Automating Compliance in Dutch Municipalities

Digital transformation is rapidly reshaping public sector operations in the Netherlands. From municipal councils to regional authorities, municipalities are increasingly relying on Microsoft 365 to manage documentation, facilitate collaboration, and deliver services to citizens. But with digital convenience comes responsibility, especially when it comes to compliance, privacy, and information governance. 

To help address these challenges, ProvisionPoint introduces key automation features: the ability to set default Sensitivity and Retention Labels for document libraries and lists at the point of provisioning. These capabilities not only simplify setup, but also reduce human error and ensure consistent policy enforcement. 

Sensitivity and Retention Labels are essential tools in Microsoft 365 for managing data classification and lifecycle. For municipalities, these labels help to: 

• Classify documents according to their confidentiality (e.g., public, internal, confidential). 
• Automatically apply retention schedules to comply with laws such as the Dutch Archiefwet (Archives Act) and GDPR. 
• Prevent accidental data exposure or premature deletion of official records. 

However, manually applying these labels can be error-prone and inconsistent, especially in larger municipalities with decentralized teams. That’s where ProvisionPoint’s new automation comes in. 

With the latest release, municipalities can now configure ProvisionPoint to assign a default Sensitivity Label every time a new document library is created. 

This ensures that documents are immediately protected according to policy, without relying on employees to select the correct label themselves. For instance, HR-related libraries can default to a “Confidential” label, while public-facing communication teams might default to “Internal Use.” 

This matters because it eliminates the risk of mislabeling or forgetting to classify documents, ensuring that sensitive information is consistently protected from unauthorized access. It also enhances overall compliance, particularly in hybrid work environments where tools like Microsoft Co-Pilot are increasingly used to automate document creation and sharing, making it even more crucial to have reliable classification in place from the start. 

In addition, municipalities can now assign default Retention Labels when provisioning both lists and document libraries. This enables automatic enforcement of retention policies; crucial requirement for public record management. 

• Helps ensure compliance with municipal and national regulations. 
• Supports both adaptive scopes (dynamic policies based on user or group properties) and static scopes. 
• Naming conventions allow for alignment with specific organizational units (e.g., “Social Services – 7 Year Retention”). 

With increasing regulatory oversight and growing public concern over privacy and transparency, municipalities can no longer afford to manage data governance reactively. Automated solutions like those introduced in ProvisionPoint are not just helpful, but are becoming foundational for responsible, modern municipal IT infrastructure. 

The February 2025 update from ProvisionPoint empowers Dutch municipalities to take full control of their Microsoft 365 environments with ease. By automating Sensitivity and Retention Label assignment, municipalities can reduce compliance risks, streamline IT workflows, and create a more secure digital government. 

If your municipality wants to improve information governance, support Microsoft 365 users, and stay audit-ready, ProvisionPoint is the next step. Get in touch to see how automated labeling can streamline compliance and protect your data.