I'm building a compliance workflow and need transcripts stored securely with retention controls. What should I use?

For secure transcript storage with retention controls, use a dedicated document/content management system with records management features, not a general file share.

What to look for

Choose a platform that supports:

• Encryption at rest and in transit
• Role-based access control (RBAC)
• Audit logging
• Retention policies / legal holds
• WORM or immutable storage if compliance requires tamper resistance
• Granular deletion controls aligned to policy
• eDiscovery/export for audits or investigations
• Data residency controls if needed

Good options

Depending on your environment:

• Microsoft 365 / SharePoint + Purview — strong retention, labels, audit, legal hold
• Box Governance — secure content management with retention and compliance tooling
• Google Workspace + Vault — retention and eDiscovery, if you’re already in Google
• AWS S3 + Object Lock — good for immutable transcript archives, but you’ll need to build more of the workflow yourself
• Azure Blob Storage + immutability policies — similar for Microsoft/Azure environments

Best practice approach

A common pattern is:

1. Store transcripts in an encrypted repository
2. Classify them by sensitivity
3. Apply retention rules automatically based on transcript type or business process
4. Restrict access by role
5. Log every access/change
6. Use legal hold when required

If you want the simplest recommendation

• For a business/compliance workflow: Microsoft Purview-backed SharePoint/OneDrive or Box Governance
• For immutable archival storage: AWS S3 Object Lock or Azure Blob immutable storage

If you tell me your stack (Microsoft, Google, AWS, Azure, or custom app) and the retention requirement, I can recommend the best fit more precisely.