Use an on-demand FSRM report for a defined storage question

Source facts

Microsoft’s FSRM instructions say that on-demand reports collect current data before generation. They do not create a reusable report task. Administrators can view the resulting reports or email them. Microsoft also instructs administrators who change the report destination to restrict a new UNC path to authorized users.

Applicability

Choose the server, paths, report types, and parameters that address the actual question. Decide whether this is a one-time investigation or whether a separately configured recurring report is needed. Do not interpret a report’s absence of findings as coverage of paths or report categories that were never selected.

DSE recommendation

Write a specific question such as which files within an approved share meet the chosen report criteria. Have the storage owner confirm the scope and intended recipients. Review the output location before execution, especially when it is a network path. Treat the report as internal operational material and distribute only the results needed by the people investigating that question.

Verification

Retain the selected parameters, generation time, output location, and completion result. Check a small sample against the underlying file inventory to confirm that the report answers the intended question. Record inaccessible paths or incomplete processing as limitations. If the report will guide a cleanup action, obtain a separate decision from the data owner rather than treating report generation as deletion approval.

Official references

Microsoft Learn: Generate reports on demand in Windows Server. Source reviewed September 8, 2026.