The answer is that the policy will not retain content as intended; it will delete matching content after 365 days, which may not be the desired outcome. This is because the retention policy uses an adaptive scope with a SharePoint property filter for Department equals 'HR', but SharePoint items do not have a Department property by default, so the query may match no items, rendering the policy ineffective. Additionally, the policy is set to delete rather than retain—a proper retention policy for keeping records must use the "Keep" or "KeepAndDelete" action. On the SC-900 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how adaptive scopes rely on available properties and the critical difference between retention and deletion actions. A common trap is assuming any filter will work across all workloads, but SharePoint lacks native Department metadata unless custom columns are added. Memory tip: "Adaptive scope needs a property that exists—if it's missing, the policy is missing its mark."
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. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. A Microsoft Purview retention policy is configured as shown. An HR manager wants to ensure that employee records are kept for at least 1 year after last modification. The policy is applied to Exchange, SharePoint, and OneDrive. What is the outcome?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The policy will not retain content; it will delete matching content after 365 days, which may not be intended
The policy deletes content 365 days after last modification, but the content query filters only items where Department equals 'HR'. However, SharePoint items do not have a Department property by default; the query may not match any items, so the policy may have no effect. Also, the policy deletes rather than retains; a retention policy should use 'Keep' or 'KeepAndDelete'. The design is flawed.
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.
✓
The policy will not retain content; it will delete matching content after 365 days, which may not be intended
Why this is correct
The policy deletes instead of keeping, and the query may not work as expected.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Employee records in Exchange are retained for 365 days after last modification, then deleted
Why it's wrong here
The retention action is 'Delete', not 'Keep'; this deletes rather than retains.
✗
Employee records in SharePoint are deleted after 365 days from last modification if they have Department=HR
Why it's wrong here
SharePoint items typically lack a Department property, so the query may not match.
✗
The policy retains content for 365 days and then automatically moves to archive
Why it's wrong here
No archive action is configured; the action is delete.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-900 question in full detail.
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.
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: The policy will not retain content; it will delete matching content after 365 days, which may not be intended — The policy deletes content 365 days after last modification, but the content query filters only items where Department equals 'HR'. However, SharePoint items do not have a Department property by default; the query may not match any items, so the policy may have no effect. Also, the policy deletes rather than retains; a retention policy should use 'Keep' or 'KeepAndDelete'. The design is flawed.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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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. Refer to the exhibit. A Microsoft Purview retention policy is configured as shown. What will happen to emails after 365 days?
hard
A.Emails will be deleted immediately
✓ B.Emails will be retained for 365 days and then deleted
C.Emails will be retained and then reviewed for deletion
D.Emails will be kept indefinitely
Why B: Option D is correct because the policy has 'KeepAndDelete' as the retention action, meaning items will be retained for 365 days and then deleted. Option A is wrong because the retention action is not just keep; it includes deletion. Option B is wrong because the policy does not specify a review. Option C is wrong because deletion happens after 365 days, not immediately.
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.
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