Question 266 of 1,411

Quick Answer

The correct answer is that content from the HR department in Exchange and SharePoint is retained for 365 days. This outcome is determined by the retention policy’s configuration: a retention period of 365 days combined with the Keep action means the data is preserved for exactly one year, and because no expiration action—such as Delete or Start disposition—is defined, the policy simply holds the content for that duration without taking further action afterward. On the SC-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Data Lifecycle Management retention policies apply targeted queries and actions; a common trap is confusing the Keep action with a deletion or misreading the retention period, so always verify both the scope (here, HR department only) and the action type. A helpful memory tip is “Keep counts the days, not the delete”—the Keep action only sets a holding period, while any removal requires an explicit expiration action.

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. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.

Exhibit

{
  "Id": "a1b2c3d4-1234-5678-9abc-def012345678",
  "DisplayName": "Employee Data Retention",
  "PolicySchedule": {
    "RetentionPeriod": 365,
    "RetentionAction": "Keep",
    "ExpirationDate": null
  },
  "Locations": [
    "ExchangeOnline",
    "SharePointOnline"
  ],
  "ContentMatchQuery": "Department:HR"
}

Refer to the exhibit. You are analyzing a Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management retention policy. What is the outcome of this policy?

Question 1hardmultiple choice
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Exhibit

{
  "Id": "a1b2c3d4-1234-5678-9abc-def012345678",
  "DisplayName": "Employee Data Retention",
  "PolicySchedule": {
    "RetentionPeriod": 365,
    "RetentionAction": "Keep",
    "ExpirationDate": null
  },
  "Locations": [
    "ExchangeOnline",
    "SharePointOnline"
  ],
  "ContentMatchQuery": "Department:HR"
}

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

Content from the HR department in Exchange and SharePoint is retained for 365 days

The policy has a retention period of 365 days with Keep action, meaning content is kept for 1 year and then no action (since no expiration action is defined). Option A is wrong because retention period is 365 days, not 90. Option B is wrong because the action is Keep, not Delete. Option D is wrong because the query only targets HR department, not all employees.

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.

  • Content from the HR department in Exchange and SharePoint is retained for 365 days and then deleted

    Why it's wrong here

    The action is Keep, not Delete; no deletion is specified.

  • Content from the HR department in Exchange and SharePoint is deleted after 90 days

    Why it's wrong here

    The retention period is 365 days, not 90.

  • Content from all employees in Exchange and SharePoint is retained for 365 days

    Why it's wrong here

    The query filters only HR department, not all employees.

  • Content from the HR department in Exchange and SharePoint is retained for 365 days

    Why this is correct

    The policy keeps content for 365 days.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

Common exam traps

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.

Detailed technical explanation

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.

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

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which SC-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

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Related SC-900 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

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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: Content from the HR department in Exchange and SharePoint is retained for 365 days — The policy has a retention period of 365 days with Keep action, meaning content is kept for 1 year and then no action (since no expiration action is defined). Option A is wrong because retention period is 365 days, not 90. Option B is wrong because the action is Keep, not Delete. Option D is wrong because the query only targets HR department, not all employees.

What should I do if I get this SC-900 question wrong?

Identify which SC-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026

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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.