bcquality/microsoft/knowledge/privacy/resolve-tobeclassified-before-release.md

bc-version	domain	keywords	technologies	countries	application-area
all	privacy	tobeclassified dataclassification release gdpr placeholder	al	w1	all

Resolve ToBeClassified before release

Description

DataClassification = ToBeClassified is a development marker, not a releasable privacy state. It tells reviewers and tooling that the field still needs classification work. Shipping it prevents data-subject, retention, and telemetry tooling from making a correct decision about the field.

Best Practice

Replace every ToBeClassified value with the narrowest accurate classification before the PR ships to customers. If the field inherits a correct table-level DataClassification, remove the placeholder rather than leaving a field-level ToBeClassified override.

Anti Pattern

Treating ToBeClassified as a safe default because the field is new or because the final classification is uncertain. Uncertainty should bias toward a stronger classification, not toward an unresolved placeholder.