Reducing data loss risk and simplifying Microsoft 365 archiving for records with long-term retention
Preserve365 helps the Royal College of Nursing replace manual transfers and deletion risk with scalable, automated, defensible long-term Digital Preservation
Overview
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the world's largest nursing union and professional body, representing over half a million nurses. Like many large organizations, RCN experienced rapid growth in Microsoft 365 during the shift to remote work. Nearly 1,000 Microsoft Teams and SharePoint sites were created with limited governance oversight. At the same time, legacy network drives, some of which held records dating back to the 1990s, were nearing capacity.
To manage storage pressure, IT implemented a blanket four-year deletion policy, resulting in significant data loss and heightened awareness of compliance and continuity risks. With a small archives team and only one dedicated records management role, RCN needed a sustainable way to govern and preserve long-term records within Microsoft 365, without relying on manual transfers or reactive cleanup.
By implementing Preserve365®, Preservica’s Active Digital Preservation™ solution embedded in Microsoft 365, RCN began transforming both its technology and its records management culture.
Early outcomes at RCN
4× increase
in record transfers in the first two quarters vs. the entire previous year
Thousands of files
transferred into the digital archive
50% increase
in user participation and contribution to the archives
Challenges
RCN’s environment reflected the complexity that many CIOs face:
- Rapid Microsoft 365 expansion: Nearly 1,000 Teams and SharePoint sites created without consistent governance standards.
- Legacy storage nearing capacity: Three main shared drives and ~30 smaller drives containing decades of records.
- Blanket deletion policy risk: A four-year auto-delete rule introduced to manage storage, create record loss, and address compliance anxiety.
- Manual, time-intensive transfer model: A “Super Users” network helped transfer business-critical records, but engagement was inconsistent and required frequent reminders.
- Limited records capacity: A small team managing both archives and records functions across a national organization.
- Poor findability and inconsistent naming: Lack of functional folder structures made it difficult for staff to locate records, especially during organizational restructuring.
Solution
RCN adopted Preserve365 to embed secure archival workflows directly into Microsoft 365 and reduce manual burden.
Key components of the implementation:
- Start with internal pilot: RCN tested Preserve365 on the archives team’s own SharePoint records first, building confidence and refining workflows before scaling.
- Create a formal retention schedule: For the first time, RCN developed an organization-wide archives and records management retention schedule and mapped legacy materials to it.
- Simplify archival transfer: Using Preserve365’s SharePoint extension and “move” functionality, RCN automatically transfers records directly into the digital archive.
- Shift away from unsustainable and fragmented disposition workflows: Microsoft Purview disposition reviews proved too slow and clunky at scale. RCN pivoted to using Preserve365 for archival transfers and retention labels primarily for deletion.
- Strengthen IT collaboration: Close coordination with IT helped align storage reduction goals, reduce risk exposure and improve governance across the Microsoft 365 environment.
Outcomes
Preserve365 now powers RCN to:
Reduce data loss risk
Eliminating reliance on blanket deletion while preserving historically significant records
Accelerate archival transfers
Bulk ingestion saves considerable administrative time and allows staff to focus on higher-value processing work
Improve chain of custody and defensibility
Automated audit trails provide clearer documentation of record movement
Retire obsolete SharePoint sites faster
Legacy sites can be archived and deleted securely, improving cybersecurity posture and sustainability
Improve day-to-day findability
Functional structures and naming conventions reduce “brain space” spent searching for content
Enable self-service access to archived records
Users can locate and access archived records within SharePoint, reducing training friction and increasing compliance
Looking Ahead
RCN continues to transform their records management and information governance approach:
- Expanding Preserve365 to prioritize governance-critical SharePoint sites such as committees and council records
- Making records management training part of staff onboarding
- Strengthening the User program through structured sessions and community engagement
- Increasing self-service access to archived content directly within Microsoft 365
By embedding long-term Digital Preservation directly into its Microsoft 365 ecosystem, RCN has moved from reactive cleanup and deletion risk to a sustainable, defensible and future-ready records management model.