new auto-labeling policy now has a new step called Mode. Choose the option to ‘Test the policy before running it.’
- The new policy will now appear in the list of Label policies with a status of ‘In simulation.’
Once the simulation is complete, you can view the results. The simulation overview displays data such as the total number of matching items, their location in Microsoft 365, and if any locations were not scanned. You can also view a random sample of files and emails that match the policy. You can click 'Turn on policy' if the results match your expectations. If they do not, adjust the policy settings and re-run the simulation.
Some customers in our private preview program gradually increased the scope of their auto-labeling policy before deployment. For example, they started with a single location, such as a SharePoint site, with a single document library. Then, iterative changes increased the scope to multiple sites and then to another location, such as OneDrive. This iterative approach helped them learn about and test the policy settings with a predictable, manageable scope.
Please read our documentation to learn more about simulation mode for retention labels.
Other recent Data Lifecycle and Records Management releases
Over the past two months, we’ve released these other feature enhancements in Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle and Records Management.
- Increased limits per label for disposition review and proof of disposition (now Generally Available in commercial tenants): This feature removes the per-label 1,000,000 item limit for items pending disposition review and proof of disposition (reviewed), including record labels. The tenant limit of 16,000,000 total items pending disposition and disposed still exists.
- Faster page load times in the Data Lifecycle and Records Management solutions (now Generally Available in all commercial and US government tenants): We are made changes to the frontend and backend processes that deliver the user experience in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal, specifically the Data Lifecycle and Records Management solutions. These changes significantly improve the page load times as you navigate these solutions.
- New disposition review Progress column for approved items (now Generally Available in all commercial and US government tenants): A new progress column in the Disposed items view will display the status of an item approved for disposition. For example, whether an item is Approved but still needs to be deleted or has already been deleted.
- Cloud attachments now support file versions shared as links in a Microsoft Teams or email message (Coming to Public Preview in commercial tenants in February): Previously, cloud attachments worked only for links shared using the attachments button in Outlook and Microsoft Teams. Now, cloud attachments will retain files shared as hyperlinks in the body of an email or Teams message.
To learn more about Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle and Records Management or to keep up with our latest news, please visit these locations:
- Start a free trial: https://aka.ms/DLM/FreeTrial
- Website: https://aka.ms/DLM/Website
- Documentation: https://aka.ms/DLM/Documentation
- Blog: https://aka.ms/DLM/Blog
- Roadmap: https://aka.ms/DLM/Roadmap
- Licensing information: https://aka.ms/DLM/Licensing
- Feedback portal: https://aka.ms/DLM/Feedback
- Customer stories: https://aka.ms/DLM/Stories
- Set-up guide: https://aka.ms/DLM/Guide
- Get a free test tenant: https://aka.ms/DLM/TestTenant