Microsoft Purview DLP: Best Practices for Successful Implementation

Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is often misunderstood. Many organizations treat it as a quick fix, something that can be switched on in the portal. In reality, DLP is a strategic capability that requires planning, thoughtful policy design, and continuous improvement to be effective.

In a recent episode of the All Things M365 Compliance Podcast, Ryan John Murphy and I were joined by guest Ewelina Paczkowska, Solution Architect at Threatscape and author of the excellent Welkas World blog, to explore how organizations can maximize the value of Purview DLP.

This blog shares some of the best practices and lessons learned from our discussion.

🚨 Why Microsoft Purview DLP Planning Matters

One of the biggest misconceptions is that DLP is a plug-and-play solution. In reality, it’s a strategic initiative that impacts people, processes, and technology. Before creating policies in the Purview portal, start with:

✅ Understand your data – What types of sensitive information are in scope? Are sensitivity labels or trainable classifiers already in place?
✅ Define real-world use cases – Which scenarios pose the highest risk for accidental data sharing?
✅ Engage stakeholders – DLP impacts user productivity, so bring business units like Finance, HR, and Legal into the design process.

🎙️ Podcast insight: Ryan reminded us that migrating from a third-party DLP solution isn’t a “lift and shift.” With Purview, you can often achieve the same outcomes with fewer, better-designed policies.

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⚡ Best Practices for Microsoft Purview DLP

Start with Strategy, Not Technology

DLP isn’t plug-and-play. Without planning, policies quickly become confusing and ineffective. Start small—deploy a few well-designed policies, monitor results, and iterate.

📋 Planning tip: For a detailed checklist, check out Ewelina’s blog.

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Keep Policy Design Simple and Clear

Overcomplicated DLP policies create more noise than value. Instead of building dozens of overlapping rules, aim for clarity and structure:

✅ Split policies by workload (Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams)
✅ Use meaningful naming conventions (include scope, workload, and purpose)
✅ Document changes and version history in the policy description

🎙️ Podcast insight:

“Please don’t just call it ‘Global DLP’. A clear naming convention saves so much time when investigating alerts.” – Ryan John Murphy

I also find visual tools invaluable when designing policies:

“I like to use Visio flow diagrams or even just map it out on a whiteboard. It helps clarify logic and scopes before building policies.” – Nikki Chapple.

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Balance Protection with User Experience

The most effective DLP strategies protect data without compromising productivity. If users are constantly blocked or prompted to override policies, they will find ways around the system—or lose trust in the controls.

✅ Build policies around personas and business processes
✅ Use overrides sparingly and only where justified
✅ Test policies in audit mode first, then refine

🎙️ Podcast insight:

“Once the policies are in place, feedback sessions are key. Find out if DLP is causing operational pain points and adapt accordingly.” – Nikki Chapple

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Don’t Forget Training and Awareness

Technology alone doesn’t prevent data loss. Employees need to understand why DLP exists and how it affects their day-to-day work.

✅ Publish internal knowledge base articles
✅ Run awareness sessions and practical demos
✅ Encourage feedback from departments impacted by policies

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Prepare the Right Technical Foundations to Go beyond Microsoft 365 workloads

Endpoint DLP for monitoring device and browser activity requires prerequisites. Without them, policies won’t function as intended.

✅ Onboard devices to Microsoft Purview
✅ Deploy the Purview browser extension (Edge, Chrome, Firefox)
✅ Ensure licensing covers your target workloads (Microsoft 365 E5 or the E5 Compliance add-on)

🎙️ Podcast insight:

“Just because your devices are onboarded to Defender for Endpoint doesn’t mean they’re onboarded to Purview. It’s a separate step in a separate portal.” – Nikki Chapple

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Stay Evergreen with Microsoft Purview DLP

Microsoft Purview is a constantly evolving service. New features regularly change how DLP can be applied—for example, extending DLP controls into Microsoft 365 Copilot workloads.

✅ Review policies quarterly to ensure relevance
✅ Follow the Microsoft 365 Roadmap for updates
✅ Stay connected with the compliance community for best practices

🎙️ Ryan’s reminder:

“DLP is a lifecycle. It’s about design and continuous evolution—not just flipping a switch.”

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🔄 Keep Up to Date With What’s New in Microsoft Purview DLP

Microsoft continues to enhance Purview DLP. Recent updates include:

✅ DLP for Microsoft 365 Copilot (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
✅ Easier macOS onboarding for Endpoint DLP
✅ Advanced features like Just-in-Time protection for regulated industries

As an admin, regularly check the Microsoft 365 Message Center for upcoming DLP updates. For long-term planning, refer to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap and filter for planned DLP features.

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✅ Final Thoughts: Making DLP Work for Your Organization

Microsoft Purview DLP is a powerful control for reducing the risk of accidental data loss—but only if it’s implemented as part of a strategic, user-aware, and continually evolving programme.

By focusing on people and processes, simplifying policy design, and preparing the right technical foundations, organizations can unlock the real value of Purview DLP.

If you’d like to hear more practical insights and real-world experiences, make sure to watch or listen to the full episode of the All Things M365 Compliance Podcast:

🎥 👉 Watch on YouTube Common Mistakes in Microsoft Data Loss Prevention | Ewelina Paczkowska
🎧 👉 Listen on Spotify Common Mistakes in Microsoft Data Loss Prevention | Ewelina Paczkowska – All Things M365 Compliance | Podcast on Spotify

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🔗 Related Content

Looking for more insights on Microsoft Purview DLP? Check out these related All Things M365 Compliance podcast episodes:

🎙️ Episode 14 – Getting Started with Microsoft Purview DLP
Learn the fundamentals of DLP in Microsoft Purview, including how to plan your rollout and avoid early missteps.

🎙️ Episode 15 – Advanced DLP Policy Design in Microsoft Purview
Dive deeper into policy logic, rule nesting, and how to tailor DLP for different workloads and user personas.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)