Why Information Management Matters
Every business runs on information – customer details, financial records, emails, and documents created daily. But with this value comes risk. Data falling into the wrong hands, staff accidentally sharing sensitive files, or failing compliance checks can quickly become costly problems.
Small and medium businesses (SMBs) face the same risks as large enterprises but often without the budget or dedicated compliance teams. That’s where Microsoft Purview comes in, a unified suite of data protection tools designed to protect, govern, and manage your information without slowing down productivity.
The Challenges Businesses Face
For many SMBs, managing data securely feels overwhelming. Common struggles may include:
- Staff accidentally sending confidential files outside the business.
- Difficulty identifying and classifying sensitive information.
- Meeting compliance requirements like the Australian Privacy Act or industry regulations.
- Handling insider risks such as data misuse.
- Deciding how long records should be kept and when they can be safely deleted.
Left unchecked, these challenges can lead to breaches, reputational damage, or financial penalties.
How Microsoft Purview Helps
Purview brings everything into one framework, making information protection and compliance simpler and smarter. Its four key areas are:
1. Information Protection
- Automatically identifies and labels sensitive data like credit card numbers or health records.
- Applies protection such as encryption or restricted access to control who can see it.
- Guides staff with prompts, so data is always handled appropriately.
2. Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
- Monitors where sensitive data is stored and how it’s shared.
- Prevents leaks by blocking or warning users before data leaves approved channels.
- Works seamlessly across Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and other Microsoft 365 apps.
3. Insider Risk Management
- Detects risky behaviour like unusual downloads or mass file sharing.
- Flags activity for review while respecting employee privacy.
- Helps prevent both accidental errors and intentional misuse.
4. Data Lifecycle Management
- Ensures data is kept for the right amount of time to meet legal requirements.
- Automates secure disposal when data is no longer needed.
- Simplifies audits with clear records of how data has been handled.
Together, these tools create a complete lifecycle approach, from the moment information is created through to when it’s securely deleted.
Why Purview is Worth Considering
Your information is one of your most valuable business assets. But without the right safeguards, it can also be one of the riskiest. Microsoft Purview gives SMBs the same advanced governance and security capabilities as large enterprises, and in a way that’s scalable, practical, and integrated with the tools you already use.
With Purview, you can:
- Prevent accidental leaks and strengthen customer trust.
- Reduce compliance headaches.
- Protect against insider risks.
- Keep your data organised and under control.
Information Management Made Easy
Bring clarity, protection, and control to the way your business handles data with Microsoft Purview. This blog is just the first in our Purview series – keep an eye out for our upcoming series, where we’ll dive deeper into each of the four capabilities and show how they can strengthen your business.
Already convinced that Microsoft Purview could be the right fit for your business? Get in touch with our team to walk you through your options.
