- A
Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management
Why wrong: Data Lifecycle Management can retain and delete content, but it does not prevent users from deleting content unless retention labels are configured as records. The scenario requires records protection.
- B
Microsoft Purview Records Management
Correct. Records Management allows you to declare items as records, which locks them against deletion and editing, and then apply retention and disposition settings.
- C
Microsoft Purview eDiscovery
Why wrong: eDiscovery is for searching, holding, and exporting content for legal or investigative purposes, not for retention management and deletion prevention.
- D
Microsoft Purview Audit
Why wrong: Audit logs user and admin activities but does not manage retention or prevent deletion of records.
Quick Answer
The answer is Microsoft Purview Records Management. This solution is correct because it enables the law firm to apply retention labels that designate content as a regulatory record, which locks the records against user deletion and editing for the mandated 10-year period, while also supporting disposition review and permanent deletion once that period expires. On the SC-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Records Management differs from standard retention policies—specifically, the regulatory record label imposes stricter controls that override user permissions, a common trap where candidates might mistakenly choose a simpler retention policy. A key memory tip is to associate “regulatory record” with “regulatory requirement”: if the scenario demands that users cannot delete or alter records before a set time, think Records Management, not just retention.
SC-900 Practice Question: Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions
This SC-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe the capabilities of microsoft compliance solutions. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A law firm uses Microsoft 365. They must retain all client communication records for 10 years due to regulatory requirements. After 10 years, the records must be permanently deleted. Additionally, they need to ensure that users cannot permanently delete these records before the retention period ends. Which Microsoft Purview solution should they configure?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Microsoft Purview Records Management
Microsoft Purview Records Management is the correct solution because it allows the law firm to apply retention labels that mark content as a regulatory record, which prevents users from permanently deleting the records before the retention period ends. It also supports disposition review and permanent deletion after the specified 10-year retention period, meeting both the retention and deletion requirements.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management
Why it's wrong here
Data Lifecycle Management can retain and delete content, but it does not prevent users from deleting content unless retention labels are configured as records. The scenario requires records protection.
- ✓
Microsoft Purview Records Management
Why this is correct
Correct. Records Management allows you to declare items as records, which locks them against deletion and editing, and then apply retention and disposition settings.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Microsoft Purview eDiscovery
Why it's wrong here
eDiscovery is for searching, holding, and exporting content for legal or investigative purposes, not for retention management and deletion prevention.
- ✗
Microsoft Purview Audit
Why it's wrong here
Audit logs user and admin activities but does not manage retention or prevent deletion of records.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Data Lifecycle Management (which handles general retention and deletion) with Records Management (which adds the critical 'regulatory record' lock to prevent user deletion), so they incorrectly choose Option A.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
Data Lifecycle Management can retain and delete content, but it does not prevent users from deleting content unless retention labels are configured as records. The scenario requires records protection.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Records Management uses retention labels with a 'Regulatory Record' option that, once applied, locks the item so that no user—including administrators—can modify or delete it until the retention period expires. The disposition review process can be configured to require approval before permanent deletion, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. In a real-world scenario, a law firm might use auto-apply retention labels based on sensitive information types (e.g., client communication keywords) to automatically classify and protect records.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-900 question test?
Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions — This question tests Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Microsoft Purview Records Management — Microsoft Purview Records Management is the correct solution because it allows the law firm to apply retention labels that mark content as a regulatory record, which prevents users from permanently deleting the records before the retention period ends. It also supports disposition review and permanent deletion after the specified 10-year retention period, meeting both the retention and deletion requirements.
What should I do if I get this SC-900 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SC-900
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A law firm, Wingtip Toys, uses Microsoft Purview to manage client data. They need to: (1) retain all documents related to client cases for 10 years after case closure; (2) automatically apply a 'Case' retention label to documents in specific SharePoint sites based on metadata; (3) allow case managers to manually label documents; (4) ensure that after 10 years, documents are deleted; (5) preserve data for legal hold purposes when litigation occurs. The firm has Microsoft 365 E5 licenses. The compliance team wants to minimize manual effort. What should they configure?
medium- ✓ A.Create auto-apply retention labels for 'Case' documents with a retention period of 10 years and delete action, and enable litigation hold on relevant sites.
- B.Create sensitivity labels with auto-labeling for case documents, and configure records management.
- C.Create a default retention policy for all SharePoint sites with a 10-year retention period and delete action.
- D.Create a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy to block sharing of case documents, and enable eDiscovery holds.
Why A: Option A is correct because auto-apply retention labels based on metadata automate retention, and litigation hold preserves data during litigation. Option B is wrong because DLP policies do not manage retention. Option C is wrong because retention policies apply to all content in a location, not selectively. Option D is wrong because sensitivity labels do not enforce retention.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SC-900 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SC-900 exam.
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