What Are Slack's Data Retention Policies?

Slack is a truly massive communications platform, with 77 of the Fortune 100 companies counted among its client list. 1.5 billion messages are sent on Slack weekly. But like any other communication tool, the management and retention of data exchanged on Slack can be a complex topic, especially when considering business needs, compliance requirements, and legal implications.

 Slack has a detailed retention policy, and companies need to know how it works. This policy impacts how long messages and files are stored, who can access them, and how they can be managed. To use Slack appropriately, it is important to grasp how this policy works and changes through the different levels of Slack plan.

Understanding The Slack Retention Policy

Companies of all sizes use Slack, and they can choose from different levels of features and support. There are four levels of Slack plan: Free, Pro, Business+, and Enterprise Grid. Each of these four levels has different message retention and availability. When you use a paid plan, you have much more flexibility and longer message retention.

For businesses in industries with strict regulatory requirements, data retention is a key consideration. Whether you're dealing with sensitive client information, financial records, or employee data, regulatory frameworks often dictate how long data must be stored and when it must be deleted. Slack’s customizable retention policies allow companies to align their messaging practices with these requirements.

For example, businesses subject to Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) regulations might be required to retain certain types of communication for several years, while those governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) need to ensure personal data is deleted after it’s no longer necessary. Slack’s flexibility in managing these different timelines makes it easier for companies to stay compliant with regulatory demands.

How Far Back Does Slack Save Messages?

The length of time Slack retains messages depends on several factors, including the type of plan your organization is using and how your data retention settings are configured. Slack offers multiple levels of data retention policies that can be customized based on a company’s operational needs and regulatory requirements.

Slack Retention Customization Options

 In addition to the time limit, there are also limits on the type of information that is retained. For organizations on the free plan, the 90 day or one year limit applies to both direct messages (DMs) and messages in channels. If your team relies on Slack's free tier, this short retention period may pose challenges, especially for tracking long-term projects or maintaining an archive of business communications.

However, for businesses on paid Slack plans, the platform offers greater flexibility in terms of data retention. The default option is that Slack saves all messages and files indefinitely, meaning they remain accessible until manually deleted. However, organizations can customize how long messages and files are retained, ranging from just a few days to forever.

Administrators on paid plans can set different retention policies for different types of information. 

• Messages: Retain messages indefinitely, for a set number of days, or choose to delete them after a specified period.
• Files: Retain files permanently or set a policy to automatically delete files after a set amount of time.
• Threads: Retain threads linked to messages, ensuring discussions related to specific topics remain intact.

This flexibility allows organizations to tailor their data retention policies to match their specific requirements, whether it’s compliance with industry regulations, privacy concerns, or storage limitations.

Data Retention for Slack Connect

Slack Connect is a feature that allows users from different organizations to collaborate in shared channels. When it comes to data retention in Slack Connect, each organization has control over the retention policies that apply to messages sent by their users. This means that if two companies are working together in a shared Slack Connect channel, both organizations can independently manage how long their messages are saved, based on their own policies. However, messages sent by users from the other organization will follow that organization’s retention rules, meaning retention periods could vary within the same conversation.

Can You Retrieve Old Slack Messages?

Retrieving old Slack messages depends entirely on the retention policies in place and the type of Slack plan you are using. The answer to whether you can recover messages that have been deleted or have expired varies based on how the organization’s Slack account is configured.

Access to Old Messages in Paid Plans

For organizations on Slack’s paid plans, retrieving old messages is generally straightforward if the messages fall within the retention period set by the organization. As long as the data retention policy allows for indefinite or extended retention, users and administrators can easily search for old messages in both public and private channels, as well as direct messages.

Slack provides a robust search function, which allows users to look up past conversations using keywords, user names, or specific dates. Administrators can also access the Message Activity section, which provides insight into message history and deletion logs. However, if messages have been deleted per the organization's retention policy, they cannot be retrieved.

Retrieving Deleted Messages

Once messages have been deleted due to an organization's retention policy, retrieving them is generally not possible through Slack’s native interface. For businesses that need to retrieve deleted messages for compliance or legal purposes, third-party solutions may be required.

This is where tools for Slack archiving and eDiscovery become important. Platforms such as Cloudficient’s Expireon offer advanced archiving solutions that allow companies to store and retrieve Slack messages and data for legal discovery, audits, or regulatory compliance. These tools often provide an extra layer of security by allowing businesses to archive all Slack communications beyond the platform’s native retention settings.

Slack Export Tools

Slack also offers tools for exporting data, though access to these tools varies by plan. On paid plans, administrators can export message and file history from public channels. For organizations on the Enterprise Grid plan, administrators can export messages from private channels and DMs as well. These exports are valuable for archiving purposes, but they must be done before messages expire or are deleted according to the company’s retention policy.

Customizing Slack Data Retention Policies

Slack’s retention settings can be customized to suit the unique needs of a business. This customization is particularly important for organizations that operate in regulated industries, where specific retention policies are required to ensure compliance with laws like the GDPR or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Slack provides several customizable options for message and file retention. As mentioned previously, indefinite retention and time-limited retention options are common, but additional flexibility is possible.

Different Retention for Files and Messages

Slack allows businesses to set different retention periods for messages and files. This is particularly useful for organizations that may need to keep communication logs longer than associated files, or vice versa.

Customize by Channel

Slack’s advanced data retention settings allow administrators to customize retention on a per-channel or conversation basis. This means that different channels within the same Slack workspace can have distinct retention policies, which provides further flexibility.

Hold Retention for Legal Cases

Slack’s Enterprise Grid plan includes an option for Legal Holds, which ensures that messages and files are not deleted until legal matters are resolved. This is essential for organizations facing litigation or regulatory investigations where communications need to be preserved indefinitely.

Slack And Your Data Retention Policy

Every organization should have a data retention policy that reflects its specific operational, legal, and compliance needs. A well-defined policy ensures that you are storing messages and files for an appropriate length of time, whether it's to protect valuable business insights, comply with legal standards, or safeguard user privacy.

Slack's ability to customize data retention settings makes it a versatile tool for organizations of all sizes. However, your organization needs to implement these settings in a way that balances legal requirements, storage limitations, and business needs. A data retention policy aligned with your company’s goals can save you from potential compliance issues and streamline data management.

Make The Most Of Your Slack Retention Policy With Cloudficient

Slack offers businesses a robust set of data retention tools that can be customized to meet various operational and regulatory requirements. From short-term message retention to indefinite storage, Slack’s flexibility allows companies to manage data in a way that aligns with their unique needs. While Slack’s built-in features provide some level of retention control, companies dealing with regulatory compliance or legal discovery may need to explore advanced archiving solutions.

If you want to ensure full compliance and comprehensive data management, check out Cloudficient’s white paper on Slack preservation and eDiscovery. This in-depth guide makes understanding the Slack retention policy a breeze. When you have a roadmap for understanding the complexities of Slack retention and archiving, it’s easier to make strong, informed decisions for your business.

Cloudficient’s unrivaled, next generation technology is revolutionizing the way businesses retire legacy systems, transform their organizations into the cloud, and capture, retain and protect the data once it’s there. Guiding customers through every stage of the enterprise lifecycle, our comprehensive services include cloud migration, information governance, and custodian management. 

Whether you're transitioning to the cloud, ensuring data compliance, or managing electronic data for legal purposes, our expert team provides the support and solutions you need to succeed. 

Bring Cloudficiency to your enterprise lifecycle: visit our website or contact us directly.