Set up the custom domain, forwarding address, and reply address

Weronika Masternak
8 min read
updated: Feb 8, 2024

Setting up the domainLink icon

When you set up forwarding to HelpDesk, you’ll be able to send and receive messages from customers in HelpDesk using a dedicated email address provided by us.

This address will look like this: LICENSE-ID@tickets.helpdesk.com.

Here’s an example:1976920755@tickets.helpdesk.com.

Set up a custom domain if you want to:

  • Send messages from your own email address.
  • Send messages from an email address using our domain but with your unique name, for example, company.helpdesk.com.

In the next step, you’ll learn about two types of domains — a custom domain or a domain provided by HelpDesk — and how to set them up.

Setting up a custom domainLink icon

To enable sending messages from your own address, we need to verify domain ownership and add certain DNS records to your domain to allow us to use the address in your replies.

Setting up your own domain in HelpDesk is safe and in no way interferes with your current email setup.
Setting up your own domain in HelpDesk is safe and in no way interferes with your current email setup.

First, go to settings, choose the “Email addresses” category, and click on the “Add domain” button.

Adding a new domain button in HelpDesk.

Then, select the “Add custom domain” option.

Choosing the domain type in HelpDesk — custom domain.

Next, write your domain name down. Remember that you need to have access to the domain administrator panel to continue.

Entering a custom domain name in HelpDesk.

Then, you’ll see the ownership verification stage, consisting of three mandatory steps:

  1. Logging to your domain administration panel
  2. Going to the DNS setup of your domain and editing DNS records
  3. Adding a new CNAME record with the provided hostname and value

Ownership verification stage when configuring a custom domain in HelpDesk.

After you add records to your DNS settings, click on the “Verify and continue” button. This step allows us to verify domain ownership.

If something goes wrong, you’ll see an error message.

An error message when entering a custom domain name.

Some DNS providers automatically add a domain name as a hostname suffix, while others require a full hostname, including the domain part to be entered.
Some DNS providers automatically add a domain name as a hostname suffix, while others require a full hostname, including the domain part to be entered.

If the verification is successful, you can go to the third stage with the HelpDesk connection.

HelpDesk connection stage when configuring a custom domain in HelpDesk.

In the HelpDesk connection step, there are four steps you need to follow:

  1. Continuing in the DNS setup
  2. Adding a new TXT record with a provided value
  3. Adding a new CNAME record with a provided value
  4. Ensuring that all new changes are saved and published to your DNS setup
Each TXT record and CNAME value is unique and will vary.
Each TXT record and CNAME value is unique and will vary.

Note:

This step adds additional DKIM keys to the domain DNS, allowing HelpDesk to send your replies from your own address without triggering spam filters.

Once the process is complete, you’ll see a summary screen and after that a notification that your domain is being confirmed by the HelpDesk team.

A summary screen containing all settings related to the custom domain in HelpDesk.

New domain added in HelpDesk.

You can add one or more custom domains to improve specialization, organization, and customer service in the following ways:

  1. Specialization. Directs cases to agents with the right expertise, leading to quicker and more accurate resolutions.
  2. Organization. Allows for domain-specific workflows, policies, and escalation paths, streamlining support operations.
  3. Scalability. Facilitates easy adaptation to new departments or services without disrupting existing support structures.
  4. Customer segmentation. Better addresses the needs of different customer groups by providing specialized support channels.

This approach significantly enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of support services, leading to higher customer satisfaction and operational improvements.

Domain verification processLink icon

The domain you added still needs to be verified. We’ll inform you in the “Status” section when the domain is verified. Until then, you’ll see the “Confirming…” status. This process can take up to a few hours.

Confirming a domain in HelpDesk.

You’ll receive an email notification when the domain is verified.

An email confirming the verification of the domain.

After verification, the domain status will be “Added.”

As soon as the domain is verified, you must set up forwarding to HelpDesk from the email address you’ll use as the reply address. Otherwise, you won’t be able to see the responses sent by customers in HelpDesk.

We explain this process in part on setting up the forwarding address and the reply address.

Setting up a HelpDesk domainLink icon

Another option to change your HelpDesk email address from the one with your license number is to set up a new domain provided by us. This option is useful if you don’t want to set up your own domain, or you don’t have one.

This way, for example, your domain name will look like this:

[yourcompanyname].helpdesk.com

Instead of:

tickets.helpdesk.com

First, go to settings, choose the “Email addresses” category, and click on the “Add domain” button.

Adding a new domain button in HelpDesk.

Then, select the “Add HelpDesk domain” option.

