Intune Reporting: The Correct Way to Report on Microsoft Intune

Creating a report on your organization's Intune infrastructure requires a structured approach. As an IT manager reporting to your CTO, you need to prioritize high-level insights, potential risks, and strategic recommendations to improve your organization's security and compliance architecture.

The trick is not only to provide business-critical information but also to do so in a compelling way that drives the narrative. However, presentation is not the strongest suit of most technology professionals.

That's why we're creating this detailed guide to Intune reporting, which covers all aspects of generating and presenting a detailed report on your organization's device infrastructure to the CTO. Read on to know more about what a great report looks like and what you need to create one.

What Is Intune Reporting?

Microsoft Intune reporting refers to the set of tools, features, and capabilities within the Microsoft Intune platform that allow IT administrators to gather, view, and analyze data related to their mobile device and application management.

These reports provide insights into the devices, apps, and users managed by Intune, helping organizations ensure security, compliance, and efficient operations.

Here's a breakdown of what Intune reporting encompasses:

‍

1. Device Reports:

• Device Compliance: Shows the status of devices in terms of adherence to set policies. This can include details like encryption status, OS version, and other security configurations.
• Device Inventory: Provides a list of all devices enrolled in Intune, including details like manufacturer, model, OS version, and last check-in time.
• Device Configuration: Details about how devices are configured, including any profiles or settings pushed to them.

‍

2. Application Reports:

• App Inventory: Lists all managed apps deployed through Intune, showing details like version number, publisher, and deployment status.
• App Protection: Provides insights into the application protection policies applied, such as data encryption and access controls.
• App Usage: Shows statistics on how often managed apps are used, which can be crucial for license management and understanding user behavior.

‍

3. User Reports:

• User Enrollment: Displays which users have enrolled devices in Intune and the number of devices per user.
• User Compliance: Shows the compliance status of devices associated with each user.

‍

4. Audit Logs:

• Activity Logs: Tracks actions taken within the Intune portal, such as policy changes, device enrollments, or app deployments. This is crucial for understanding administrative activities and ensuring accountability.
• Security Incidents: Logs any security-related incidents, such as failed login attempts or policy violations.

‍

5. Power BI:

Microsoft offers a Power BI template for Intune, allowing for more advanced analytics, custom visualizations, and detailed reporting. With Power BI, administrators can create custom dashboards, combine data from different sources, and gain deeper insights into their Intune deployment.

‍

How to Create a Detailed Report on Microsoft Intune

When presenting an Intune report, especially to a senior executive or CTO, it's crucial to be concise yet comprehensive. The goal is to provide a clear picture of the current state, challenges faced, and the path forward to enable informed decision-making within your organization.

While there's no one-size-fits-all format to generating the perfect Intune report, here's an overview of the key components that you should include for the most accurate picture:

‍

1. Executive Summary:

• Current State: Briefly describe the current scale of your MDM deployment. Mention the number of users, devices, and applications managed through Intune.
• Key Achievements: Highlight any significant milestones or achievements since the last report, such as successful deployment to a new department or a notable increase in device compliance.

‍

2. Key Metrics:

• Device Breakdown:
• By Department: Show how many devices each department or team has under management.
• By Status: Differentiate between active, inactive, lost, or retired devices.
• Compliance Overview:
• Policy Violations: Highlight the most commonly violated policies.
• Remediation Actions: Mention actions taken to bring non-compliant devices into compliance.
• App Deployment:
• Popular Apps: List the most-used managed apps.
• Pending Deployments: Mention any apps that are queued for deployment or updates.

‍

3. Policy Updates:

• Rationale: For each policy change, provide a clear reason. Was it due to a security incident, user feedback, or a change in organizational strategy?
• Impact Analysis: Describe the expected impact of the policy change. Will it enhance security? Improve user experience? Reduce costs?

‍

4. Security Overview:

• Lost or Stolen Devices: Detail the number of devices reported lost or stolen and the actions taken, such as remote wipe or lock.
• Data Breaches: If any data breaches occurred, provide details on the nature of the breach, data exposed, and remediation steps taken.
• Patch Management: Report on the status of software updates and patches. Highlight any devices running outdated or vulnerable software.

‍

5. Challenges & Recommendations:

• User Training: Are users adequately trained to use their devices securely and efficiently? Is there resistance to certain policies?
• Scalability: As the organization grows, can the current Intune setup scale to meet increased demand?
• Integration Issues: Detail any challenges faced in integrating Intune with other IT systems, such as identity providers or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

‍

Recommendations:

• User Education: Consider regular training sessions or workshops to educate users on the importance of device security and best practices.
• Automated Workflows: Explore the possibility of automating certain administrative tasks, such as onboarding new devices or deploying apps.
• Third-party Tools: Investigate if third-party tools or solutions can address specific challenges, such as custom reporting or advanced analytics.

