By default, quotes and invoices sent from Simplicate are dispatched from the Simplicate domain with the sender as [email protected].
You also have the option to send emails from your own domain, using your own email address as the sender. However, to enable this feature, several steps need to be taken:
Adding two DKIM records to the DNS (Domain Name System) of your domain from which you want to send emails;
Adding a DMARC record to the DNS of your domain;
Sending a verification email to an address within your domain.
These steps authorize Simplicate to send emails on behalf of your domain and help prevent the emails from being flagged as spam by ensuring proper authentication.
This setup allows you to maintain branding consistency and enhance email deliverability when communicating with clients using Simplicate.
Note: For security reasons, it's not possible to activate SPF records in demo environments. To send emails from your own domain, it's necessary to activate a production environment.
Step 1: Activating in Simplicate
Navigate to Settings > Account > Outbound e-mail > Sending Domains and check 'Advanced: Use my own SPF records'.
Step 2: Configuring the E-mail sender
Go to Settings > Account > Company Profile and select the company profile for which you want to change the sender email address for quotes and invoices. On both the Quote and Invoice tabs, you can specify which email address to use when sending the quote or invoice. Choose the option 'Other' here:
Note: The following steps need to be performed in the DNS (Domain Name System) of your own domain from which you want to send emails. Simplicate does not have access to this and therefore cannot provide support on this matter. It may be necessary to arrange this through your own website administrator or hosting provider.
Step 3: Adding SPF-records
After setting up the email addresses, go back to Settings > Account > Outbound E-mail > Sending Domains. Here, you will see a table listing the domains from which you want to send emails.
Note: extensions like @gmail.com and @outlook.com can not be used as sending domains
Simplicate uses the Mandrill mailing service. To use your domain as the sender for quotes and invoices, you need to inform Mandrill by setting up an SPF record. An SPF record (Sender Policy Framework) specifies which mail servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain.
Note: This domain must match the email addresses set up in the company profile (refer to the step above).
Add a TXT record for SPF with the following value:
v=spf1 include:spf.mandrillapp.com -all
If you already have an SPF record in your domain, you will need to modify it. An existing SPF record might look like this:
v=spf1 include:spf.outlook.com -all
Then you will need to add the following information to your existing SPF record. The SPF record will look like this:
v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:spf.mandrillapp.com -all
An example of what this may look like in your hosting:
Step 4: Adding DKIM-records
After you have made the settings in Simplicate, you need to create two DKIM records in the DNS settings of your host. Do this by adding a CNAME record with the name:
mte1._domainkey.youdomain.com
Replace <yourdomain.com> with the domain name you use for emailing (everything after the "@" symbol). For example: mte1._domainkey.simplicate.nl
The value for this record is:
dkim1.mandrillapp.com
An example of what this may look like in your hosting:
After adding the first DKIM record, add a second DKIM record by adding an additional CNAME record with the name:
mte2._domainkey.yourdomain.com
Replace <yourdomain.com> with the domain name you use for emailing (everything after the "@" symbol). For example: mte2._domainkey.simplicate.nl
The value for this record is:
dkim2.mandrillapp.com
An example of what this may look like in your hosting:
Step 5: Adding DMARC records
Note: If a DMARC record has already been added to the domain, you do not need to add another DMARC record. Only one DMARC record can exist at a time. However, it is still necessary to add the two DKIM records. To check if you already have a DMARC record, you can use a DMARC check tool. If it shows a green result, no action is needed for the DMARC record.
After adding the two DKIM records, you need to create a DMARC record in the DNS settings of your host. To do this, add a TXT record with the following name:
_dmarc.yourdomain.com
The value of this record is:
v=DMARC1; p=none;
An example of what this may look like in your hosting:
Step 6: Verify that you have correctly added the DKIM and DMARC records
After adding the DKIM and DMARC records, you can have Simplicate verify them. In the table of outgoing domains (Settings > Account > Outbound e-mail > Sending domains), there is a green button labeled 'Check again'.
In the columns DKIM valid and DMARC valid, you will see 'Yes' if all settings are correct.
Note: It may take up to 24 hours for DNS changes to propagate and be fully processed in your records.
Note: Not all providers require including "<yourdomain>" in the DKIM record name. If you do not see a "Yes" as described in this step, try without "<yourdomain>".
Step 7: Request a verification mail and forward it to [email protected]
After adding the DKIM and DMARC records, you need to send a verification email to an email address on your desired domain. Once received, simply forward this email to [email protected].
To obtain the verification email, go to the domains table in Simplicate and click the blue 'Validate Domain' button. In the popup, enter an email address you have access to and click Validate. Within a few minutes of clicking 'Validate', you will receive an email from the provider Mandrill.
You do not need to click or open the verification email yourself; just forward it to [email protected] upon receipt.
Once we process this, you will receive confirmation that we have completed the validation. From that point onward, your emails will be automatically sent from your own domain!
For further information on this topic, you can visit our email provider Mandrill's site at https://mandrill.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/205...