DMARC Troubleshooting: Tips and Tricks
If you notice unexpected changes in your DMARC Digest reports—like sudden volume spikes or dips—it can feel confusing. Since DMARC data comes from external mailbox providers, there are limits to the visibility we (and you) have. Still, there are several steps you can take to investigate and better understand what’s happening.
🛠️ Tips for investigating DMARC discrepancies
Look for patterns in sending behavior
Check whether the change aligns with something new on your end—like adding a new provider, launching a campaign, or making infrastructure changes.Investigate at the domain level
Sometimes subdomains behave differently. Look for inconsistencies across subdomains or see if a mail source was added or dropped.Review your DMARC record
A change to your DMARC policy or record structure (for example, adding a subdomain or a newruaaddress) can shift what gets reported.Keep reporting variability in mind
Not all mailbox providers report consistently. Some send daily, others consolidate, and smaller providers may skip days entirely.
💡 Setting expectations
DMARC depends on mailbox providers to send reports. Postmark and DMARC Digests display what we receive—but we don’t control how often (or whether) a provider submits data. This means occasional gaps, delays, or fluctuations are normal.
We’re here to help you interpret what’s available, but it’s important to remember that full visibility isn’t always possible.
🚩 When to escalate further
It may be worth deeper investigation if:
You suspect malicious sending or spoofing
A major provider (like Gmail or Microsoft) suddenly stops reporting
You have a technical question about how a report is parsed or displayed
In those cases, reach out to our support team, and we’ll help guide next steps.