About this change
A 90-day retention policy will be implemented for Teams Chat messages (i.e., all content under the Chat tab, except for shared files, which will remain saved on your OneDrive). Posts to a Channel and other Teams data will not be impacted. The implementation of this retention policy manages information risk to the University, aligns with recommendations from University Records Management, and adheres to Policy 46 - Information Management requirements. Chat messages are not intended to be kept; University records required for longer periods of time should be stored in a Team or SharePoint site.
Impact of this change
Messages from private 1:1 chats, group chats, meeting chats, and chat messages with yourself will be deleted 90 days after the message is sent or received and will not be recoverable. All chats will be deleted on a rolling 90-day basis thereafter. An automatically generated message stating "We've deleted older messages due to your organization's retention policy" will appear at the top of chat windows as older chats are deleted.
Archiving required Chat data
A self-serve method for archiving data under the Chat tab is available if there is a requirement to save a copy of the exchange. This tool should be used on a limited and extraordinary basis only, to meet the goal of limiting information risk to the University.