Microsoft Viva Glint introduces a new admin control to configure retention or deletion of survey responses and identifiable user data when users are permanently deleted. This consolidates previous settings into one, effective September 2026, helping organizations align data retention with policies and process Microsoft Entra deletion signals accordingly.
Microsoft Viva Glint is introducing a new admin control that allows organizations to configure whether survey responses and identifiable user data are retained or deleted when users are permanently deleted from Viva Glint, either manually or through deletion signals received from Microsoft Entra.
This change simplifies existing configuration options by consolidating two controls into a single setting: Retain survey responses and identifiable data for deleted users. This helps organizations apply their data retention and deletion policies more consistently while preserving the consistency of previously generated Viva Glint survey reports when data retention is desired.
Microsoft will also process user deletion signals received through Microsoft Entra and retain or delete the corresponding user data according to the configured setting and applicable service terms.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 560548.
Rollout schedule
Worldwide: Beginning in early September 2026 and expected to complete by late September 2026
Impact on your organization
Who is affected
- Viva Glint administrators
- Organizations using Microsoft Entra user lifecycle signals with Viva Glint
Platforms and services
- Microsoft Viva Glint
- Microsoft Entra ID integration
What will happen
Beginning in September 2026, a single control, Retain survey responses and identifiable data for deleted users, will determine whether data associated with permanently deleted users is retained or deleted.
The initial state of the new control will be automatically mapped from your existing configuration settings as shown below:
| Current configuration | New control state | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Delete survey data for deleted users = Off Identify deleted users = Off | Retain survey responses and identifiable data for deleted users = On (default) | Survey responses and identifiable user data, including first name, last name, organizational email address, and employee ID, will be retained when the user is permanently deleted. |
| Delete survey data for deleted users = Off Identify deleted users = On | Retain survey responses and identifiable data for deleted users = On (default) | Survey responses and identifiable user data, including first name, last name, organizational email address, and employee ID, will be retained when the user is permanently deleted. |
| Delete survey data for deleted users = On Identify deleted users = Off | Retain survey responses and identifiable data for deleted users = Off | All user-related data, including survey responses and profile information, will be permanently deleted when the user is permanently deleted. |
| Delete survey data for deleted users = On Identify deleted users = On | Retain survey responses and identifiable data for deleted users = Off | All user-related data, including survey responses and profile information, will be permanently deleted when the user is permanently deleted. |
Additional considerations:
- If the control is configured to delete data, there is no change to the existing behavior. Data will continue to be deleted.
- If the control is configured to retain data, identifiable user information, including first name, last name, employee ID, and email address, will be retained. User data will no longer be anonymized when the user is deleted.
- The value of the control at the time a user is permanently deleted determines whether associated data is retained or deleted.
- This change applies to deletions processed on or after September 10, 2026, including newly received user deletion signals from Microsoft Entra and historical deletion signals that have not been processed since June 2025.
- During historical signal processing, user records will not be deleted if hierarchy changes were detected that caused user statuses to be modified.
- After a user is permanently deleted, organizations may be able to reuse the deleted user’s employee ID or email address for another Viva Glint user, depending on other configured user data controls.
- User deletion signals received from Microsoft Entra will be processed according to the configured setting and applicable service terms.
Action required and recommendations
Action required: Review the new setting and confirm that it aligns with your organization’s data retention and deletion policies.
Recommended actions (complete by September 10, 2026):
- Review the Retain survey responses and identifiable data for deleted users setting after it becomes available in Viva Glint.
- Verify that the configured state aligns with your organization’s privacy, legal, HR, and records management requirements.
- Update internal documentation and user lifecycle processes, as needed.
- If your organization uses Microsoft Entra lifecycle signals with Viva Glint, confirm that the configured setting reflects how future user deletion events should be processed.
- Review the list of active and inactive users to identify any users who should have a Deleted status but have not yet been deleted. After the feature is released, contact Microsoft by responding to this Message Center post and request a copy of the list of users marked as Deleted through Microsoft Entra.
Compliance considerations
Question: Does this change alter how existing customer data is processed, stored, or accessed?
Answer: Yes. This change affects how survey responses and identifiable user data are retained or deleted when a user is permanently deleted from Viva Glint.
Question: Does this change modify how users access, export, delete, or correct personal data in Microsoft 365?
Answer: Yes. The new retention setting determines whether identifiable user data and survey responses are retained or permanently deleted after a user deletion event.
Question: Does this change include an admin control?
Answer: Yes. Viva Glint administrators will have a new control, Retain survey responses and identifiable data for deleted users, that determines whether deleted-user data is retained or deleted.
Question: Does this change involve personal data processing?
Answer: Yes. The feature affects the processing of identifiable user information, including first name, last name, organizational email address, employee ID, and associated survey responses.
Question: Does this change affect retention or deletion workflows?
Answer: Yes. The new control directly governs whether deleted-user data is retained or permanently deleted and therefore changes the organization’s retention and deletion workflow for Viva Glint user data.