Navigating the Regulatory Maze:
How Microsoft Purview Helps Businesses Stay Compliant

1. Regulations and the need for reliable solutions

In today’s heavily regulated environment, organisations face growing pressure to comply with privacy regulations, data governance and protection standards. For businesses operating in the EU, challenges such as GDPR, NIS2, DORA and the AI Act — alongside a range of local data storage requirements — make it essential to have reliable tools for managing, protecting and monitoring sensitive information.

Microsoft Purview is a cloud portal that provides a comprehensive set of data governance and protection tools, designed to improve operational efficiency and reduce compliance risk.

Let’s explore how Microsoft Purview helps organisations address regulatory challenges — which types of businesses it serves, and what resources are needed to implement it effectively.

2. Core features and capabilities of Microsoft Purview

Microsoft Purview is designed to give organisations full visibility and control over their information flows. Here are some of its key capabilities:

➡ Data discovery and classification. Microsoft Purview scans and catalogues an organisation’s data across hybrid and multi-cloud environments, identifying sensitive information such as personal data, financial records and intellectual property.

➡ Compliance management. Purview includes pre-built templates and assessment tools that help organisations meet regulatory requirements and align with standards such as GDPR and ISO. It also provides actionable recommendations and automated remediation workflows.

➡ Data Loss Prevention (DLP). Prevents unauthorised sharing or access to sensitive data by enforcing DLP policies across emails, files and applications.

➡ Risk management. The Insider Risk Management feature helps detect internal threats, data leaks and misuse of sensitive information.

➡ Information protection. Organisations can use Purview to apply encryption, access controls and retention policies to sensitive data — ensuring it remains secure even when shared outside the organisation.

➡ Audit and reporting. Purview provides detailed activity logs that help organisations demonstrate compliance during regulatory audits.

3. Who is Microsoft Purview designed for?

Microsoft Purview is ideal for mid-size and large enterprises across a range of industries:

Healthcare: Ensuring compliance when processing sensitive patient data.
Financial services: Protecting client data and meeting regulatory requirements.
Manufacturing: Managing intellectual property and complying with export regulations.
Retail and e-commerce: Protecting consumer data and meeting GDPR requirements.

Microsoft Purview is particularly valuable for companies operating in highly regulated environments with complex legislative frameworks — such as the European market. It is well suited to organisations with complex IT infrastructure, including hybrid and multi-cloud environments, and companies handling large volumes of sensitive data spread across multiple systems. Implementing Purview requires dedicated personnel with specific administrative roles, such as Purview/Compliance Administrator and Information Protection Administrator.