Table of Contents
When a team is no longer actively used but you want to keep its content and conversations for reference or compliance reasons, archiving it is the best option. Archiving a team makes it read-only for team members, preserving its data while preventing additional activity.
By archiving, all conversations and files within the team are preserved and can be accessed by team members, but they can’t edit them or start new conversations.
When a team is no longer necessary, and its content does not need to be retained, you can delete it. Deleting a team removes all its channels, conversations, files, and any associated SharePoint site and OneNote content.
Deleting a team is a permanent action and should only be done when you are sure that the data is no longer required. Consider exporting any important information or documents before deleting a team.
If an archived team becomes relevant again, you can bring it back to its former active state, where users can continue to chat, meet, and collaborate.
Unarchiving a team restores it to its fully functional state, ready for team members to begin working within it immediately.
To give a quick overview, consider the following table summarizing the differences between archiving, deleting, and unarchiving a team:
Action | Result | Member Access | Data Preservation |
---|---|---|---|
Archive | Team is read-only | View (no edit or start new threads) | Yes |
Delete | Team and content are permanently removed | No access | No |
Unarchive | Archived team is restored to active status | Full access (edit, start threads) | Yes |
Imagine you are managing several project teams. Project A has just been completed, and no further collaboration is expected in the near future; however, historical data needs to be retained. Archiving the team for Project A is the most suitable option.
Alternatively, if Project B was canceled, and there’s no need to keep its records, you could opt to delete the Project B team after ensuring any necessary content is backed up elsewhere.
Later, if Project A is revisited, the team can be unarchived, allowing members to pick up where they left off without losing any previous discussions or files.
In conclusion, the ability to archive, delete, or unarchive teams allows for robust management of the digital workspace within Microsoft Teams, ensuring that teams remain organized and adhere to organizational guidelines. As with any administrative action, it’s essential to consider the implications of each option and communicate with team members accordingly.
True
When you archive a team in Microsoft Teams, it becomes read-only to team members, preserving the team’s data and maintaining its structure while it’s not in active use.
False
When a team is deleted, the data is retained for a specific period during which it can be restored before it’s permanently deleted, according to the retention policies set by the organization.
A
When a team is archived, its associated SharePoint site is also set to a read-only state, preserving the data in its status at the time of archiving.
D
In the Microsoft Teams admin center, you have the capability to manage multiple teams at once, and this includes archiving, deleting, and restoring teams.
True
Archived teams remain visible in the list of teams but will be marked as ‘Archived,’ and members will have limited functionality, reflecting the team’s read-only state.
D
Teams can be unarchived using the Microsoft Teams admin center, where admins can restore the team’s active status.
False
Typically, global or Teams service admins have the ability to archive or unarchive teams, not just the team owners.
False
There is no requirement for a team to be archived before deletion; it can be deleted directly, but with awareness that this action is more drastic due to potential data loss.
D
A Microsoft Teams Global Administrator or a Teams Service Admin has the necessary permissions to delete teams.
D
The period for which a deleted team’s data is retained before permanent deletion is subject to the organization’s retention policy and can vary.
False
Once a team is archived, it is set to read-only status, and new posts or messages can’t be added to the team.
B
The ‘Archive-Team’ cmdlet in PowerShell can be used to archive a team in Microsoft Teams, which sets the team’s status to ‘Archived’.
Archiving a team means the team is no longer active but can still be accessed for reference or to restore, while deleting a team permanently removes it and its content.
No, a team cannot be restored after it has been deleted. Deleting a team is permanent, and all its content will be permanently deleted as well.
To archive a team, the owner or admin can click on the ellipsis (…) next to the team name, select “Manage team,” and then select “Archive team” under the “Settings” tab.
To delete a team, the owner or admin can click on the ellipsis (…) next to the team name, select “Manage team,” and then select “Delete team” under the “Settings” tab.
When a team is archived, all its content, including chats, files, and tabs, will be read-only, and members will no longer be able to make any changes to the content.
Yes, archived teams can still be accessed by team members, but they will only be able to view the content and cannot make any changes.
Yes, a team can be unarchived after it has been archived, and it will be restored with all its content, including chats, files, and tabs.
To unarchive a team, the owner or admin can click on the ellipsis (…) next to the team name, select “Manage team,” and then select “Unarchive team” under the “Settings” tab.
Yes, an admin can set up a retention policy in the Microsoft 365 compliance center to automatically archive teams after a certain period of time.
When a team is archived, all its channels will be read-only, and members will no longer be able to make any changes to the channels or create new channels.
No, a deleted team cannot be recovered in Microsoft Teams. Once a team is deleted, it and all its content are permanently removed.
Archived teams can be viewed by clicking on the “Teams” tab and then selecting “Hidden teams” at the bottom of the page.
Yes, an admin can set up a retention policy in the Microsoft 365 compliance center to automatically delete teams after a certain period of time.
No, an archived team cannot be deleted in Microsoft Teams. The team must first be unarchived before it can be deleted.
The maximum retention period for a team in Microsoft Teams is 99 years.
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