How to set up a custom email for transaction emails in tchop

tchop allows clients to set up a custom email domain for all transactional emails, ensuring that all outgoing emails come from their specified domain instead of the default tchop domain. When emails come from notifications@yourcompany.com instead of support@tchop.io, it immediately builds trust. Clients’ users recognize the sender, making them more likely to engage.

A branded email domain ensures the entire user experience feels cohesive—from the web app to email communications. It reinforces brand identity at every step. With properly set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records email deliverability is also ensured as ISPs see the emails as more legitimate, reducing the chances they end up in spam (more on that below).

Steps to set up a custom email domain

1. Add the custom email domain as a "sender signature"

• Provide the custom email to tchop that you want to add to your tchop org. for transactional emails.

• tchop will add the client’s custom email domain as a "sender signature".

• As soon as this is done, we will send a confirmation email to the provided custom email address.

2. Confirm the email

• The client must have access to the custom email address since the confirmation email will be sent there.

• The client needs to open the email and follow the instructions to confirm the email address (usually just one click).

3. tchop connects the custom email domain

• Once the email is confirmed, tchop will link the custom email domain to the client’s organization on the tchop platform.

• After successful connection, all transactional emails will be sent from the custom email address provided by the client.

  
  

Improving email deliverability

To enhance email deliverability and ensure proper authentication, clients must also update their DNS settings with the following records:

1. DKIM (domainkeys identified mail)

• tchop will provide the necessary DKIM record details.

• The client needs to add these DKIM records to their DNS settings.

• This helps authenticate the emails and improve email security.

2. Return-path (bounce handling)

• tchop will also provide the return-path details.

• The client should add this information to their DNS settings.

• The return-path ensures that bounced emails are correctly processed.

What about SPF records?

• SPF (sender policy framework) records are no longer required.

• SPF is automatically handled for clients, so no manual updates are needed.

Note: it's important to understand, that there can be only one SPF entry for each domain. That's why its beneficiary that this is handled on our side.

Testing

It's highly recommended to test the set up before go live in order to make sure the mail passes all required tests. A simple, but great tool is AppMailDev, which you anyone can use here. You can check DomainKeys, SPF and DKIM records. Also the tool provides reports if something fails, which makes fixing it easy.

There are also other great tools that help with testing, like MXToolbox or Kitterman SPF validator.

Usually if the provided records are added to the DNS the set up works without any problems. However it's always good to test.

Whitelisting

For enterprise clients that use tchop for internal communications it can also help to whitelist the senders IP adress. We are happy to provide the details for this.

Summary

By following the above steps, clients can successfully set up a custom email domain in tchop. Ensuring that the confirmation email is acknowledged promptly and the recommended DNS records are updated will help in achieving seamless email delivery.