An Interview with Jeanese Latiolais, professional services director at DocPoint Solutions and Laura Starr, consultant and advisor at DocPoint Solutions
A recent example illustrates a growing challenge across government agencies regarding modern digital preservation. After digitizing countless paper records and migrating countless digital files into SharePoint, one agency believed it had achieved digital transformation. That confidence quickly faded when a records request surfaced a critical document created in the 1980s. The file existed, but it was saved in WordPerfect – a long-obsolete format. When staff attempted to open the document in Microsoft SharePoint, the system couldn’t read it.
A Widespread Issue
The problem of file format obsolescence is prevalent across the public sector. Agencies that must retain a variety of documents and file formats for long periods of time frequently encounter this issue. For example, one local government agency alone is a steward of over 300 record types for 50 different departments and boards, including emergency management, transportation and infrastructure, elections, the board of health, and more. Across the public sector, this problem is common. Agencies such as this frequently discover that digital files that have been stored for decades on hard drives, shared drives, or legacy systems are no longer readable or usable. According to Jeanese Latiolais, professional services director at DocPoint Solutions, a partner and reseller of Preservica digital preservation software, file format obsolescence is especially problematic for government organizations that must adhere to government regulations that require certain records be retained permanently.
The pace of technological advancement means that digital files that must be retained for 10 or more years are highly susceptible to data degradation and file format obsolescence and will likely become unusable. This includes digital files created as late as the 2010s and early 2020s. The longer the retention period, the greater the risk. Agencies with inaccessible or unreadable files pay a price – legal liabilities increase, fines may be issued, and employees often spend lengthy and unnecessary periods of time searching for usable information.
Digital preservation now available in Microsoft SharePoint
To address these challenges, agencies can now leverage Preserve365, a digital preservation solution embedded in Microsoft SharePoint. Preserve365 ensures over 2,300 file formats remain accessible and readable for 10, 20, or 30 years (or permanently).
Latiolais explains how the new digital preservation solution embedded in SharePoint works: When a file, such as a WordPerfect document, is added to SharePoint and digitally preserved, the Preserve365 tool automatically identifies obsolete formats and converts obsolete file formats into a stable, readable version, also preserving the file’s integrity. It also generates checksums – unique digital fingerprints – to confirm the original and migrated files have not been altered. The tool also ties in with Microsoft Purview. This allows agencies to digitally preserve their high-value, long-term records at scale, automatically, based on their current retention schedule. Digital files stored in costly legacy systems can now confidently be migrated to Microsoft SharePoint. This will centralize where agency information is stored and accessed while ensuring that content remains readable and usable.
Cost savings, compliance, and AI-ready data
The benefit of this approach extends beyond digitally preserving information, as Laura Starr (DocPoint Solutions consultant and advisor) observes. She notes that agencies can leverage existing Microsoft licenses rather than purchasing new licensed repositories to significantly reduce cost.
Digitally preserving and converting obsolete files to readable, open, preservation-ready formats ensures long-term accessibility of high-value content. It also supports seamless information sharing across agencies, strengthens compliance with federal and agency-specific mandates, and reduces the risk of retaining unnecessary or outdated data.
Perhaps most importantly, modern digital preservation supports AI readiness. AI relies on the data it is trained on. When records are readable, complete, and accurately retained, agencies can confidently use AI-enabled tools like Microsoft Copilot.
“By embedding digital preservation directly into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, agencies can gain an end-to-end solution that protects them from the hidden risks of digital transformation while empowering them to leverage their most valuable information assets fully,” notes Starr.