Retention Policies vs Retention Labels for Email Records in SharePoint: How to Choose
Email is still where most decisions, approvals, and sensitive conversations live. If you are using SharePoint as your central records repository, those email records need more than a place to sit. They need a lifecycle: how long to keep them, when to dispose of them, and how to prove you followed the rules. In Microsoft 365, that lifecycle is driven by retention policies and retention labels. Both are configured in Microsoft Purview and can apply across Exchange mailboxes, SharePoint, OneDrive, and more. The challenge for many organisations is not “what are these features?” but “which one should we lean on for email records in SharePoint?” This article breaks down how each approach works, where they fit, and how to choose the right model for your governance and compliance goals.