Microsoft Purview – compliance in a box

How to govern, protect, and manage your data estate

Microsoft Purview seems to be the new kid on the block. Everyone is talking about it – but what exactly is it, what can it do and, moreover, does your organisation need it? Marc Stephenson, Director here at Metataxis, takes a look and shares his thoughts on this Microsoft solution:

According to www.dictionary.com: Purview. Noun. The range of operation, authority, control, concern, etc. The range of vision, insight, or understanding.”

I think Microsoft has actually chosen a good name for the formally known as the “Compliance Center” product suite. (Please Microsoft can we try not to re-skin, re-factor or generally re-arrange this important area of functionality for a while now!)

At Metataxis, we are starting to find that getting to grips with Microsoft Purview is a growing demand.

What is Microsoft Purview?

Microsoft officially describes this tool as: “a unified data governance solution to help manage and govern your on-premises, multicloud, and software as a service (SaaS) data. Easily create a holistic, up-to-date map of your data landscape with automated data discovery, sensitive data classification, and end-to-end data lineage.”

Understand and govern data across your entire data estate

For years, organisations have recognised that they need to “do something” to get their compliance and records management ship in order. Today, with more sensitive data stored across apps, clouds, and devices, it’s never been harder to understand and govern sensitive information, identify data risks and manage regulatory requirements to remain compliant. And this is why only recently its has started to drive operational need.

And therein lies the key word: “operational.”

Many organisations already have compliance regimes in place, covering various levels of thoroughness, value, and application, but until they are actually in use, in other words, operational, it’s just good intentions, and maybe for some simply just box-ticking.

How Metataxis can help

Metataxis consultants are technical experts in all aspects of information risk, compliance, and records management, but crucially, we’ve spent many years implementing real-world Microsoft 365 systems for our clients. The art of this is the ability to translate the business need for compliance into a workable and scalable set of Microsoft 365 configuration settings.

Alas, this invariably involves some compromises, especially if you don’t have an E5 subscription, and only have an E1 subscription.

Thankfully, Metataxis has developed several approaches to leverage whatever Microsoft licence subscription you have and whatever compliance regime you have, into something that will work for your organisation. After all, your organisation’s “range of operation, authority, control, concern, …vision, insight, or understanding” is kind of important.

So, if you’re looking for governance, protection, and compliance solutions for your organisation’s data and assets across your environment – simply get in touch and we’d be happy to discuss how we can help you with Microsoft Purview.

Mitigate risk with SharePoint records management training

10 Feb 2023 – Metataxis delivers Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Records Management training course in partnership with training experts, Leadership Through Data.

Once again, Metataxis is pleased be presenting the Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Records Management course, in partnership with Leadership Through Data.

Designed and delivered by Records Managers for Records Managers, this comprehensive training course explores the information governance features of Microsoft 365, including licencing and information architecture requirements to support information governance.

This “all you need to know” Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Records Management course is delivered by Metataxis Senior Consultant, Siobhan King. With her specialist background in records management and information governance, this course will help students to improve their SharePoint record management skills and strengthen information governance across their organisation.

Siobhan explains: “It’s always fun teaching this course because with Microsoft things never stay still for very long. This means there are always new things to teach and learn in every session! Upon course completion, students will know how to design, configure and implement Microsoft 365 to get the most of the features, mitigate risk and gain a better understanding how to protect the valuable information created and shared by colleagues on a daily basis.”

This virtual training course is delivered over 4 half days and all attendees will achieve 12 CPD credits. It’s a very popular course and is now fully booked, however it will available again in in April, June, September and November this year.

Learn more and book your place now! 

Metataxis joins Microsoft CAB & Records Management experts to support app development

Oct 2022 – Metataxis joins Microsoft Records Management Customer Advisory Board working group.

Metataxis is thrilled to be a member of the Microsoft Records Management Customer Advisory Board (CAB) working group.

Microsoft CAB working groups enable industry professionals to get together and suggest and share feedback with Microsoft, in order to help them develop and enhance their current capabilities to address customer challenges and new requirements.

The Microsoft Records Management Customer Advisory Board working group is made up of records and information governance professionals from the UK, United States, Australasia and Europe, including representatives from government and private sectors, consultants and National Archives institutions.

These compelling sessions offer the opportunity for Records Management experts to present and propose the developments we would like Microsoft to consider that would best serve our records management requirements.

Siobhan King, Senior Consultant at Metataxis, explains: “These valuable meetings enable us to share our challenges, experiences and requirements with other industry experts from across the globe, and in turn, support the ongoing development of Microsoft 365. Our most recent CAB meeting with Microsoft was a lively and well informed event, where we discussed the next round of records management development requests on our wish list, including version management and expiry dates.” 

Microsoft runs a quarterly cycle for considering improvements, based on the proposals put forward by industry professionals. The next round for reviewing development requests will take place in October.

Metataxis provides records management, retention and disposal solutions and to over 250 clients in the public, private and third sectors. If you would like to learn more about our record management services, simply contact us.