Data Lifecycle & Records Implementation
Keep what you must, delete what you can — with a disposition process that actually runs
Most organisations keep everything forever by default. CloudWay implements data lifecycle and records management in Microsoft 365 with Microsoft Purview: retention and records controls for your priority workloads, and a disposition process that actually runs. Engagements take 4 to 10 weeks, and the result is defensible retention: you keep what regulation requires and delete what you can.
New to information protection? Start with our Purview Foundation: it builds the label and retention model this implementation runs on.
The challenge
Too much content retained
Content keeps growing because old data is rarely reviewed or removed.
Higher discovery cost
Unmanaged content increases eDiscovery effort, cost, and complexity.
Audit risk grows
Without a defensible process, retention decisions are harder to justify.
What we do
CloudWay implements retention and records management with Microsoft Purview, scoped to the workloads that matter most. We agree which content areas and records requirements are in scope, configure retention and records controls to match, and design a disposition process with clear review, approval, and ownership steps. We run the first disposition cycle together with your team to prove the process works, then hand over runbooks so it keeps running without us.
Confirm workloads
Agree which workloads, content areas, and records requirements are in scope.
Implement controls
Configure retention and records controls aligned to the agreed approach.
Set disposition process
Create a workable process for review, approval, deletion, and ownership.
Handover runbooks
Provide runbooks and handover guidance so the process can keep running.
You get
Typical outcomes
Implemented retention/records controls
You get retention and records controls configured and live for the agreed workloads in SharePoint, Teams, and Exchange.
Key workloads covered
Your highest-risk content areas are under defensible retention.
Disposition process
You get a disposition process with clear review, approval, and ownership steps, designed to run month after month.
First disposition cycle completed
The first disposition cycle is completed together with CloudWay, so the process is proven in practice before handover.
Runbooks and handover
You get runbooks and a structured handover, so your team keeps the process running without consultant support.
Better audit readiness
Retention decisions are documented and defensible, which shortens audits and supports GDPR data minimisation.
Ideal for
Keeping everything forever
For organisations defaulting to keeping content longer than needed.
Unclear content ownership
For teams unsure who owns lifecycle, review, and disposal decisions.
Growing SharePoint and Teams content
For leaders managing rapid content growth across Microsoft 365.
Start your data governance journey
Protect & Govern Data in M365
Data governanceExplore how Microsoft Purview can help protect, classify, and govern your data.
- Discover and classify data
- Plan protection and governance
Why CloudWay
CloudWay AS is a Norwegian Microsoft consultancy working across Europe, and its governance work is done with your people, not for them: controls are built together and documented in runbooks, so they stay effective and auditable long after the engagement ends. The team includes seven Microsoft MVPs; the customer stories page shows what that looks like in practice.
Ready to improve how your teams work?
