What is the purpose of a label in document management?

The purpose of a label in document management primarily revolves around the ability to help discover and classify data. Labels serve as metadata attached to documents that provide context about the sensitivity and handling requirements of the information contained within.

They enable organizations to categorize documents based on their content and regulatory requirements, facilitating data discovery and ensuring that sensitive information is appropriately identified. By applying certain labels, users can enforce classification policies that dictate how the data should be protected and managed. Labels can also lead to automated responses, such as encryption or access restrictions, based on the classification assigned to the document.

While it may seem that labels act simply as stamps for documents, their functionality goes beyond that by actively categorizing and enabling better data governance. They play a crucial role in an organization's overall security and compliance strategy by making it easier to enforce policies related to data protection and retention.

The evaluation of policies for retention, the monitoring of sensitive information, and acting like a stamp are secondary effects or functionalities that can be influenced by the application of labels but do not capture the core purpose of labels in the overall framework of document management.