Set up a connector to archive Slack eDiscovery data

Use a Veritas connector to import and archive third-party data from social media, instant messaging, and document collaboration platforms to mailboxes in your Microsoft 365 organization. Veritas provides a Slack connector that's configured to capture items from the third-party data source (on a regular basis) and then import those items to Microsoft 365. Slack pulls messages and files from the Slack API and converts them to an email message format and then imports the item to user mailboxes.

After Slack eDiscovery data is stored in user mailboxes, you can apply Microsoft Purview features such as Litigation Hold, eDiscovery, retention policies and retention labels, and communication compliance. Using a Slack connector to import and archive data in Microsoft 365 can help your organization stay compliant with government and regulatory policies.

Tip

If you're not an E5 customer, use the 90-day Microsoft Purview solutions trial to explore how additional Purview capabilities can help your organization manage data security and compliance needs. Start now at the Microsoft Purview compliance portal trials hub. Learn details about signing up and trial terms.

Overview of archiving Slack eDiscovery data

The following overview explains the process of using a connector to archive the Slack information in Microsoft 365.

1. Your organization works with Slack to set up and configure a Slack site.

2. Once every 24 hours, chat messages from Slack eDiscovery are copied to the Veritas Merge1 site. The connector also converts the content of a chat message to an email message format.

3. The Slack eDiscovery connector that you create in the Microsoft Purview portal or the Microsoft Purview compliance portal connects to the Veritas Merge1 site every day and transfers the chat messages to a secure Azure Storage location in the Microsoft cloud.

4. The connector imports the converted chat message items to the mailboxes of specific users using the value of the Email property and automatic user mapping, as described in Step 3. A new subfolder in the Inbox folder named Slack eDiscovery is created in the user mailboxes, and the chat message items are imported to that folder. The connector determines which mailbox to import items to by using the value of the Email property. Every chat message contains this property, which is populated with the email address of every participant of the chat message.

Before you begin

• Create a Veritas Merge1 account for Microsoft connectors. To create an account, contact Veritas Customer Support. You will sign into this account when you create the connector in Step 1.

• Obtain the username and password for your organization's Slack enterprise account. You'll need to sign into this account in Step 2 when you configure Slack.

• The user who creates the Slack eDiscovery connector in Step 1 (and completes it in Step 3) must be assigned the Data Connector Admin role. This role is required to add connectors on the Data connectors page in the Microsoft Purview portal or the compliance portal. This role is added by default to multiple role groups. For a list of these role groups, see Roles in Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and Microsoft Purview compliance. Alternatively, an admin in your organization can create a custom role group, assign the Data Connector Admin role, and then add the appropriate users as members. For instructions, see:

  • Permissions in the Microsoft Purview portal
  • Permissions in the compliance portal
  • Roles and role groups in Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and Microsoft Purview compliance

• This Veritas data connector is in public preview in GCC environments in the Microsoft 365 US Government cloud. Third-party applications and services might involve storing, transmitting, and processing your organization's customer data on third-party systems that are outside of the Microsoft 365 infrastructure and therefore aren't covered by the Microsoft Purview and data protection commitments. Microsoft makes no representation that use of this product to connect to third-party applications implies that those third-party applications are FEDRAMP compliant.

Step 1: Set up the Slack eDiscovery connector

The first step is to create a connector for Slack data in the Microsoft Purview portal or the compliance portal.

Select the appropriate tab for the portal you're using. To learn more about the Microsoft Purview portal, see Microsoft Purview portal. To learn more about the Compliance portal, see Microsoft Purview compliance portal.

Microsoft Purview portal

1. Sign into the Microsoft Purview portal.
2. Select Settings > Data connectors.
3. Select My connectors, then select Add connector.
4. From the list, choose Slack eDiscovery.
5. On the Terms of service page, select Accept.
6. Enter a unique name that identifies the connector, and then select Next.
7. Sign in to your Merge1 account to configure the connector.

Compliance portal

1. Go to https://compliance.microsoft.com and then select Data connectors > Slack eDiscovery.
2. On the Slack eDiscovery product description page, select Add connector.
3. On the Terms of service page, select Accept.
4. Enter a unique name that identifies the connector, and then select Next.
5. Sign in to your Merge1 account to configure the connector.

Step 2: Configure Slack eDiscovery

The second step is to configure the Slack eDiscovery connector on the Merge1 site. For more information about how to configure the Slack eDiscovery connector on the Veritas Merge1 site, see Merge1 Third-Party Connectors User Guide.

After you select Save & Finish, the User mapping page in the connector wizard in the Microsoft Purview portal or the compliance portal is displayed.

Step 3: Map users and complete the connector setup

1. On the Map external users to Microsoft 365 users page, enable automatic user mapping.

   Slack eDiscovery items include a property called Email, which contains email addresses for users in your organization. If the connector can associate this address with a Microsoft 365 user, the items are imported to that user's mailbox.

2. Select Next, review your settings, and go to the Data connectors page to see the progress of the import process for the new connector.

Step 4: Monitor the Slack eDiscovery connector

After you create the Slack eDiscovery connector, you can view the connector status in the Microsoft Purview portal or the compliance portal.

Select the appropriate tab for the portal you're using. To learn more about the Microsoft Purview portal, see Microsoft Purview portal. To learn more about the Compliance portal, see Microsoft Purview compliance portal.

Microsoft Purview portal

1. Sign into the Microsoft Purview portal.
2. Select Settings > Data connectors.
3. Select My connectors, then select the Slack eDiscovery connector that you created to display the flyout page. This page contains the properties and information about the connector.
4. Under Connector status with source, select the Download log link to open (or save) the status log for the connector. This log contains information about the data that's been imported to the Microsoft cloud. For more information, see View admin logs for data connectors.

Compliance portal

1. Go to https://compliance.microsoft.com and select Data connectors in the left nav.
2. Select the Connectors tab and then select the Slack eDiscovery connector to display the flyout page. This page contains the properties and information about the connector.
3. Under Connector status with source, select the Download log link to open (or save) the status log for the connector. This log contains information about the data that's been imported to the Microsoft cloud. For more information, see View admin logs for data connectors.

Known issues

At this time, we don't support importing attachments or items that are larger than 10 MB. Support for larger items will be available at a later date.