Why is SNDS data reporting inconsistent volume for senders?

7 Marketer opinions 1 Expert opinion 3 Technical articles 5 Resources

Summary

Inconsistent SNDS data reporting stems from a complex interplay of factors. Microsoft's internal data processing, filtering systems, and privacy policies impact data visibility. SNDS data is a sample and may not capture all activity. Data delays occur due to processing times. IP address re-allocation can carry over previous senders' reputations, influencing current reporting. User engagement (or lack thereof in reporting spam) skews the data. Minimum daily sending volume thresholds must be met. Discrepancies between SNDS and third-party tools may indicate issues within Microsoft's system. Sending frequency fluctuations directly affect reporting, and inactive IPs show lower volumes. All the above points mean that some data might not be visible in SNDS due to Microsoft's backend processing.

Key findings

Processing/Filtering: Microsoft's internal processes, filtering, and privacy measures impact data visibility.
Data Sampling: SNDS provides a sample, not a complete record, of email traffic.
Minimum Volume: SNDS mandates a minimum daily sending volume for data reporting.
IP Reputation: Previous senders' reputations influence reporting for re-allocated IPs.
User Engagement: Recipients not marking spam affects the data reported in SNDS.
Tool Discrepancies: Differences between SNDS and third-party data suggest issues with Microsoft's reporting.
Sending Frequency: Variable sending frequency affects SNDS data volume and accuracy.
Inactive IPs: Inactive IP addresses will result in lower reporting volumes.
Microsoft backend processing: Some data might not be visible in SNDS due to Microsoft's backend processing.

Key considerations

Verify Volume: Ensure daily sending volume meets SNDS minimum requirements.
Monitor Reputation: Use SNDS and third-party tools to track IP reputation and identify discrepancies.
Track Engagement: Monitor user engagement (spam complaints, etc.) for insights into SNDS data.
Review IP History: Research the history of re-allocated IP addresses for reputation implications.
Account for Delays: Be aware that SNDS reporting may have processing delays.
Privacy Awareness: Acknowledge that privacy measures may influence reported SNDS data.
Maintain Sending Frequency: Ensure consistent sending frequency for accurate data reporting in SNDS.
Consider Backend Processing: Recognize that some data might not be visible in SNDS due to Microsoft's backend processing.

What email marketers say
7Marketer opinions

SNDS data reporting inconsistencies can stem from multiple factors. Microsoft's internal data processing and filtering may lead to delayed or missing data. Re-allocation of IP addresses to new senders can carry over the reputation of previous senders, affecting current reporting. Variations in user engagement, specifically whether recipients mark emails as junk or spam, also influence the reported data. Insufficient daily message volumes failing to meet SNDS minimum requirements will result in no reporting. Furthermore, inconsistencies may arise when comparing SNDS data with third-party reputation tools, potentially highlighting discrepancies within Microsoft's system. Fluctuations in sending frequency can directly impact reporting volume.

Key opinions

Data Processing: Microsoft's internal processes and filtering can cause delays or suppress data in SNDS.
IP Reputation: Re-allocated IP addresses can inherit the reputation of previous senders, impacting current reporting.
User Engagement: Recipient behavior (marking as junk/spam) directly influences SNDS data.
Minimum Volume: Failing to meet SNDS's daily message volume threshold results in no data reporting.
Tool Discrepancies: Inconsistencies between SNDS and third-party reputation tools may reveal issues within Microsoft's reporting.
Sending Frequency: Fluctuations in sending volume directly affect the reporting volume and data accuracy.

Key considerations

Check Volume: Ensure daily sending volume meets SNDS minimum requirements.
Monitor Reputation: Track IP address reputation using both SNDS and third-party tools for comparison.
User Engagement: Analyze user engagement metrics (spam complaints, junk markings) to understand potential data skews.
IP History: Investigate the history of re-allocated IP addresses to understand potential reputation impacts.
Microsoft Filtering: Understand that Microsoft's internal filtering processes can affect SNDS data visibility.
Volume Consistency: Maintain a consistent sending frequency to ensure consistent SNDS data reporting.

Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that inconsistent reporting volumes in SNDS may be caused by variations in user engagement. If recipients are not marking emails as 'junk' or reporting spam, it affects the data reported in SNDS.

June 2021 - Reddit

Marketer view

Email marketer from email.geeks.chat shares that SNDS data inconsistencies can arise when IP addresses are re-allocated to different senders over time. If a previous sender had a poor reputation, it can affect the reporting for the current sender even if they have good sending practices.

April 2021 - email.geeks.chat

Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum suggests checking the IP address reputation using third-party tools alongside SNDS. Discrepancies between these tools and SNDS can indicate data reporting issues specific to Microsoft's system.

May 2023 - Email Marketing Forum

Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Deliverability Blog mentions that SNDS requires a certain message volume to be sent daily. If message volumes are lower than this requirement then the data will not be reported.

August 2021 - Email Deliverability Blog

Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora explains that fluctuations in sending frequency or volume can directly impact SNDS reporting. Periods of low sending activity may result in reduced or absent data reporting.

January 2025 - Quora

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares seeing instances where SNDS will add IPs to their block for IPs that were allocated to a not-so-great sender several years ago, but haven't sent in at least 4 years. Mentions it's not a block, but another status on the '*View IP Status' page.

June 2023 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares he sees no changes to the reliability of SNDS data, asking if the client is hitting the 100msgs/day minimum.

May 2022 - Email Geeks

What the experts say
1Expert opinion

SNDS data reporting inconsistencies can occur because Microsoft's internal spam scoring and filtering systems can affect the visibility of data in SNDS due to backend processing.

Key opinions

Microsoft Filtering: Microsoft's internal spam scoring and filtering systems can lead to data reporting variations in SNDS.
Backend Processing: Some data might not be visible in SNDS due to Microsoft's backend processing mechanisms.

Key considerations

Internal Filters: Be aware that Microsoft's internal filters can impact the accuracy of data reported in SNDS.
Data Visibility: Understand that some sending activity might not be reflected in SNDS due to backend processing.

Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that SNDS data reporting variations can occur due to Microsoft's filtering of data based on their internal spam scoring and filtering systems, meaning that some data might not be visible in SNDS due to Microsoft's backend processing.

November 2021 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
3Technical articles

SNDS data reports are subject to delays due to internal processing and aggregation. They represent a sample of overall traffic, meaning all activity isn't captured, and lower send volumes can lead to inconsistencies as senders fall below reporting thresholds. Inactivity on an IP address impacts reporting volume as SNDS tracks IP address activity, reducing the observed volume until sufficient traffic resumes. Microsoft's privacy policies can also filter SNDS data.

Key findings

Processing Delays: Data reporting delays are a result of processing times and data aggregation.
Data Sampling: SNDS data is a sample and may not capture all sending activity.
Reporting Thresholds: Inconsistencies in SNDS volume occur when senders fall below reporting thresholds.
IP Address Activity: Inactive IP addresses result in lower reporting volumes until sufficient email traffic resumes.
Privacy Policies: Data may be filtered due to privacy policies.

Key considerations

Account for Delays: Be aware of potential delays in data reporting within SNDS.
Representative Data: Recognize that SNDS data represents a sample of email traffic, not comprehensive activity.
Maintain Volume: Keep sending volumes above reporting thresholds to maintain consistency.
Monitor IP Activity: Track activity of IP addresses to understand reporting volume fluctuations.
Acknowledge Privacy: Be aware that privacy policies can affect reported data.

Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft explains that SNDS data represents a sample of overall email traffic and may not capture all sending activity. Volume inconsistencies can occur when senders fall below reporting thresholds or if data is filtered due to privacy policies.

April 2024 - Microsoft

Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft highlights that SNDS reports data based on IP addresses and their recent activity. If an IP address has been inactive for a period, reporting volume may be lower until sufficient email traffic is observed.

May 2024 - Microsoft

Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft explains that SNDS data reporting delays can occur due to processing times within their systems and data aggregation from various sources. Data will be delayed if not meeting the minimum send volume requirements.

October 2023 - Microsoft

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