Conditional Access policy report only mode differs from live result

Minimal guidance for messy support realities.

Scenario

A new policy looked harmless in report-only mode, but enabling it caused more access failures than expected.

Recommended Resolution Path

  1. Compare report-only evaluation with the actual control stack and downstream dependencies.
  2. Review app coverage, authentication context, and device claims on the affected sign-ins.
  3. Test representative users and service accounts instead of assuming the report-only view is exhaustive.
  4. Refine exclusions narrowly and document why each one exists.

Technician Notes

Document what changed, what confirmed the fix, and whether the issue points to a broader standards gap worth addressing for the client.