Email Domain Authentication

Use the Email Authentication Settings portal to claim your organization’s email domains and authenticate them so that you can send email through Blackbaud solutions. Proper domain setup allows users to send email securely and protects your organization’s sending reputation.

What Is an Email Domain?

An email domain is the portion of an email address that follows the “@” symbol. It identifies the organization that manages the email account. For example, in info@good.org, the domain is good.org.

Email domains help route messages to the correct servers and allow inbox providers to verify that messages are legitimate. Organizations typically own one or more custom domains for sending email.

Note: Blackbaud can't send email from third-party consumer email domains, such as @gmail.com, @yahoo.com, and @hotmail.com because they don't allow domain-level email authentication for external senders. As a result, authentication protocols such as DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) and Sender Policy Framework (SPF) can't verify that Blackbaud is authorized to send email on your behalf. This requirement protects your organization from unauthorized or malicious use.

Set Up Your Domain

If you do not already own a domain, first purchase one from a domain provider and follow the provider’s setup instructions. To send email from your Blackbaud product, you must then:

  1. Claim your domain in the Email Authentication Settings portal.

  2. Create DNS TXT records with your domain provider using the values provided by Blackbaud.

You will claim your domain, get record values, and check your domain status in the Email Authentication Settings portal. To access the portal:

  1. Log in to app.blackbaud.com.

  2. From the solution menu, select Admin.

  3. In the top navigation, select Settings, Email.

Note: The first time you access the portal, no domains are listed. This is expected, even if you have previously sent email or worked with Blackbaud Support. Each domain must be added in this portal.

Claim your domain

  1. Log in to app.Blackbaud.com .

  2. From the solution menu on the left, select Admin.

  3. In the top navigation, select Settings, Email.

  4. From the Email Authentication Settings portal, select Add domain.

  5. Enter your domain, such as example.com, and select Add.

Note: You must claim your domain separately for single sign-on (SSO) and for email. One does not apply to the other.

Configure your domain authentication settings

  1. Log in to app.Blackbaud.com .

  2. From the solution menu on the left, select Admin.

  3. In the top navigation, select Settings, Email.

  4. Select the edit icon to open domain details.

  5. Authenticate domain ownership, DKIM, and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC). If any of these are not marked Verified, expand the details by selecting the arrow to the right.

  6. Copy the Value for each authentication record to create a DNS TXT record. Depending your domain provider's instructions, you may also need other information from this record.

    • You must create one record for each required authentication and provide it to your domain provider.

    • If you do not know how to create the records or share them with your provider, ask your IT staff who in your organization is responsible for your domain.

    Warning: Paste values exactly as shown. Any changes will prevent verification.

    Note: Different domain providers have different processes for adding your DNS TXT records. See your domain provider's support documentation to familiarize yourself with their protocols and requirements.

  7. Blackbaud automatically checks your public DNS for these records once you've initiated the process. In most cases, your DNS makes the updated information available in a few minutes, but it may take up to 72 hours. Blackbaud cannot expedite this process.

  8. You will receive a confirmation email from Blackbaud stating that your email domain settings are fully configured.

Note: If you have multiple domains, you must repeat this process for each domain or subdomain from which you send email.