Customize Intune reports and filters for actionable insights

  • 8 minutes

The value of raw data depends on the quality of decisions it helps you make. In a large Microsoft Intune environment, the sheer volume of device data can quickly become overwhelming. To shift from looking at data to taking action, administrators must know how to manipulate built-in reports using filters, column customizations, and saved views.

By filtering out the noise, you can transform generic organizational data into targeted, actionable insights that improve your security posture and end-user experience.

The power of filters and custom views

Most built-in Intune reports present a broad overview by default. To make this data useful for daily operations, you need to slice it down to specific scenarios.

Applying filters

Filters allow you to narrow down large datasets based on specific criteria. Instead of looking at 10,000 devices, you can filter a report to show only what matters right now.

  • Common filtering scenarios: You might filter a report to show only Personally owned (BYOD) devices, devices running a specific OS version (e.g., iOS 17), or devices currently in an Error state for a specific configuration profile.
  • Why it matters: Filtering isolates the exact scope of a problem, helping you determine if an issue is affecting your entire fleet or just a specific subset of users (like a particular hardware model or region).

Create custom views

After you apply the right filters, you often need to adjust the data columns to see the most relevant information side-by-side. Intune allows you to add or remove columns (e.g., adding "Primary User UPN" or "OS Version" to a compliance report).

  • Saving the view: In many Intune lists and reports, you can save your specific combination of filters and columns as a custom view. You don't have to rebuild your complex query every morning. Select your saved view to instantly see your tailored dashboard.

Focusing on actionable metrics

An "actionable metric" is a data point that directly prompts an IT response. Instead of just noting that a number is high or low, actionable metrics tell you exactly what needs to be fixed. Here are three critical examples in Intune:

Looking at a single day's compliance number isn't always helpful. By customizing reports to look at compliance trends over time, you can spot systemic issues. For example, if you notice a sudden spike in non-compliant macOS devices over a 48-hour period, you can investigate the root cause rather than messaging individual users. You might realize Apple just released a new macOS version that conflicts with your current Intune compliance baseline. You can then update the policy and instantly resolve the issue for your entire fleet.

Enrollment status and failures

Tracking enrollment isn't just about counting new devices; it's about identifying onboarding bottlenecks. By filtering your enrollment reports by "Failure," you might notice that Windows Autopilot deployments are consistently timing out for users in a specific department. Cross-referencing the failed devices could reveal that a newly assigned, massive application package is causing the Enrollment Status Page (ESP) to time out. You can then adjust the ESP timeout settings or move the app to a post-enrollment deployment to smooth out the onboarding experience.

Update deployment success

Security patches are only effective if they actually install. Filtering your Windows Update reports provides immediate security value. Filter the "Windows Feature Updates" report to show devices in a "Rollback" or "Failed" state. You can quickly identify whether a specific batch of older laptops is systematically failing to process an update. You can then pause the update ring for that device group, investigate the driver conflict causing the rollback, and prevent further user disruption while you test a fix.