This article covers the purpose and function of retention labels at Virginia Tech. Retention labels are manually applied across Microsoft and Google platforms.

Retention labels are manual tools used to manage the lifecycle of files and emails at Virginia Tech by specifying how long information should be retained and what actions should be taken when that period ends. They help ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and organizational policies by applying retention rules to documents, emails, and other records. The importance of retention labels lies in their ability to protect information, support audit and discovery processes, and reduce risks associated with improper data disposal.

For more information regarding retention and records management, please contact your departmental records coordinator or the records management office at http://rms.vt.edu.

Available retention labels

The list below describes the available retention labels. Employees are encouraged to consult with their departmental records coordinators to determine how these labels can best complement existing retention practices.

• 1 closed year retained for 2 years
• 2 closed years retained for 3 years
• 3 closed years retained for 4 years
• 5 closed years retained for 6 years
• 10 closed years retained for 11 years
• 20 closed years retained for 21 years
• Permanent retained forever

When using retention labels, labeled content will be held for a fixed number of years based on the chosen label. At the end of the retention period

• Items in Google Workspace will be automatically deleted
• Items in Microsoft 365 will be sent to a disposition review. In this review, records coordinators will be notified to review the document. If the item is not reviewed within 14 days, it will be automatically deleted.

File owners can change or remove the retention labels at any time.

Example

“3 closed years retained for 4 years” indicates the item is kept for 3 full years after it is created, plus an additional buffer of 1 year before the label expires and the disposition action (automatic deletion) is applied. Therefore, for this label, the overall time a document is retained before automatic deletion is 4 years.

Employees are encouraged to consult with their departmental records coordinators to determine how these labels can best complement existing retention practices.

For additional questions, contact the Records Management Service office at http://rms.vt.edu.

Applying a label to a file in SharePoint or OneDrive from the browser

1. Go to the document library (site or OneDrive) where the file lives
2. Select the file (don’t open it)
3. Click the ⓘ Details pane (top-right corner of the browser window)
4. Look for a field called Retention label
5. Choose the label from the dropdown
6. Save / close the pane

Applying a label to a file in an Office 365 application

1. Go to File → Info
2. On the right side, find Retention label
3. Select the label from the dropdown

Applying a label to a file in Google shared drives

1. Right click the file
2. Select File information → Labels
3. Choose the appropriate label
4. Fill in required fields
5. Save

Applying a label to a file inside a Google Workspace application

1. Open the document
2. Click File → File information → Labels
3. Select the label and values

Applying a label to a file in Google My Drive

The retention labels do not protect content in Google My Drive if an account is deprovisioned. This means that if a user’s account is deleted, any files in My Drive with labels may be permanently lost and will not be retained according to the retention policy. Therefore, we did not implement retention labels in My Drive.

What if a user accidentally deletes labeled content?

The retention label is intended to preserve the record for the required period. A user’s delete action will not result in permanent removal. The item will be retained in the tenant and recoverable until the retention period ends.

What is an account that contains active retention labels is deprovisioned?

Deprovisioning does not change the retention requirement for records the user created. The item will be retained in the tenant and recoverable until the retention period ends.