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Control 3.3: eDiscovery for Copilot-Generated Content — Portal Walkthrough

Step-by-step portal configuration for enabling eDiscovery capabilities that cover Copilot-generated content, interaction history, and AI-assisted communications in financial services environments.

The unified eDiscovery experience (generally available May 2025) consolidates all eDiscovery work into a single interface within the Microsoft Purview portal. All navigation in this walkthrough uses the unified experience.

Prerequisites

  • Role: eDiscovery Manager or eDiscovery Administrator
  • License: Microsoft 365 E5 or E5 eDiscovery add-on (Premium capabilities); E3 provides Standard capabilities within the unified experience
  • Access: Microsoft Purview portal at purview.microsoft.com

Steps

Step 1: Verify eDiscovery Licensing and Access

Portal: Microsoft 365 Admin Center Path: Billing > Licenses

  1. Confirm that eDiscovery licenses are assigned to custodians who may be subject to discovery (E5 or E5 eDiscovery add-on for Premium capabilities).
  2. Verify the compliance admin team has eDiscovery Manager or Administrator role assignments.
  3. Navigate to Microsoft Purview > eDiscovery > Cases to confirm the unified experience is available in your tenant.

Step 2: Create a Copilot-Specific eDiscovery Case

Portal: Microsoft Purview portal Path: Microsoft Purview > eDiscovery > Cases > Create a case

  1. Click Create a case and name it per your naming convention (e.g., "FSI-Copilot-Discovery-Template").
  2. Add a description indicating this case covers Copilot-generated content searches.
  3. Assign case members from the compliance and legal teams.
  4. Click Save to create the case. The case opens in the unified eDiscovery interface.

Note: If you have existing cases created before May 2025, open each case and verify the Copilot content location is included in data sources. Navigate to Data sources within the case and confirm "Microsoft Copilot experiences" appears as a data source option. Pre-migration cases may require manual addition of this location.

Step 3: Add Custodial Data Sources Including Copilot

Portal: Microsoft Purview portal Path: eDiscovery > Cases > [case name] > Data sources > Add custodians

  1. Open the case and navigate to the Data sources tab.
  2. Click Add custodians and select the relevant users.
  3. For each custodian, confirm the following locations are included:
  4. Exchange mailbox (contains Copilot interaction history)
  5. OneDrive for Business (contains Copilot-generated documents)
  6. SharePoint sites (contains collaborative Copilot content)
  7. Microsoft Teams (contains Copilot-assisted Teams messages)
  8. Microsoft Copilot experiences (the unified Copilot content location -- confirm this is present)
  9. Enable Hold on custodial data sources to preserve Copilot content.

Step 4: Create a Search for Copilot Content

Portal: Microsoft Purview portal Path: eDiscovery > Cases > [case name] > Searches > New search

  1. Click New search and name it "Copilot Interactions and Content".
  2. Under Custodian locations, select the custodians added in Step 3.
  3. Under search conditions, use KQL queries targeting Copilot-specific properties:
  4. kind:microsearch for Copilot interaction records
  5. CopilotSurface:"Microsoft365Copilot" to filter by surface (Premium tier)
  6. Use the Copilot surface filter in the unified search builder to narrow results by surface type, agent name, or interaction type.
  7. Set the date range appropriate to the discovery request.
  8. Run the search estimate to preview results before committing to review.

Step 5: Add Results to Review Set and Export

Portal: Microsoft Purview portal Path: eDiscovery > Cases > [case name] > Review sets

  1. After the search completes, click Add results to review set.
  2. Use inline content rendering (available as of February 2026) to preview Copilot interaction content directly in the review set.
  3. Apply tags to relevant items for production.
  4. Export in the format required by the requesting party (PST, loose files, or PDF).

FSI Recommendations

Setting Baseline Recommended Regulated
eDiscovery tier Standard (within unified experience) Premium Premium
Custodian hold Manual Automatic Automatic
Copilot content search scope Mailbox only All locations All locations
Copilot surface filter Not required Recommended Required
Review set AI-assisted review Optional Recommended Recommended
Pre-migration case verification Required Required Required

Regulatory Alignment

  • FRCP Rule 26(b)(1) — Proportionality standard applies to scope of discoverable Copilot content; unified experience supports efficient, targeted search
  • SEC Rule 17a-4(j) — Supports production of electronically stored records in response to SEC examination requests
  • FINRA Rule 8210 — Supports timely production of records in regulatory examinations

Next Steps