Email Domain

​

Introduction

Configuring a custom email domain in Blinksale allows you to send invoices, estimates, and other communications from your own business domain (like [email protected]) rather than a generic Blinksale address. This feature significantly improves your brand consistency and email deliverability, ensuring your important financial communications reach your clients’ inboxes instead of spam folders.

​

Why Use a Custom Email Domain?

Using a custom email domain offers several important benefits:

​

Better Email Deliverability

Emails sent from your own verified domain are less likely to be flagged as spam by email providers, increasing the chances that your invoices and reminders will reach your clients’ inboxes.

​

Professional Branding

Communications from your own domain (like [email protected]) look more professional and trustworthy than generic third-party domains, reinforcing your brand identity.

​

Improved Client Trust

When clients receive emails from a domain they recognize, they’re more likely to open them promptly, which can lead to faster payments and better communication.

​

Accessing Domain Settings

To configure your custom email domain:

1. Click on the Settings icon in the main sidebar
2. Select Domain from the settings menu
3. You’ll be taken to the Email Domain settings page where you can add and manage your domain

​

Adding a Custom Domain

When you first visit the Domain settings page, you’ll see an option to configure an email domain if you haven’t done so already. To add a new domain:

1. Click on the Configure Email Domain button
2. In the dialog that appears, enter your domain name (e.g., yourbusiness.com or preferably a subdomain like mail.yourbusiness.com)
3. Click Add Domain

​

Verifying Your Domain

After adding your domain, you’ll need to verify ownership by adding several DNS records to your domain’s DNS configuration. These records prove that you control the domain and allow Blinksale to send emails on your behalf.

​

Understanding DNS Records

The domain settings page will show you all the required DNS records that need to be added to your domain: Typically, you’ll need to add:

1. TXT records - Text records that prove domain ownership
2. MX records - Mail exchange records that handle email routing
3. CNAME records - Records that map subdomains to another domain
4. DKIM records - Records for email authentication

Each record will have:

• Type - The type of DNS record (TXT, MX, CNAME, etc.)
• Name - The hostname to create the record for
• Value - The value/content of the record
• Priority - For some record types like MX records

​

Adding DNS Records

To add these records:

1. Log in to your domain registrar or DNS provider (like GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.)
2. Navigate to the DNS management section
3. Add each record shown in the Blinksale interface
4. Save your changes

​

Checking Verification Status

After adding the DNS records:

1. Return to the Domain settings page in Blinksale
2. Click the Verify button to check if your records have been properly configured
3. If verification succeeds, you’ll see a confirmation message and your domain status will change to “Verified”
4. If verification fails, check your DNS records again for any errors or typos

​

Configuring Your Sending Email Address

Once your domain is verified, you can configure the specific email address that will be used as the “From” address for all communications from Blinksale. To set up your sending email address:

1. In the verified domain section, find the Email Settings area
2. Click the Change button next to the current email address
3. Enter your preferred email prefix (the part before the @ symbol)
4. Click Save

Common email prefixes for business communications include:

• invoices
• billing
• accounts
• finance
• payments
• sales

​

Managing Your Domain

After your domain is verified and configured, you have several options for managing it:

​

Updating Your Sending Email

To change the sending email address:

1. Click the Change button next to the current email address
2. Enter a new email prefix
3. Click Save

​

Removing Your Domain

If you need to remove your custom domain:

1. Click the delete (trash) icon next to your domain
2. Confirm the deletion in the dialog that appears
3. Your domain will be removed, and Blinksale will revert to using the default system emails

​

Troubleshooting

​

Common Domain Verification Issues

Verification continues to fail:

• Ensure you’ve added all the required DNS records exactly as shown
• Check for typos in record names or values
• Confirm you’re adding records to the correct domain/subdomain
• Allow sufficient time (24-48 hours) for DNS changes to propagate
• Contact your DNS provider if you’re unsure about how to add the required records

DNS provider limitations:

• Some DNS providers have limitations on record types or values
• If your provider doesn’t support certain record types, consider moving to a more fully-featured DNS provider

​

Email Deliverability Issues

Emails still going to spam:

• Ensure your domain has been fully verified
• Check that your SPF, DKIM, and other email authentication records are correctly set up
• Consider your domain reputation (newly created domains may need time to build reputation)

Clients not receiving emails:

• Verify the email addresses are correct
• Check if clients have strong spam filters that might be blocking your emails
• Ask clients to add your sending address to their safe senders list

​

Best Practices

​

Domain Selection

• Use a subdomain (like mail.yourbusiness.com) rather than your root domain
• Choose a domain that matches your business name and is recognizable to clients
• Avoid using free domain services for professional communications

​

Email Address Configuration

• Select a professional and clear email prefix (like invoices or billing)
• Avoid generic terms that might trigger spam filters
• Consider how the email address will appear to your clients

​

Management

• Regularly verify that your domain status remains “Verified”
• Update your DNS records if you change DNS providers
• Keep your domain registration active and renewed to maintain email functionality

By properly configuring a custom email domain in Blinksale, you’ll improve the professional appearance of your communications and increase the likelihood that your invoices and notifications reach your clients promptly, helping to streamline your billing process and enhance your brand image.