Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A records manager is preparing to delete old HR emails next week under the retention schedule. Legal notifies the team that those messages may be needed for an active investigation. What should the records manager do first?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
Delete the emails on schedule and archive only the subject lines.
Deleting the emails would risk destroying evidence that may be needed for legal proceedings. Keeping only subject lines would not preserve the full record and would not satisfy the hold.
B
Best answer
Place the emails on legal hold and suspend normal deletion for those records.
A legal hold is the correct action when records might be needed for an investigation, audit, or litigation. It overrides the normal retention schedule and requires the organization to preserve relevant data until legal or compliance staff releases the hold. This protects evidence integrity and avoids accidental destruction of records that could be important to the case.
C
Distractor review
Move the emails to a shared folder so legal can review them later.
Moving the emails to a shared folder does not preserve them under a formal hold. It can also expand access beyond what is necessary and create unnecessary exposure of sensitive HR information.
D
Distractor review
Compress the emails into an encrypted file and continue with deletion.
Encryption protects confidentiality, but it does not address the need to preserve records for legal purposes. The key issue is preventing deletion, not just securing the data in storage.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A laptop is suspected of being used in a malware incident. It is still powered on and connected to Wi-Fi. What should the responder do before shutting it down?
Question 2
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Question 3
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Question 4
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Question 5
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Question 6
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Place the emails on legal hold and suspend normal deletion for those records. — Placing the messages on legal hold is the correct response because the organization has been told the records may be needed for an active investigation. A legal hold suspends routine retention and deletion rules so the information remains available and unchanged until the matter is resolved. This protects the organization from destroying relevant evidence and supports auditability and legal defensibility. Preservation comes before disposal in this scenario. Why others are wrong: Deleting the emails would violate the need to preserve potentially relevant evidence. Moving them to a shared folder may increase access without formally stopping deletion. Encrypting them is helpful for security, but encryption alone does not preserve records under a legal hold. The decisive factor is that legal has already identified the records as potentially needed, so normal retention cannot proceed.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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