Data Retention and Recovery

Where Your Data Is Stored

All SharePoint Sapiens apps store their data exclusively in SharePoint lists on the SharePoint site within your own Microsoft 365 tenant where the app is installed. At no point is your data stored outside your tenant or copied to SharePoint Sapiens–controlled environments. Only the app settings, license and usage information is stored in our database.

This design ensures:

• Full data ownership remains with you

• Compliance with Microsoft 365 security, privacy, and governance standards

• Seamless integration with your existing SharePoint retention, backup, and recovery features

Because the data lives in your tenant, data protection, retention, and deletion are your responsibility.

Your Responsibility for Data Protection

As the tenant owner, you are responsible for:

• Defining retention and deletion policies

• Ensuring data is backed up according to your internal or regulatory requirements

• Managing user permissions and access

• Restoring data if items are deleted accidentally

SharePoint Online Backup Capabilities

Microsoft provides built‑in backup and restore capabilities as part of SharePoint Online and Microsoft 365 Backup. These allow administrators to restore SharePoint sites, lists, and items to a previous point in time in case of accidental deletion, corruption, or security incidents.

To learn more about Microsoft’s official backup and restore options, see:

➡️ Microsoft Docs – Restore data in Microsoft 365 Backup (SharePoint Online)
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/backup

Using the SharePoint Recycle Bin

For most accidental deletions, no backup restore is necessary. SharePoint provides a two‑stage Recycle Bin that allows items to be restored for up to 90 days after deletion.

First‑Stage Recycle Bin (Site Recycle Bin)

• Accessible to site members with edit permissions

• Stores deleted list items, lists, documents, and libraries

• Items can be restored to their original location

How to restore an item:

1. Open the SharePoint site where the data was deleted

2. Select Recycle bin from the left navigation or via Site contents

3. Select the item(s) you want to restore

4. Click Restore

Second‑Stage Recycle Bin (Site Collection Recycle Bin)

• Accessible only to SharePoint site owners or administrators

• Contains items removed from the first‑stage recycle bin

• Items remain available until the 90‑day retention period expires

If data is no longer visible in the site recycle bin, administrators should check the second‑stage recycle bin before assuming the data is permanently deleted.

Official Microsoft guidance:

➡️ Microsoft Support – Restore items from the SharePoint recycle bin
https://support.microsoft.com/office/restore-items-in-the-recycle-bin-that-were-deleted-from-sharepoint-or-teams-6df466b6-55f2-4898-8d6e-c0dff851a0be

 

What’s you cannot restore from the SharePoint recycle bin:

• columns you delete

• views you delete

• permission changes

• and other configuration changes

Summary

• SharePoint Sapiens apps store all data in SharePoint lists within your tenant

• You retain full ownership and responsibility for your data

• SharePoint Online provides native backup, restore, and recycle bin functionality

• Deleted items can typically be restored for up to 90 days using the SharePoint recycle bin

• Long‑term protection depends on your tenant’s backup and retention configuration

 

If you need help understanding how your SharePoint configuration affects a specific SharePoint Sapiens app, please contact your internal Microsoft 365 administrator or reach out to our support team.