Embodiments described herein include apparatuses, computer program products, and methods for data management in a group-based communication system. Specifically, some embodiments address data management for group-based communication channel(s) accessible to any number of entities based on various data retention policies. In this regard, embodiments enable maintenance of data associated with multiple organizations accessing a group-based communication channel based on a single, shared data retention policy, or different data retention policies, for example based on authorship of the group-based communication message. In embodiments, a data retention policy may be assigned directly to an entity, or assigned to a higher-level or lower-level entity and function as a default data a retention policy for other entities associated therewith. A group-based communication system is configured to enable storage of data based on corresponding data retention policies for each organization identifier, and/or an agreed data retention policy for all organization identifiers.