Defensible deletion of expired documents

Purpose

1.1. Automate defensible deletion of expired documents to mitigate risk, enforce compliance, and minimize storage costs.
1.2. Automates identification, review, logging, and deletion of documents past retention periods as enforced by policy or law.
1.3. Ensure audit-proof, regulator-ready record of all automated deletions with customizable reporting and secure destruction mechanisms.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. Document achieves scheduled expiration based on metadata, retention policy, or legal directive.
2.2. Automating actions after periodic audit or review triggers.
2.3. Automated administrative approval flow completed.
2.4. Automated alerts from compliance systems or monitored directories/fileshares.

Platform Variants

3.1. Microsoft SharePoint
• Feature/Setting: Retention Label Policy; configure automated deletion upon expiry of labeled items.
3.2. Google Drive
• Feature/Setting: Drive API—Files: delete; create an automated watcher for expired files.
3.3. Box
• Feature/Setting: Retention policy assignment + Content API; automate file removal once policy triggers delete action.
3.4. Dropbox Business
• Feature/Setting: Data retention settings + Dropbox API/files:delete_v2; automate workflow based on file expiration dates.
3.5. AWS S3
• Feature/Setting: S3 Lifecycle Policies; automate object expiration and permanent deletion rules.
3.6. Azure Blob Storage
• Feature/Setting: Blob Storage Lifecycle Management; configure automated blob deletion actions.
3.7. Google Cloud Storage
• Feature/Setting: Lifecycle Rules for Buckets; automate file deletion on retention goal.
3.8. M-Files
• Feature/Setting: Automatic Deletion Workflows; automate document lifecycle based on metadata rules.
3.9. Laserfiche
• Feature/Setting: Records Management Policies; automate cutoff and deletions via workflow rules.
3.10. OpenText Content Suite
• Feature/Setting: Disposition Workflow; automate scheduled destruction of records.
3.11. NetDocuments
• Feature/Setting: Automated Retention & Deletion Policy; configure to automatically purge documents on expiry.
3.12. Alfresco ECM
• Feature/Setting: Records Management Disposition Schedules; utilize automated deletion triggers.
3.13. IBM FileNet
• Feature/Setting: Life Cycle Management Policies; automate document destruction after event or duration.
3.14. Egnyte
• Feature/Setting: Content Lifecycle Automation; set up automated deletion after the retention window closes.
3.15. Citrix ShareFile
• Feature/Setting: Expiration Policies; automate deletion using API/expiry rules.
3.16. DocuWare
• Feature/Setting: Retention Automation; automate deletion based on document profile and policy.
3.17. Zoho WorkDrive
• Feature/Setting: Data Retention & Deletion Automation via API triggers.
3.18. Nextcloud
• Feature/Setting: External Storage & Flow Automation; configure expiry and automated file removal.
3.19. Iron Mountain InSight
• Feature/Setting: Automated Retention Scheduler; automate defensible deletion per policy.
3.20. Smarsh
• Feature/Setting: Automated Archiving & Disposition; configure scheduled automated deletions.

Benefits

4.1. Automates compliance with regulatory mandates for information lifecycle management.
4.2. Reduces operational overhead through automated deletion workflows.
4.3. Minimizes risk exposure and potential penalties by automating policy enforcement.
4.4. Auditable automation logs provide defensible proof for stakeholders and external authorities.
4.5. Frees IT resources by automating repeatable defensible deletion processes.
4.6. Enables organizations to automate information hygiene with scalable, policy-driven automators.
4.7. Supports secure, automated destruction, protecting sensitive or outdated information through automation.