SharePoint Online (M365) - Site Life Cycle Management


Introduction

Site life cycle management in SharePoint Online is a critical aspect of maintaining a well-governed and efficient digital workspace. It encompasses the processes and policies that guide the creation, usage, archival, and eventual deletion of SharePoint sites. Effective site creation ensures that new sites are provisioned with appropriate templates, permissions, and metadata to support collaboration and compliance. As sites age or become inactive, archival strategies help preserve important content while reducing clutter and storage costs. Finally, site deletion must be handled with care to prevent data loss and maintain organizational integrity, often involving retention policies and administrative oversight. Together, these phases form a structured approach to managing the full life cycle of SharePoint sites, aligning with organizational governance and productivity goals.

Outlined below are basic instructions for creation, deletion, and archival of a Michigan Medicine SharePoint site.

 

Instructions

 

🧭 How to Create a SharePoint Site 

🔹 Step 1: Go to the SharePoint Start Page

🔹 Step 2: Start Site Creation

  • On the SharePoint Start Page, click “+ Create site” 

🔹 Step 3: Choose a Site Type

You’ll be prompted to choose between:

  • Team site – for collaboration with a group (includes a shared mailbox, calendar, Planner, etc.)
  • Communication site – for broadcasting information to a wider audience

📝 Most users will choose Team site for working with a team or project group.

🔹 Step 4: Fill in Site Information

For a Team Site:

  • Select the site template - Recommended: Standard team
  • Site name - Preferred title for the site, this will also define the site’s URL and M365 Group
  • Site description - Optional description, can be added or updated later
  • Add owners & members - Add additional owners & members, if needed
  • Group email address: Auto-generated
  • Privacy settings:
    • Private – only members can access
    • Public – anyone in your organization can access
  • Language - Choose the default language for the site (recommended: English)

For a Communication Site:

  • Select the site template - Recommended: Standard communication
  • Site name - Preferred title for the site, this will also define the site’s URL
  • Site description - Optional description, can be added or updated later
  • Language - Choose the default language for the site (recommended: English)

🔹 Step 5: Click Finish

  • SharePoint will create your site in a few seconds
  • You’ll be redirected to the new site where you can start customizing

🛠️ After Site Creation

You can:

  • Add web parts (text, images, documents, etc.)
  • Create document libraries, lists, and site pages
  • Change the site logo and theme
  • Manage permissions via Settings > Site permissions

🧭 How to Delete a SharePoint Site  

Prepare the Site for Deletion (Optional)

  • Backup any important content (documents, lists, libraries).
  • Notify site users of the upcoming deletion.
  • Remove permissions or disable sharing to prevent further use.
  • Remove custom workflows or apps

Delete the Site

  • Navigate to the site you want to delete.
  • Click the Settings (⚙️) icon in the upper right, select → Site Information.
  • Near the bottom of the Site Information panel, click Delete Site.
  • If it’s a Microsoft 365 group-connected site, check the box to also delete the group.
  • Confirm by clicking Delete.

Issues or Questions - 

🧭 How to Archive a SharePoint Site

If you no longer actively use a SharePoint site but need to retain its content for reference or compliance purposes, you can request to have the site archived. Follow the steps below to initiate the archival process.

Prepare Your Request 

  • Identify the URL of the site you wish to archive
  • Provide the names of 2-3 site users who should retain read-only access.
  • Provide the business reason for the archival 
  • Submit the above details with the archival submission request

What Happens When a Site Is Archived

Once your request is approved:

  • The site will be set to read-only access, limited to 2–3 designated site users.
  • The site URL will be changed to reflect its archived status.
  • The site title will be updated to include the word “Archived” and the archival date.
  • The archived site will be reviewed annually for potential deletion. The designated site users will be contacted during this review to confirm whether the site should be retained for another year.

 

🧭 Annual SharePoint Site Clean-up Process

Each year, we review SharePoint sites based on their Last Activity Date. If a site has not been accessed or modified in over 365 days, it becomes a candidate for deletion.

  • Abandoned Sites: If a site was provisioned but never developed, it is considered abandoned and will be deleted.
  • Inactive but Previously Used Sites: If a site contains documents, lists, site pages, or other content, it indicates prior usage. In such cases, we will contact the listed site owners to determine whether the site is still needed. Based on their response, the site may be deleted, archived, or retained.

Last Activity Date reflects the most recent user interaction with site content—either access or modification. 

Site Deletion and Recovery

When a site is deleted, all content within it is permanently removed. However, deleted sites can be recovered within 93 days from the deletion date.

Archived Sites

Archived sites are included as part of the annual site review/clean-up process. These sites are read-only and accessible only to a limited number of users (typically 2–3) identified during the archival request process.