As government organizations expand their use of Microsoft 365 (M365) to manage the creation, collaboration, and storage of digital information, practitioners must address two connected responsibilities: managing the complete lifecycle of records within M365 and ensuring long-term preservation for information with enduring historical or legal value. This workshop brings together experts from Records Management, Information Governance, and Digital Preservation to discuss how agencies can develop sustainable, compliant, and future-ready programs centered around M365 but supported by a broader ecosystem of governance and archival tools.

Workshop presenters from QAI (Laura Starr), InfoGov Consulting, and Preservica will explore how to build an integrated approach that supports daily operational requirements as well as long-term stewardship.

Topics will include:

• Modern Lifecycle Management in M365 (Records Management Perspective) How retention labels, retention policies, event-based triggers, and immutable protections work across SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and Exchange.
• How to design defensible and auditable disposition processes aligned with statutory and regulatory requirements.
• How metadata, automation tools (including auto-labeling, adaptive scopes, and classifiers), and content remediation enhance lifecycle control.
• Information Governance Alignment Across the Enterprise (InfoGov Consulting Perspective)
• How to create governance policies and organizational practices that support cross-functional coordination among Records Management, Archives, Information Governance, IT, Legal, and operational units.
• Ways to ensure that M365 configuration aligns with agency records schedules and that governance structures provide clear expectations, accountability, and sustainable program oversight.
• Long-Term Preservation Strategy and Archival Transfer (Preservica Perspective) How to distinguish between lifecycle retention in M365 and archival preservation requirements.
• How to identify records with permanent or long-term value and prepare them for archival transfer.
• Considerations for maintaining authenticity, context, and provenance throughout the export and preservation process.
• How archival repositories integrate with M365 to ensure long-term access and trustworthiness.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration

The workshop will provide practical examples of how Records Management, Archives, Information Governance, IT, Legal Counsel, and program offices can work together to design lifecycle and preservation workflows, develop policies, and create sustainable practices that meet both operational and archival requirements. Attendees will gain a holistic understanding of how lifecycle management and long-term preservation can be effectively aligned in an M365-centered environment, along with practical strategies, workflow models, and actionable steps they can implement regardless of their agency’s size or maturity level.

This workshop is designed to support organizations in meeting today’s compliance obligations while preparing for tomorrow’s stewardship expectations.