Retention Policy for document library in SharePoint 2010

One of the major improvements in SharePoint 2010 compared to prior version is the improvements in information management policies. SharePoint 2010 can apply the expiration policy in multiple stages, where each stage can do some specific actions such as deleting draft versions, deleting previous versions, deleting the record etc. In SharePoint 2010 you can apply the retention policy to a content type, to a list or document library, to a folder.

How to create own retention policies on a Document Library

1. If a document is not modified for 2 years delete its previous versions

2. Any document created here to be deleted after 3 years.

Here are the steps to navigate to the “Shared Documents” document library to set the retention policy.

Before doing Retention policies, it requires some Configuration settings in Site and SharePoint Central Administration.

Essentially, you have to Activate the "Content Organizer" feature at the Site Level. Once that is done, you get the "Drop off Library" as well as 2 new options in the Site Settings. Content Organizer Rules and Content Organizer Settings. In that, you can take the .asmx link and then paste it in the Central Admin Configure Send to Connections. After that, the routing should work fine. Using the Rules and that is mostly using Content Types, you can route the document to the right library instead of letting it stay in the Drop off Library.

In the SharePoint Central Administration, under General Application Settings

External Service Connections, select Configure send to connections.

Here you have to configure the “Send to Connections”. After giving the URL, check to verify whether it is valid or not.

From the top ribbon, navigate to the Library tab, and then click on Library settings.

It will be navigated to the document library settings page. Click on the Information management policy settings from this page.

By default a library will inherit its policies from the content type, so that the policies set for the content type will be applied. You can change this by overriding “Source of retention for this library” property. set up retention policy for “Shared Documents” library . Click on the “change source” link.

 

You will reach the configuration page for the retention schedule. Select the libraries and folders radio button. You will receive a warning alert stating the content type retention policy will be ignored. Click ok here.

You can see the configuration options available for document library/list here. Click on “add a retention stage" link

Based on Created and Modified, a Document can be Moved to Recycle or Delete or can be transferred to another locationas shown

Based on the requirement we can create the Retention Policies.