Choosing the domain type in HelpDesk — HelpDesk domain.

Enter your new domain name and click on the “Add” button.

The HelpDesk domain name must consist of 3-63 characters. Only letters, digits, and dashes are accepted.
The HelpDesk domain name must consist of 3-63 characters. Only letters, digits, and dashes are accepted.

Adding a HelpDesk domain in HelpDesk.

If the domain name you choose is available, you’ll see a confirmation for adding your new domain.

You can have only one domain provided by HelpDesk, so the option is disabled if you already have a HelpDesk domain.
You can have only one domain provided by HelpDesk, so the option is disabled if you already have a HelpDesk domain.

Domain verification statusesLink icon

There are four statuses you can track when it comes to adding a domain in HelpDesk:

  • Added — when your domain is added properly
  • Confirming… — when the HelpDesk team is confirming your domain
  • Finish adding — when you have an unfinished process of adding a domain
  • Deleting… — when you decided to delete your domain

Setting up the forwarding addressLink icon

Forwarding addresses are used to manage your incoming messages.

Previously, this section was called “Inboxes.”
Previously, this section was called “Inboxes.”

Once you’ve added and verified your domain name, you need to set up your forwarding address. To do this, go to settings, select the “Email Addresses” section, and click on the “Create Address” button.

Creating the new forwarding address in HelpDesk.

First, type your current email addresses from which you’re going to forward messages in the appropriate field. This should be the email address from which copies of messages are sent to HelpDesk when forwarding is set up correctly. It can be your personal email address or company email address.

Adding address description in the forwarding address settings.

The address description is also included as information in the ticket. It’s displayed only to you so that you know the actual source of the ticket.

Email as the ticket source in the ticket details.

Tooltip showing email address in the address description field.

Going back to your forwarding address settings, after adding the address description, you need to select a team and, optionally, an agent who will be automatically assigned when a ticket arrives at that email address.

Setting up forwarding address in HelpDesk with selected agent and team data.

This is what your new forwarding address settings can look like after configuration.

An example of a configured forwarding address.

By default, your tickets will be assigned to the “Default team.”

After clicking Done, your new forwarding address will appear on the addresses list.

A new forwarding address is on the addresses list.

Next, you need to set up forwarding for a specific email address to HelpDesk. Click on the “Instructions” button to learn how to do this.

Instructions section in the “Email addresses” section in HelpDesk.

Forwarding instructions in the HelpDesk app.

Verification can take up to several hours. Before the verification of your reply address is complete, you’ll see the address with the HelpDesk domain assigned to your account in the “Preview.”
Verification can take up to several hours. Before the verification of your reply address is complete, you’ll see the address with the HelpDesk domain assigned to your account in the “Preview.”

If the setup is completed, you can check out how your name and address will look in the requester’s inbox by clicking on the “Preview” button.

Preview of a reply address in the HelpDesk app.

Setting up the reply addressLink icon

Reply address is used to manage your outgoing messages. If you want to set the reply address, you must add a domain first. It was described earlier in this article.

To add a reply address, go to settings, choose the “Email addresses” section, and click on the “Add address” button.

Adding a reply address in the HelpDesk app.

Choose a display name for the reply address. Next, enter a valid reply address along with the domain. The final step is to assign one of your teams to the reply address. Once everything is set, click the “Done” button to save your changes.

Before you add a reply address, make sure it’s forwarded correctly in your email system to one of the addresses in the “Forwarding addresses” section.
Before you add a reply address, make sure it’s forwarded correctly in your email system to one of the addresses in the “Forwarding addresses” section.

Reply address section before address verification.

Adding the reply address to the teamLink icon

You can set up the reply address when you add or edit your team in HelpDesk.

Adding new team in the HelpDesk app.

To add a reply address to the team, use the drop-down list and select one of the available addresses. This associates the team with a specific reply address.

Choosing reply address in the team creating process in the HelpDesk app.

Adding the reply address to the ticketLink icon

When you manually add a ticket, you always select the team responsible for handling it. Note that the team you select is associated with the reply address from which messages will be sent.

New ticket view in the HelpDesk app.

Deleting the reply addressLink icon

You can delete the particular reply address at any time. However, remember that if the reply address you intend to delete is assigned to one of your teams, their reply address will be changed to a default one.

You’ll be notified to avoid accidentally deleting the reply address.

Deleting reply address from HelpDesk.

What address will your recipient see?Link icon

See what address will be displayed to the recipient depending on how you’ve configured your domain.

Email addresses flowchart explaining which address will the recipient see.

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