‍

6. Future Roadmap:

• Upcoming Features: Highlight any new features or capabilities that Microsoft has announced for Intune that you plan to leverage.
• Expansion Plans: If you plan to roll out Intune to additional departments or teams, provide a timeline and strategy.
• Budget Considerations: Detail any budgetary needs for the upcoming period, whether for licenses, training, or additional resources.

‍

7. Conclusion & Call to Action:

• Key Takeaways: Summarize the most critical points from the report. What does the CTO absolutely need to know?
• Decision Points: Clearly list any decisions or approvals needed from the CTO. For instance, budget approval for additional licenses or green-lighting a new training program.

‍

Best Practices for Creating Compelling Microsoft Intune Reports

Creating compelling Microsoft Intune reports for a CTO requires a combination of technical expertise, strategic insight, and effective communication. Here are some advanced best practices to ensure your reports are impactful:

‍

Tailored Content

Understanding your audience is paramount. For a CTO, the report should align with their technical background, strategic priorities, and primary concerns. Starting with a concise executive summary can provide a snapshot of the most critical points, allowing for a quick grasp of the report's essence.

‍

Visual Appeal

A picture is worth a thousand words. Visual representations, such as bar charts, pie charts, or trend lines, can make complex data more digestible. Ensuring that your report aligns with the company's branding guidelines, using consistent fonts, colors, and logos, adds a professional touch. For more intricate topics, infographics can be a powerful tool, combining visuals and text for a clearer understanding.

‍

Interactive Elements

Engaging the CTO with interactive elements can enhance the report's impact. Tools like Power BI can be used to create dynamic dashboards, enabling real-time exploration of data. Embedding hyperlinks to relevant documentation or detailed data sources can also provide avenues for deeper dives into specific topics.

‍

Contextual Analysis

Providing context to your data can offer valuable insights. Comparing your organization's metrics with industry benchmarks or standards can give a perspective on performance relative to peers. Additionally, showcasing trends over time can highlight areas of improvement, consistent patterns, or potential regressions.

‍

Strategic Recommendations

Data alone isn't enough. Transforming data into actionable insights and recommendations is crucial. Highlighting potential risks and suggesting mitigation strategies can guide future actions. If you're proposing new initiatives or changes, a return on investment (ROI) analysis can provide a compelling argument for your recommendations.

‍

Narrative Flow

Crafting a coherent narrative can guide the CTO seamlessly through the report. By weaving a story that starts with the current state, moves through challenges, and concludes with recommendations and a future outlook, you create a compelling and logical flow. Real-world examples or case studies can further illustrate specific points, making the narrative more relatable.

‍

Collaboration

Two heads are better than one. Sharing your report with peers or team members before finalizing can ensure accuracy and provide diverse perspectives. For complex topics, consulting with external experts can offer a fresh, third-party viewpoint.

‍

Stay Updated

The tech world is ever-evolving. Staying updated with the latest in MDM, Intune features, best practices, and industry trends ensures your report remains relevant. After presenting, gathering feedback can refine your approach for future reports.

‍

Supplementary Materials

While conciseness is key, providing avenues for deeper exploration can be beneficial. Appendices can house detailed data or methodologies, and a glossary can demystify technical jargon, ensuring clarity for all readers.

‍

Practice the Presentation

If presenting the report in person, preparation is key. Rehearsing ensures you convey your points with clarity and confidence. Encouraging questions and fostering discussions during the presentation can make it a collaborative and engaging experience.

‍

Create Powerful Intune Security and Compliance Reports With Simeon

Simeon Cloud is a fully-automated configuration-as-code solution for managing and monitoring Microsoft 365 services and applications, such as Azure AD, Intune, and Office 365. It lets you generate detailed reports of your Microsoft Intune usage and helps you make sense of the data provided by Intune's built-in logs.

But it doesn't stop there. Simeon stays on top of your Intune configurations at all times, reporting the slightest drift or deviation from your baseline as soon as it occurs. By presenting all of this information using a unified dashboard, Simeon makes understanding and reporting on MIcrosoft Intune a breeze for IT professionals.

Want to learn more about Simeon's audit logging and drift monitoring features for Intune? Schedule a demo with our team, today!