🚫 How to Exclude Document Libraries and Paths from Archiving

Excluding specific document libraries or folder paths from archiving allows you to prevent Squirrel from processing certain content during automated archiving policies. This is useful when you need to keep active working folders, sensitive directories, or frequently accessed content outside the archive scope.

This guide explains how to use the Excluded Libraries and Paths modal to manage exclusions and leverage wildcard patterns for flexible path filtering.

🧭 Understanding Exclusion Scope

Important: Exclusions only apply to automated archiving policies. If you manually archive content using “Archive/Restore by path” or by selecting individual files/folders, these exclusions will not apply.

📋 Steps to Exclude a Document Library or Path

Step	Description	Image
Step 1: Open the Exclusions Modal	Navigate to the Squirrel web portal and access the Excluded Libraries and Paths modal from your settings or archive configuration menu.
Step 2: Search for a SharePoint Site	In the “Enter Site Name” field, begin typing the name of your SharePoint site. The search activates after entering at least 3 characters. A dropdown will display matching sites. Click to select your target site.
Step 3: Select a Library or Path	Once a site is selected, the “Library or Path Name” field becomes active. Click the field to view available document libraries, or start typing to search. Select a library from the dropdown or manually enter a custom path name.
Step 4: Review the Generated URL	The “Library or Path URL” field automatically populates based on your selections. You can also manually edit this URL or paste a complete path to exclude.
Step 5: Exclude the Item	Click the Exclude Item button to add the library or path to your exclusion list. A success notification will confirm the action.
Step 6: View Excluded Items	Scroll down to the “Currently Excluded Items” section to see all active exclusions. Each entry displays the name and full URL of the excluded location.

🎯 Using Wildcards to Exclude Path Patterns

Wildcards allow you to exclude multiple paths that share a common naming pattern, without needing to add each one individually.

Wildcard Syntax

Enclose any text value in percent symbols (%) to create a wildcard pattern:

https://Contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/finance/Shared Documents/%ignore%

This pattern will exclude any file path that contains “ignore” anywhere in its folder structure.

Examples of Excluded Paths

The following paths WILL be skipped by archiving:

…/Shared Documents/someignorefolder/file.docx
…/Shared Documents/IgnoreThis/file.xlsx
…/Shared Documents/abcignorexyz/sub/file.pdf
…/Shared Documents/folder1/folder2/ignore/file.docx

Examples of Non-Excluded Paths

The following paths will NOT be skipped:

…/Shared Documents/approvals/file.docx (doesn't contain “ignore”)
…/Shared Documents/versions/file.pdf (doesn't contain “ignore”)
…/Shared Documents/ignoredoc.docx (wildcard only matches folder names, not filenames)

Tip: Wildcards are case-insensitive and match partial text within folder names.

🗑️ Removing an Exclusion

Step	Description	Image
Step 1: Locate the Exclusion	In the “Currently Excluded Items” section, find the library or path you want to remove from the exclusion list.
Step 2: Click the Trash Icon	Click the trash/delete icon next to the item you wish to remove. A confirmation prompt will appear.
Step 3: Confirm Removal	Click “OK” in the confirmation dialog to remove the exclusion. The item will be deleted from your exclusion list and will now be included in automated archiving policies.

⚠️ Important Notes

Path Format: Only forward slashes (/) are allowed in paths and URLs. Backslashes (\) are not supported and will trigger a validation error.
Site Selection Required: You must select a site before you can choose a library or enter a path name.
Automatic URL Generation: When you select a site and library, the URL is automatically generated. You can manually edit this if needed.
Clear and Start Over: Use the “Clear” button next to the site search to reset all fields and start a new exclusion entry.

✅ Conclusion

Using the Excluded Libraries and Paths feature in Squirrel provides granular control over your archiving strategy:

🎯 Protect active working folders from automatic archiving
🔀 Use wildcards to exclude multiple paths with similar patterns
🛡️ Keep sensitive or frequently-accessed content readily available
⚙️ Maintain full control over what gets archived automatically

By following this guide, administrators can fine-tune their archiving policies to match organizational needs while ensuring critical content remains accessible in SharePoint Online.

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