This article covers the SPF and DKIM authentication processes for Vanilla and how they are managed in Valimail. Because this service leverages Sendgrid's email infrastructure, it requires additions to your DNS records outside of the Valimail platform. Adding Vanilla as an authorized sender in the Valimail platform usually requires a dedicated subdomain to be pointed to the Sendgrid infrastructure and typically the DKIM keys will be added in the Valimail platform.

To set up sender authentication:

1. Navigate to the Outgoing Email page and configure the email address and sender name fields; these are described above in Outgoing Email settings.

2. Contact Vanilla Support, [email protected], and have them confirm your Outgoing Email settings.

3. A Vanilla Support agent will coordinate with Vanilla Ops to provide you with the DNS records to update.

4. Have your technical team implement the DNS records.

Note: If you manage DKIM for your domain in Valimail, you will need to add the 2 CNAME DKIM key records in your domain's Configuration page in Valimail Enforce and the 3rd CNAME record needs to be added in your DNS.

5. Contact Vanilla Support, [email protected], and have them confirm that the DNS records are in place.

6. A Vanilla Support agent will coordinate with Vanilla Ops to ensure that sender authentication is in place, and will contact you to confirm.

These DNS records associate your sending domain with SendGrid. After this is done, when an inbox provider processes your email message, they will see your domain instead of via vanillaforums.com, as shown in the images below.

Default delivery

Delivery with sender authentication

You can also find the instructions on how to set up DKIM and SPF for Vanilla, here.

You can find more detailed information on how to add a DKIM key in Valimail, here:

Once you establish that Vanilla is an authorized sender for your domain, you will need to add the service in your Enabled Senders.

You will find more detailed information on how to add a service for your domain in Valimail, here:

Note: We encourage you to use the comment section for any useful information about your sending service, such as the name of the service owner, change request ticket numbers, etc.