Sensitivity labels
All staff: please use one of these sensitivity labels to classify and protect University data published in documents (such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel) that are shared using email, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive or shared filestores.
Introduction to document sensitivity labels
| Label | Definition | Apply it to | Security provided |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-only | Official University content that can only be shared with University of Kent staff and students | Documents and emails | Content is encrypted and can only be accessed by a staff or student Kent IT account. A watermark is applied to the document |
| University staff only | Official University content that can only be edited by or shared with University of Kent staff | Documents and emails | Content is encrypted and can only be accessed or edited by a staff Kent IT account. A watermark is applied to the document |
| University staff only - read only |
Official University content that can't be edited, and only be shared with University of Kent staff | Documents and emails |
Content is encrypted, read-only, and can only be accessed by a staff Kent IT account. A watermark is applied to the document. |
| Confidential [group/site] | Site stores confidential or sensitive data. Content with ‘need to know’ access only. Can't be accessed by external users | SharePoint sites and Microsoft Teams |
Changes site/group settings to staff only access; only owners can add members You still need to apply a sensitivity label to documents stored in the site as appropriate |
| Unrestricted | Official University content that can be freely shared and disseminated including publishing online | Documents and emails | None |
How to apply the labels using Microsoft tools
Applying labels to a document or email
- Open the software (Outlook, Word, Excel or PowerPoint) on your PC/laptop or use the web apps.
- Click on the Sensitivity button in the Home menu of Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook (in Outlook you see it when writing an email).
If you don't see the button: note that it's not available in Office 2016. We recommend you upgrade to Office 365. Or you can install this add-on manually. - The label controls who can access the document but by default will allow recipients to edit. If read-only access is required, you must apply this when sharing the document.
Applying labels to a SharePoint site or Team
The only label you can apply to a group, site or Team is the Confidential [group/site] label.
You still need to make sure that the content within the site is shared with the right audience.
- Within a SharePoint site, go to the settings cog then choose Site Information
- You'll see an option to apply a sensitivity label to the site. This will also apply the sensitivity label to the linked Team (if there is one).
Other ways to keep data secure still matter
You should follow this best practice advice to keep content and data secure in addition to using sensitivity labels. These labels simply add an extra layer of security on top.
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