MC1158895 – M365 Change Digest

One-line summary

Viva Pulse data retention changes from 3 years to indefinite while subscription is active; data now stored in Azure Cosmos DB for ongoing access and compliance.

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Details

Summary

Microsoft Viva Pulse's data retention policy is updated from 3 years to indefinite retention while the tenant has an active subscription. Data will be stored in Azure Cosmos DB starting October 2025. No action is required, and user workflows remain unchanged. Previously stored data in Microsoft Forms follows prior rules.

Body (from Message Center)

Updated September 25, 2025: We are updating from a 3-year data retention policy to an indefinite data retention period, as long as your tenant maintains a valid Microsoft Viva Pulse subscription.

[Introduction:]

We’re updating the data retention policy for Microsoft Viva Pulse to improve consistency and transparency in how customer content is stored. This change aligns with our commitment to data governance and ensures that Pulse data remains available for reporting and analysis as long as the subscription is active.

[When this will happen:]

General Availability: Begins early October 2025
Expected Completion: Mid-October 2025

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected: All Microsoft 365 tenants using Viva Pulse

What will happen:

Viva Pulse templates (research-backed and custom) are stored in Azure Cosmos DB based on tenant location (West US or EU).
These templates will be retained indefinitely while the tenant maintains an active Pulse subscription or until the tenant deletes the data.
Prior to September 1, 2025, Pulse instances were stored in Microsoft Forms. Forms data will continue to be retained indefinitely if the Pulse request met the minimum response threshold for report generation. If the Pulse request closed without meeting the threshold, Forms data was deleted immediately.

[What you can do to prepare:]

No action is required from your organization at this time.
This change does not alter user workflows or admin experiences.
Learn more: Data residency for Viva Pulse | Viva Pulse | Microsoft Viva | Microsoft Learn

[Compliance considerations:]

Does the change alter how existing customer data is processed, stored, or accessed (such as documents, emails, chats, etc.), if so how and to what extent?

Yes. Viva Pulse data will now be stored indefinitely in Azure Cosmos DB while the tenant maintains an active Pulse subscription or until the tenant chooses to delete their data. Previously, Pulse data was stored in Microsoft Forms and subject to deletion based on reporting thresholds.

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