Driving Compliance, Storage Savings, and Collaboration with Microsoft Purview
Client Overview
When a leading not-for-profit client set out to modernize its email records management, they turned to Cadence Solutions for expertise. Like many organizations, their employees were relying on Microsoft Outlook to store business records. The challenge was determining which email records required long-term retention and which were better managed in other repositories, all while keeping end users engaged and supported throughout the transition.
​​
The Approach
Cadence Solutions partnered closely with testers from multiple departments to identify the types of email records in circulation. Through a collaborative 30-minute workshop, followed by an open dialogue during User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Cadence helped the client validate what truly needed to be retained. This step ensured the client’s records policies were based on business requirements, not assumptions.
​
Change management was woven throughout the process. Using the ADKAR model, Cadence Solutions delivered clear communications, hands-on training, and a feedback loop that built user confidence while minimizing disruption.
​
The Rollout
The implementation followed a phased approach:
-
Month 0: Retention labels dynamically published to departments. Staff communications and end-user training were delivered.
-
Month 1: Archiving of content older than 1.5 years provided a “visual cushion” so users could see which items were approaching deletion.
-
Month 2: Default two-year policy enabled for unclassified emails, calendar items, notes, and other content.
-
Months 3–5: IT provided a safety net with a “Recovery Period,” ensuring users could restore accidentally deleted items.
This structured rollout gave users two months to tag and classify emails before the two-year default policy was applied, achieving a balance of governance, transparency, and user adoption.​​​​
The Results
​
-
Massive storage savings as non-record emails are automatically disposed of after two years.
-
Improved records management practices with business-critical emails classified and retained according to policy.
-
Better findability and collaboration, as records are increasingly stored in the right repositories instead of being buried in inboxes.
​
The Tools
​
-
Microsoft Purview Records Management and Data Lifecycle Management for classification, retention, and deletion.
-
Microsoft Outlook as the user-facing application.
-
Change Management (ADKAR model) to drive adoption and ensure organizational alignment.