Technolutions, Inc. SPF and DKIM configuration: Step By Step Guideline

This instructional article will demonstrate the Technolutions configuration process of Sender Policy Framework (SPF), DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) Signatures to ensure Technolutions passes the DMARC alignment check and eliminate spam from your domain and increase security.

The SPF record identifies the mail servers and domains that are allowed to send email on behalf of your domain. The DKIM record, on the other hand, is a specially formatted DNS TXT record that stores the public key the receiving mail server will use to verify a message’s signature. These email authentication methods will be used to prove to ISPs and mail services that senders are truly authorized to send email from a particular domain and are a way of verifying your email sending server is sending emails through your domain.

Note: Technolutions is a subdomain capable source which means that they use an envelope “MAIL FROM” sender from the subdomain specified in the DKIM configuration, the SPF records on this subdomain are automatically managed, and there is no need for SPF records on the parent domain.

The process of configuring SPF

In order to authenticate Technolutions on SPF, please contact their support so they can provide you with SPF configuration.

The process of configuring DKIM

In order to authenticate Technolutions on DKIM, please follow these steps:

1. Select Database on the top navigation bar
2. Select DKIM Configuration
3. Enter your email domain and click Lookup
4. If this is the first time you have set up DKIM, you will see a status of “Inactive / Awaiting Configuration.” Click on Create Configuration

Important Note: The email domain is the part after the “@” in the email address you use for emails sent from Slate. It defaults to your school’s domain name, e.g., “college.edu.” 

5. A small window will pop up where you can set a subdomain. 

Important Note: As a best practice, Technolutions recommends you leave this as the default, slate-mx, unless your IT group notifies you that this subdomain is already in use

6. Click Save

Process of adding 2 DKIM Records

1. Login and head to your DNS Zone provider
2. Create a new CNAME record
3. Add 2 DKIM record based on the information below: a. DNS name as slt1._domainkey. DNS value as s1._domainkey.technolutions.net. b. DNS name as slt2._domainkey. DNS value as s2._domainkey.technolutions.net.
4. Save the record

Process of adding 1 Verification CNAME record

1. Login and head to your DNS Zone provider
2. Create a new CNAME record
3. Add a record based on the information below: a. DNS name as slate-mx b. DNS value as sg.technolutions.net.
4. Save the record
5. Once you have added these records, return to your DKIM page and click on the Validate Configuration link

The screenshot below will show you an example of the CNAME records. We’ll be using CloudFlare for this example.

Important Note: please make sure to disable the Proxy Status and let it remain on DNS Only.

Congratulations, you now successfully authenticated your outgoing mail stream from Technolutions with SPF and DKIM.