Apply sensitivity labels to Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365 groups, Microsoft PowerBI, and Microsoft SharePoint sites

Sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365 provide a way for organizations to classify and protect their data while ensuring that user productivity and their ability to collaborate are not hindered. These labels can be applied to content across various Microsoft services, such as Teams, Groups, PowerBI, and SharePoint. They help in enforcing protective actions like encryption and content marking. Let’s dive into how to apply sensitivity labels across these services and why it’s important.

Sensitivity Labels in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams has become the hub for teamwork, and applying sensitivity labels can control access to Teams’ content, membership, and even guest access. When creating a new team, users have the option to classify the team with a sensitivity label that is configured by the admin.

To apply labels in Microsoft Teams:

1. An administrator must first create a sensitivity label in the Microsoft 365 compliance center.
2. The created label must then be published to users and groups.
3. When creating a new team in Microsoft Teams, the owner can choose the appropriate sensitivity label from the available options.
4. The applied label policies will govern the behavior of the team’s content according to predefined settings.

This can ensure that certain conversations remain private, such as those involving financial data or personal information.

Sensitivity Labels in Microsoft 365 Groups

Microsoft 365 Groups is the underpinning of all other group-based services in Microsoft 365, including Teams. Applying sensitivity labels to groups helps to manage the privacy settings, external user memberships, and access to group content.

To apply labels to Microsoft 365 Groups:

1. Create and configure the label in the compliance center.
2. Publish the label to users and groups.
3. When creating a Microsoft 365 Group either through Outlook, SharePoint, or another integrated app, the creator can apply a sensitivity label.
4. The label’s settings will automatically apply to the group, determining how content is shared.

For example, a label can enforce that a group’s email cannot be shared with external addresses.

Sensitivity Labels in Microsoft PowerBI

In PowerBI, sensitivity labels help ensure that the data visualization and reports adhere to the organization’s compliance requirements. PowerBI content can inherit labels from the underlying datasets, or creators can manually label the reports, dashboards, and datasets.

To apply labels in PowerBI:

1. Labels must be created in the compliance center and turned on for PowerBI by the admin.
2. PowerBI service will automatically show the sensitivity labels.
3. Publishers can set sensitivity labels on PowerBI content when saving a new report or updating an existing one.
4. Consumers of the content will then see the label and know the sensitivity of the information they are handling.

Sensitivity Labels in Microsoft SharePoint

Applying sensitivity labels to SharePoint sites allows for the classification and protection of documents stored within the site. The labels can control who has access to the site, sharing capabilities, and how information should be treated.

To apply labels to SharePoint:

1. Create the label and configure the SharePoint site and document policies in the compliance center.
2. Publish the label to users and groups.
3. When a document is uploaded to a SharePoint library, users can apply a label either manually or automatically based on content inspection.
4. Site-level labels can be applied by site owners when a new SharePoint site is created or from the site settings.

As an example, a sensitivity label can encrypt all documents to be accessed only by specific users and avert unintentional sharing outside the organization.

Comparison Across Services

This comparison table highlights how sensitivity labels can be applied and function across the different Microsoft 365 services. It’s important to note that while some features are consistent, such as user-guided labeling, others such as automatic labeling may vary depending on the service.

In conclusion, implementing sensitivity labels across Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365 Groups, PowerBI, and SharePoint plays a crucial role in maintaining data security and compliance. It provides administrators with the tools needed to protect sensitive information while allowing users the flexibility to collaborate effectively within the guidelines set by the organization.