Microsoft 365 and SharePoint are the document platform for millions of organizations today. However, they have some limitations in terms of document lifecycle management, regulatory classification and enforcement of enterprise-scale retention policies. Gimmal is a Records Management platform that extends the native capabilities of SharePoint and Microsoft 365 – not replacing them, but adding a records management layer that meets regulatory requirements that native SharePoint does not provide.
Table of contents
- What does native SharePoint offer in terms of document management?
- Where does SharePoint have limitations?
- What is Gimmal and how does it integrate with M365?
- Classification and labeling of documents in Gimmal
- Document retention and disposition management
- Regulatory Compliance by Gimmal
- Key findings
- FAQ
- Summary
What does native SharePoint offer in terms of document management?
SharePoint and Microsoft 365 offer a robust set of document management features: document libraries with metadata, retention labels (Microsoft Purview), DLP policies, versioning, document-level and folder-level permissions. For many organizations, these native features are sufficient for day-to-day document management.
Microsoft Purview’s retention labels allow you to define the retention period and the action when it expires (delete or move to archive). Compliance Manager gives an assessment of regulatory compliance. eDiscovery lets you search documents for legal proceedings. It’s a good foundation – but a foundation on which organizations with advanced compliance requirements need to build more.
Where does SharePoint have limitations?
The limitations of native SharePoint become apparent with advanced records management requirements. First, classifying files as “records” in SharePoint is a largely manual or simple rule-based operation – there is no mechanism for deep analysis of document content when classifying.
Second, retention management for documents subject to different regulations at the same time (e.g., documents covered by both GDPR and industry sector requirements) is difficult to configure without a dedicated tool. Third, auditability of the document lifecycle – a detailed log of who, when and why retention or disposition decisions were made – is limited. Fourth, integration with external source systems (ERP, CRM, legacy systems) for centralized management of documents from multiple sources is not a native SharePoint feature.
Gimmal addresses these limitations as a layer above Microsoft 365.
What is Gimmal and how does it integrate with M365?
Gimmal is a Records and Information Management (RIM) platform designed as an extension of Microsoft 365. The integration is deep and transparent to users – employees still work in SharePoint, Teams and OneDrive, they don’t have to learn new interfaces. Gimmal works “underneath” – It captures document lifecycle events, applies classification and retention policies, and provides audittrail for all management decisions.
Technically, Gimmal integrates with Microsoft 365 via Microsoft Graph API, SharePoint REST API and Event Receivers. Installation requires no changes to the SharePoint architecture – Gimmal runs as an application within tenant M365. The key for administrators is that Gimmal policies and Microsoft Purview policies can coexist – Gimmal can respect existing Purview labels and extend them with additional logic.
Classification and labeling of documents in Gimmal
Gimmal offers multi-level classification of documents based on: content analysis – keywords, regular expressions, numeric patterns; document metadata – type, author, date, location in SharePoint structure; business context – project, department, customer, product; labels applied by the user with the system’s suggestion.
The File Plan is the centerpiece of the Gimmal architecture – a hierarchical structure of document categories, for each with an assigned retention period, disposition action and regulatory requirements. File Plan can be imported from an organization’s existing classification schemes (e.g., from the ISO 15489 standard) or built from scratch in the Gimmal interface.
Automatic classification by rules allows documents to be labeled without user input – for example, all documents going into the “Contracts” library are automatically classified as “Contract” with a 10-year retention period. Integration with Ramsdata software solutions provides full implementation support.
Document retention and disposition management
Gimmal implements the full document lifecycle: creation/classification, active use, archiving, retention and disposition. Disposition is the final step – what happens to the document after the retention period expires: permanent deletion, transfer to a long-term archive or forwarding for review before a decision.
The disposition workflow in Gimmal is a key functionality for compliance. Before actually disposing of a document, Gimmal can require review and approval by designated individuals (Records Managers, lawyers, department managers). The entire workflow is logged – who was notified, who approved and when, what the decision was. This documentation is essential for audits and legal proceedings.
Hold Management (Legal Hold) allows automatic retention suspension for documents under legal proceedings or audit – regardless of the period set, documents cannot be removed for the duration of the hold. Hold can be imposed manually or automatically through integration with eDiscovery systems.
Regulatory Compliance by Gimmal
Gimmal is certified for compliance with key records management standards: DoD 5015.2 (U.S. government standard), MoReq2010 (European records management standard), ISO 15489. Organizations operating in regulated sectors (finance, healthcare, energy, government) use these certifications as proof that their document management system meets rigorous requirements.
For organizations subject to the GDPR, Gimmal provides tools to implement the Right to Erasure – the identification and deletion of all a specific person’s personal data from documents stored in SharePoint, with confirmation of execution and audittrail.
Key findings
- Gimmal extends the native capabilities of SharePoint and Microsoft 365 with advanced document lifecycle management – without replacing the user environment.
- File Plan (File Plan) is the central element – a hierarchical structure of categories with assigned retention periods and regulatory requirements.
- Disposition workflow provides a documentable, auditable process for deciding the fate of documents after retention expires.
- Legal Hold automatically halts retention for documents subject to legal proceedings or audits.
- DoD 5015.2, MoReq2010 and ISO 15489 certifications confirm compliance with rigorous records management standards.
FAQ
Does Gimmal replace Microsoft Purview? No – Gimmal coexists with Purview and can integrate with Purview labels. Gimmal adds a layer of record management that Purview does not fully provide.
How long does it take to implement Gimmal in an M365 environment? Basic implementation with File Plan configuration and basic retention policies – 4-8 weeks. Full implementation with integrations and migration of existing documents – usually several months.
Does Gimmal support documents from external systems (ERP, CRM)? Yes – Gimmal offers connectors to popular external systems and can manage documents regardless of their source, centrally.
Do users need to learn the new interface? No – Gimmal works transparently for users. Classification is automatic or prompts for labels in the native SharePoint interface.
Summary
Gimmal is the answer to how to manage records at enterprise scale in a Microsoft 365 environment – with full auditability, regulatory compliance and an automated document lifecycle. For organizations that value SharePoint as a working platform, but need more in terms of records management, Gimmal is a natural extension. Contact Ramsdata to learn how Gimmal can strengthen your organization’s records management.
