The Backstory

A few weeks ago, one of our clients forwarded me an email with a subject line that read something like:

"Aggregate Report for yourdomain.com - DMARC results"

His message was simple:

“What is this and should I be worried?”

It’s a question I’ve heard many times—and if you’ve received one of those reports yourself, you’ve probably wondered the same thing.

So, let’s unpack the mystery of the DMARC report together.

Spoiler alert: it’s not scary. It’s actually a sign that your email system is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do.

The First Time It Happens

Imagine you’ve just upgraded your email security. You’ve put SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records in place like a responsible digital citizen. Everything is working great. Your emails aren’t landing in spam folders, and you’re scoring a perfect 10/10 on your spam tests.

And then, the reports start showing up.

You open one… and your eyes glaze over.

XML code. Charts. A lot of IP addresses. None of it makes sense. You close the email and think:

“Am I being hacked? Is something wrong?”

The answer is almost always: nope.

So What Is a DMARC Report, Really?

Let me give you a less technical, more relatable version:

Think of your domain like a storefront. Every time an email goes out from your address, it’s like a package leaving the store. DMARC reports are like delivery receipts from the carriers—telling you which packages were delivered successfully and if any suspicious ones showed up pretending to be from you.

It’s not about scaring you. It’s about transparency and protection.

These reports help monitor who is sending email “from” your domain, confirm if your legit emails are passing all the right security checks (SPF and DKIM), and flag if anyone is trying to spoof your brand.

But I Don’t Speak XML… Do I Need to Read These?

Not really. Unless you’re into the nitty-gritty of email authentication, you don’t need to read them line by line. But the reports do serve a purpose, and we have a few smart ways to handle them without cluttering your inbox or causing stress.

Let’s Talk Options—Here’s What You Can Do

If you’re receiving DMARC reports and wondering what to do with them, here are your choices:

🟢 Option 1: Set up a dedicated inbox

We can route all DMARC reports to something like dmarc@yourdomain.com. That way, they stay out of your main inbox but are still available if we ever need to audit them.

📂 Option 2: Auto-filter them

With just a few rules in your email settings, we can automatically send these reports to a folder so they don’t clutter your day-to-day view.

🚫 Option 3: Turn them off

If you're not planning to monitor them at all, we can simply remove the reporting address from your DMARC record. No more emails.

📊 Option 4: Use a smart dashboard

There are third-party tools that turn all this data into a visual summary. Charts, graphs, trends—you name it. It’s like turning a spreadsheet into a storybook.

And the Best News? Your Domain is Doing Great

The client who asked me about that strange report?

His emails had a flawless 10/10 spam score. Not a single error. Everything was running like a dream.

The reports were just a quiet confirmation that all systems were “go.”

Final Word: Don’t Let the Reports Scare You

Email security can seem overwhelming. But once you understand what DMARC reports are—and what to do with them—it becomes clear they’re not a threat. They’re a tool. And they’re one more reason your emails land exactly where they should: the inbox.

Got questions about your DMARC reports or email security setup? I’d be happy to walk you through it.