How eDiscovery Searches Handle SharePoint Files and Folders
Question details
The user wants to know if an eDiscovery search targeting specific SharePoint files will also include related files or folders that were downloaded at the same time.
- Product
- Microsoft Purview eDiscovery / SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Performing a compliance or legal eDiscovery search to retrieve specific documents from a Microsoft SharePoint library.
- Observed behavior
- Uncertainty regarding whether peripheral files or entire folders associated with the downloaded target files are captured in the final search results.
Ensure you have the appropriate eDiscovery Manager or eDiscovery Administrator roles assigned in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal before modifying search scopes.
Verify Search Scope, Query, and Export Settings
The inclusion of related files or folders depends entirely on how the search scope and export settings are configured in your eDiscovery case.
eDiscovery behavior is heavily dependent on specific parameters such as custodians, targeted locations, keyword queries, and export options. By default, it retrieves only the items that directly match the query criteria. If you need associated folder contents, you must adjust the search conditions.
Log in to the Microsoft Purview compliance portal using your administrator credentials.
Navigate to the 'eDiscovery' section in the left pane (Standard or Premium) and select your specific case.
Go to the 'Searches' tab and edit your search. Ensure that the specific SharePoint sites or custodian OneDrive accounts are correctly selected in the locations.
Check your keyword lists and conditions. If you want entire folders rather than isolated files, consider querying by folder path (e.g., path:"https://domain.sharepoint.com/sites/site/library/folder") instead of just file contents.
When exporting your results, review the export settings to see if you have selected options to include unrecognized files, which might capture unsupported file types residing in the same folders.
Consult the Microsoft Security and Compliance Community
Because eDiscovery relies on intricate backend configurations, the official Microsoft community is the best resource for highly specific query behavior.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does an eDiscovery search automatically include all files in a SharePoint folder?
No, an eDiscovery search typically only returns the specific files that match your keyword query and conditions. It does not pull the entire folder unless the folder itself or all its contents explicitly match the search criteria.
Can I export documents from SharePoint using eDiscovery without modifying them?
Yes, eDiscovery allows you to export files in their native format. This preserves all metadata (such as author and creation date) and ensures the original SharePoint files remain completely unchanged.
Why are some SharePoint files missing from my eDiscovery search results?
Files may be excluded if they fall outside the specified date range, do not match the keyword query, reside in an unindexed or excluded SharePoint site, or lack the correct custodian mapping.
