Data Policy Tips in Outlook, Word, Excel, and the Browser.

Issue/Question

What are Data Policy Tips?  I getting pop ups cautioning me against sharing sensitive data.  What do I do?

Environment

  • Office
  • Word, Excel, Powerpoint
  • Outlook
  • Restricted
  • Data Classification
  • Internal Users
  • External Users

Cause

Sensitive or Restricted data can be protected by applying Microsoft Sensitivity Labels to documents.  That labeling is a vital step that helps USD protect data.  Additionally, it allows Data Policy Tips to be provided if sensitive data is in the process of being shared. 

Resolution

What Are Policy Tips?

Policy Tips are helpful notifications that appear in Microsoft 365 apps when you're about to share or work with sensitive data. They're part of the university's data classification and loss prevention program.

They alert you to potential risks and provide suggestions to protect data such as:

  • Social Security Numbers
  • FERPA, GLBA, HIPAA -protected data
  • Health, financial, or other regulated data
 

In Email (Outlook Desktop, Web, and Mobile) 

Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)

When It Appears:

  • When composing an email to external recipients (outside @usd.edu) with sensitive content

What You'll See:

  • A yellow or red bar near the top of the message.
  • A message like This message contains sensitive information. Review before sending

What You Can Do:

  • Review the content. Remove or revise sensitive data
  • Remove unintended recipients
  • Correct the sensitivity label by clicking the label indicator in the ribbon

 

In Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)


When It Appears:

  • While working on a document containing sensitive content
  • When trying to share or save a document to a location with broader access

What You'll See:

  • A Policy Tip banner near the top of the document or when selecting Share
  • Messages like Sharing this document externally may expose sensitive data

What You Can Do:

  • Click on the Policy Tip to see more details
  • Adjust sharing settings or the document's sensitivity label
  • Remove or obfuscate sensitive content if sharing externally is not appropriate

 
 In Browser-Based Tools (Outlook on the web, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, web-based Services)

Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)

When It Appears:

  • When uploading, sharing, or accessing documents that have been auto-labeled

What You'll See:

  • A popup warning or inline banner
  • Messages such as Sharing this file externally is not advised and may violate policy

What You Can Do:

  • Follow guidance in the popup—adjust sharing settings, update the label, or consult IT if unsure

 

On Your Device (Managed Laptops and Desktops)

Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)

When It Appears:

  • When working locally with sensitive files that are auto-labeled or manually labeled
  • When attempting to upload or move labeled content to USB drives, personal cloud storage, or unapproved apps

What You'll See:

  • A Windows notification, popup, or alert in Microsoft 365 apps
  • A message indicating potential data leakage or policy concerns

What You Can Do:

  • Reconsider the action. Avoid transferring sensitive data to unapproved locations
  • Change the destination or remove sensitive data if not necessary
  • Check the file label and adjust it if incorrectly applied


Frequently Asked Questions

Can I ignore a Policy Tip?

  • Policy Tips are informational, but ignoring them can lead to unintentional data exposure. Please always review them carefully.

What if the sensitivity label is wrong?

  • You can change the label by clicking the label indicator in the ribbon (e.g., from "Restricted" to "Internal" if appropriate).

Will these tips block what I’m doing?

  • Not at this time. These are non-blocking notifications. Future updates may introduce enforcement for high-risk situations.

What if I’m not sure what to do?

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