Why is Microsoft SNDS data not displaying or delayed?

Key findings

• Common Occurrence: Issues with SNDS data not displaying or being delayed are a frequent experience for many users, not an isolated incident.
• Intermittent Updates: SNDS data can cease updating for periods, sometimes for over 24 hours, even when email sending volume remains consistent.
• UI Discrepancies: Even when data eventually returns, the SNDS user interface (UI) can show inconsistencies, such as greyed-out dates for which data is actually available.
• Login Errors: Users frequently report bizarre login errors, including too many repeated authentication attempts, which can hinder access to data.
• System Architecture: The underlying cause often appears to be related to the system's architecture, possibly an older system integrated with modern Microsoft login processes, leading to bugs and instability.

Key considerations

• Patience and Monitoring: Given the regular nature of these issues, it's often a matter of patience while Microsoft resolves the backend problems. Continuous monitoring is key.
• Workarounds for Access: For login issues, attempting to access SNDS through a different browser, an incognito window, or even a virtual machine can sometimes provide a temporary solution.
• Cross-Referencing Data: Due to the potential for SNDS data delays or inconsistencies, it's crucial to cross-reference deliverability data with other sources, such as internal sending logs and complaint feedback loops.
• Anticipate Delays: Be prepared for delays in data appearance, particularly after adding new IPs or during periods of high sending volume.
• Broader Context: Understand that SNDS is one component of Microsoft's deliverability ecosystem; other factors like content and authentication are equally vital.

Key opinions

• High Dependency: Marketers heavily depend on SNDS to gauge email performance with Microsoft recipients, particularly regarding complaint rates and spam trap hits.
• Troubleshooting Challenges: Without up-to-date SNDS data, identifying the root cause of deliverability issues to Outlook.com becomes incredibly difficult, often leading to blind spots.
• Reputation Monitoring: Delayed data hinders proactive reputation management, making it harder for marketers to react quickly to negative trends that could lead to blocklisting (or blacklisting).
• Common Assumption: When data disappears without changes on the sender's end, marketers often assume the problem lies with Microsoft's infrastructure.

Key considerations

• Impact on Campaign Optimization: Inconsistent data limits a marketer's ability to optimize campaigns based on real-time feedback, potentially leading to suboptimal sending practices.
• Alternative Metrics: Marketers should develop a strategy for assessing Microsoft deliverability using alternative metrics when SNDS is unreliable, such as bounce rates and direct user feedback.
• Patience and Communication: While frustrating, patience is often required, and communicating internally about potential data gaps is important.
• Comprehensive Strategy: Integrating SNDS insights with other deliverability tools and practices, like adhering to Outlook's new sender requirements, is vital for overall success.

Key opinions

• Predictable Instability: Experts confirm that SNDS data delays and inconsistencies are a regular occurrence, stemming from the platform's inherent quirks rather than user error.
• Legacy System Challenges: The integration of newer Microsoft login processes onto an older SNDS site is frequently cited as the cause of persistent login bugs and UI oddities.
• UI Discrepancies: Even when data is present, the SNDS interface can be misleading, showing activity for greyed-out dates, which adds to user confusion.
• Incomplete Logout: The inability to properly log out of SNDS without clearing cookies or closing browser windows is a known usability issue.

Key considerations

• Holistic View: It is critical not to rely solely on SNDS for deliverability insights, especially during periods of unreliability. Integrate data from other sources.
• Proactive Troubleshooting: When SNDS data is missing or delayed, experts suggest reverting to fundamental deliverability checks, such as monitoring bounce rates and ensuring proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
• Workaround Readiness: Having strategies ready, like using incognito windows or different browsers for SNDS access, can minimize downtime.
• Limited Authority: While SNDS provides valuable Microsoft-specific data, its inconsistencies mean it shouldn't be the sole indicator of your overall sender reputation or IP warming progress.

Key findings

• Core Purpose: Documentation confirms SNDS's primary role in providing senders with data on email volume, complaint rates, and spam trap hits for Outlook.com users.
• Data Exclusivity: SNDS offers data directly and exclusively from Microsoft mailboxes, making it a unique source for specific insights.
• Standard Update Cycles: While not always explicitly stated for delays, such services typically update daily, implying that significant deviations are anomalies.
• Importance for Compliance: SNDS data is highlighted as essential for senders to understand and comply with Microsoft's evolving email sending rules.

Key considerations

• Operational Gaps: Documentation rarely details specific operational downtime or known bugs, requiring users to rely on community observations.
• Complementary Tools: The existence of SNDS suggests that Microsoft relies on senders using the tool to self-monitor, but its inconsistencies necessitate other verification methods, such as through DMARC reports or general deliverability troubleshooting.
• Implicit Expectations: The documentation implies a high level of data accuracy and availability that may not always be met in practice, particularly during peak usage or maintenance.
• Sender Responsibility: Senders are still expected to manage their reputation, even if the tools provided for monitoring are occasionally unreliable. This includes understanding the impact of IP blocklists that SNDS reports.