Microsoft Purview · Communication Compliance
Communication Compliance Viewers
View-only access to reports and analytics dashboards without alert or message access.
Scope: Read-only dashboard, reporting, and analytics access without alerts or messages
Permissions
- Dashboards - View communication compliance dashboards and program overview
- Reports - Access aggregate reports, trends, and analytics
- Policy Statistics - See policy statistics, metrics, and effectiveness data
- Export - Export reports and analytics data for governance reporting
- Policy Configuration - View policy configuration details (read-only, no editing)
- Alert Trends - Access alert volume trends and resolution metrics
- Program Health - View compliance program health indicators
- Coverage Statistics - Review policy coverage and supervised user statistics
Common use cases
- Executive oversight of communication compliance monitoring program
- Board or audit committee reporting on compliance program effectiveness
- Compliance program metrics and maturity assessment
- External auditors reviewing program implementation and controls
- Risk committee reporting on communication risk posture
- Program health monitoring by leadership
- Regulatory reporting and documentation of monitoring controls
Best practices
- Use for executive dashboards and governance reporting to leadership
- Generate regular compliance program health reports for board and audit committee
- Monitor trends to identify emerging issues or policy tuning needs
- Share aggregate metrics while protecting individual employee privacy
- Create custom Power BI reports using exported data for deeper analysis
- Track alert resolution times and investigation efficiency metrics
- Benchmark program effectiveness against industry standards
- Document program maturity and continuous improvement initiatives
Security considerations
- Cannot view individual messages, alerts, or employee communications - minimal privacy impact
- Aggregate data and trends only - safe for broad executive and audit access
- Safe for external auditors and oversight roles without privacy concerns
- Lowest risk communication compliance role with no investigation capabilities
- Policy visibility may reveal business-sensitive monitoring strategies
- Metrics may indirectly indicate organizational issues or risk areas
Common questions
When should I assign the Communication Compliance Viewers role?
Assign Communication Compliance Viewers when you need to: Executive oversight of communication compliance monitoring program; Board or audit committee reporting on compliance program effectiveness; Compliance program metrics and maturity assessment; External auditors reviewing program implementation and controls; and Risk committee reporting on communication risk posture. It is part of Microsoft Purview and should be granted as a least-privilege alternative to broader roles like Global Administrator.
What can someone with the Communication Compliance Viewers role do?
The Communication Compliance Viewers role grants permissions including: Dashboards - View communication compliance dashboards and program overview; Reports - Access aggregate reports, trends, and analytics; Policy Statistics - See policy statistics, metrics, and effectiveness data; Export - Export reports and analytics data for governance reporting; Policy Configuration - View policy configuration details (read-only, no editing); and Alert Trends - Access alert volume trends and resolution metrics. See the Permissions section above for the full list.
What are the security risks of the Communication Compliance Viewers role?
Key considerations when assigning Communication Compliance Viewers: Cannot view individual messages, alerts, or employee communications - minimal privacy impact; Aggregate data and trends only - safe for broad executive and audit access; Safe for external auditors and oversight roles without privacy concerns; and Lowest risk communication compliance role with no investigation capabilities. Review the Security considerations section before assignment, and pair with Privileged Identity Management (PIM) for just-in-time access where possible.