Purview

What is Purview?

Microsoft Purview is a unified data governance and compliance solution designed to help organizations manage, secure, and govern their data across Microsoft 365 and beyond. It brings together capabilities like compliance, risk management, data lifecycle management, insider risk detection, and data loss prevention into a centralized solution.

Purview is especially vital for organizations focused on data protection, regulatory compliance, and secure information management in Microsoft 365 environments.

Why Use Purview?

Organizations handle vast amounts of sensitive data every day. Microsoft Purview ensures that this data is:

• Protected from leaks and misuse
• Classified based on sensitivity
• Governed according to policies and regulations
• Audited for internal and external compliance needs

Whether you're dealing with GDPR, HIPAA, or internal governance policies, Purview simplifies the process and automates risk mitigation.

Is Purview Free?

Microsoft Purview is not entirely free, but some features are included in specific Microsoft 365 plans:

Plan Type	Access Level
✅ Microsoft 365 E5 / A5 / G5	Full Purview suite included
✅ Microsoft 365 E3 / A3	Access to core compliance features
✅ Microsoft 365 Business Premium	Select features included
❌ Microsoft 365 Basic / Apps	Not included
🔒 Standalone Licensing	Some Purview capabilities can be purchased à la carte

Many Purview features (e.g., DLP, Insider Risk, Information Protection) require advanced or premium licenses.

Key Features of Purview

Feature	Description
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)	Prevent sensitive data from being shared outside the organization
Information Protection	Classify, label, and encrypt documents and emails
Compliance Manager	Assess compliance posture and manage improvement actions
Insider Risk Management	Detect potential data theft or policy violations from within
Communication Compliance	Monitor and remediate inappropriate messages in Teams, Exchange, etc.
Audit and eDiscovery	Search, investigate, and export organizational data for audits or litigation
Records Management	Apply retention labels and policies to manage data lifecycle
Data Map & Cataloging	(Available via Purview Data Governance) Discover and catalog data assets across your estate

How to Access Purview in Microsoft 365?

Accessing Microsoft Purview is straightforward for administrators with appropriate roles:

🧭 Steps to Access:

1. Go to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center: at https://admin.microsoft.com
2. From the Admin Centers, select Microsoft Purview.
3. You can also navigate directly to:

🔗https://compliance.microsoft.com

4. Once inside, you'll find compliance solutions like DLP, Insider Risk, eDiscovery, and Audit under Microsoft Purview Solutions.

Ensure your account has appropriate permissions (e.g., Compliance Administrator, Information Protection Administrator) to view or configure Purview features.

Summary

Key Point	Details
Product Name	Microsoft Purview
Purpose	Data governance, compliance, and risk management in Microsoft 365
Included In	Microsoft 365 E3/E5, A3/A5, Business Premium (partial), and as standalone add-ons
Free to Use?	Not standalone free; included in specific M365 plans or purchasable separately
Access Method	compliance.microsoft.com, Microsoft 365 Admin Center, M365 App Launcher
Integrates With	Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Exchange, OneDrive, Microsoft Defender