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SharePoint data governance with ShArc policy management feature

Written by Anjuli Juliana Weber | October 8, 2025

For many organizations, Microsoft 365 and SharePoint have become the backbone of collaboration. But as document libraries grow, so do storage costs and compliance headaches. Traditional archiving and manual cleanup no longer keep pace with the demands of modern enterprises. What IT leaders need today is automation: rules that ensure files are stored in the right place, at the right time, without breaking compliance or disrupting end users.

This is exactly what ShArc policy management delivers. By combining flexible offloading rules with a hierarchical structure tailored to Microsoft 365, ShArc gives US-based IT admins and CIOs the power to manage storage intelligently while keeping data secure inside their own Azure tenant.

Feature overview: ShArc policy management

ShArc policy management introduces a rule-based automation framework that determines which files should remain in SharePoint and which should be offloaded to Azure Blob Storage. The goal: reduce costs, optimize performance, and retain full compliance without adding administrative burden.

Key features at a glance

  • Hierarchical policy structure: define policies at domain, site, subsite, or library level.
  • Flexible criteria: apply rules based on file size, file age, or a combination of both.
  • Smart override system: more specific policies automatically override general ones.
  • Exclusion support: keep sensitive departments (like Legal or HR) out of global rules.
  • Combined criteria (and logic): target files with precision by applying multiple conditions.

How policy management works

Now we will take a closer look at how policy management works. 

Quick Start Policy Examples

Example 1: Basic Size-Based Policy

  • Scenario: Offload all files larger than 50MB across your tenant.
  • Setup: Domain Level | Size > 50MB
  • Result: Any file above 50MB moves seamlessly to Azure Blob Storage.

Example 2: Age-Based Offloading

  • Scenario: Archive files older than 6 months in the Marketing Site.
  • Setup: Site Level | Age > 24 weeks
  • Result: Files untouched for 6 months get offloaded—freeing space without deleting data.

Example 3: Combined Criteria

  • Scenario: Offload files over 25MB and older than 8 weeks.
  • Setup: Domain or Site Level | Size > 25MB AND Age > 8 weeks
  • Result: Only files meeting both conditions are archived.

Example 4: Hierarchy Override

  • Scenario: General policy offloads files >100MB, but HR requires a stricter 10MB limit.
  • Setup: Domain Policy: >100MB | HR Site Policy: >10MB
  • Result: HR rules override global rules—enabling department-specific governance.

Example 5: Exclusion Policy

  • Scenario: Company-wide policy offloads files older than 12 weeks, except for Legal.
  • Setup: Domain Policy: Age > 12 weeks | Exclusion: Legal Site
  • Result: Legal files remain untouched, all other departments follow the rule.

How policies work

ShArc mirrors SharePoint’s natural hierarchy: ​​​​

Domain (Tenant)

Site Collection A

  • Library A1
  • Library A2

Site Collection B

Override Behavior:

  • Library > Subsite > Site > Domain
  • More specific always wins.

This layered approach ensures global rules provide structure, while department or library-level policies handle exceptions.

Policy Criteria in Detail

Size Criteria:

  • Example: Size > 50MB
  • Use Case: Free up costly SharePoint space consumed by large media files.

Age Criteria:

  • Example: Age > 12 weeks
  • Use Case: Move stale, rarely accessed documents without deleting them.

Combined Criteria (AND Logic)

  • Example: Size > 25MB AND Age > 8 weeks
  • Use Case: Offload files that are both heavy and inactive.

Exclusions

  • Example: Exclude Legal Site from global archiving rules.
  • Use Case: Protect sensitive data from automation while ensuring compliance.

Why ShArc policy management is a game-changer

ShArc Policy Management empowers IT teams to take control of SharePoint storage with automation, intelligence, and precision. Whether you want to cut costs, enforce compliance, or simply reduce clutter, ShArc delivers a flexible framework that adapts to your organization. The result? Smarter governance, lower costs, and zero compromise on usability.

 

Frequently asked questions about SharePoint Data Governance with ShArc policy management

Here we'll answer some frequently asked questions about SharePoint Data Governance with ShArc policy management.

What is ShArc policy management?

ShArc policy management is an automation feature that enables IT teams to define rules for managing SharePoint data. It automatically decides which files stay in SharePoint and which are offloaded to Azure Blob Storage, without disrupting end users or breaking compliance.

How does it differ from traditional archiving or manual cleanup?

ShArc differs from traditional archiving or manual cleanup by using (policy-based) automation. Files are moved according to defined rules (such as file size, age, or location). This prevents data overload, reduces costs, and maintains metadata, permissions, and user access.

What problems does ShArc feature solve for IT teams?

It tackles three major issues:

  • Rising storage costs in SharePoint
  • Compliance risks from inconsistent data cleanup
  • High administrative workload from manual data management

With automation, IT admins gain control and scalability while users continue to work as usual.

How does the policy hierarchy work?

ShArc policy hierarchy works by mirroring SharePoint’s natural structure: 

Domain > Site > Subsite > Library

More specific rules always override general ones. For example, a global policy might archive files.

Why is policy-based offloading considered the future of data governance?

Because it replaces manual cleanup and reactive archiving with proactive automation. Policies adapt to business rules, ensuring that data is always stored where it makes the most financial and operational sense, securely and compliantly.
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