# Email Sender

Configure and verify a custom from address for notification emails.

Source: https://statusdashboard.com/docs/status-dashboards/branding/email-sender

A verified custom email sender lets notification emails originate from an address on your domain. Complete DNS verification in [Dashboards](/app/dashboards) so deliveries match your brand and improve trust with recipients.

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## Prerequisites
The **Email sender** lets you set the **from address** for emails sent on behalf of this status dashboard.

Until you configure and verify a custom sender, notification emails are sent from the platform default address.

* Access to your sending domain's DNS provider to create DKIM CNAME records.
* Control of the domain in the sender address (e.g. `support@acme.com` requires DNS access for `acme.com`).

Addresses on domains you cannot verify (e.g. public webmail providers) will remain unverified and sends will continue using the platform default.

Addresses on the platform domain (`statusdashboard.com`) are not accepted — the default sender already covers that domain.

## Setup
### Step 1 — Enter your sender address
1. Open the dashboard settings and go to the **Branding** section.
2. Enter the **from address** you want notification emails to use (e.g. `support@acme.com`).
3. Click **Save Dashboard**.

The sender status changes to **Awaiting DNS**. StatusDashboard derives the sending **domain** (`acme.com`), creates a domain identity for your organization, and displays the DKIM CNAME records to add — but verification does not start until you confirm DNS is in place.

### Step 2 — Add DKIM CNAME records
The **Branding** section displays the DKIM **CNAME** records to add in your DNS provider. Add every record shown for your sending domain. DNS propagation typically takes a few minutes but can take up to 24 hours.

### Step 3 — Confirm your DNS records
Once the DKIM records are in place, return to the **Branding** section and click **DNS Records Created**.

> **Important:**
>    Do not click this until the DKIM CNAME records are actually published. Verification requires the records to be resolvable.

### Step 4 — Wait for domain verification
The sender status changes to **Verifying**. StatusDashboard polls your domain every 15 minutes until SES confirms DKIM verification. No further action is required.

**Typical time: a few minutes to a few hours.** The **72-hour clock** starts when you click **DNS Records Created** (not when you first save the sender). If verification does not complete within 72 hours, or if verification is rejected, the status changes to **Failed** and the sender shows **⚠ Verification failed** along with a reason. Remove the sender and try again after confirming your DKIM records are correct.

If you save a sender but never click **DNS Records Created**, the setup also times out after 72 hours from when the sender was first saved.

### Step 5 — Verified
When verification completes, the status changes to **Verified**. Notification emails from this dashboard are sent from your custom address.

Keep your DKIM CNAME records in place permanently. Removing them causes the sender to be marked **Unverified** and sends fall back to the platform default until DNS is restored.

While your sender is **Verified**, StatusDashboard checks every 15 minutes that DKIM records are still in place. Brief DNS issues are tolerated for about 45 minutes before the status changes.

## Status reference
| Status           | Meaning                                                                                                     |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Awaiting DNS** | Sender saved; add the DKIM CNAME records shown in the UI.                                                   |
| **Verifying**    | You confirmed DNS; domain verification is in progress (can take up to 72 hours).                            |
| **Verified**     | Custom sender is active for this dashboard's notification emails.                                           |
| **Unverified**   | Domain verification was lost (e.g. DKIM records removed). Restore DNS and click **DNS Records Created**.    |
| **Failed**       | Verification timed out after 72 hours or was rejected. Remove the sender and try again, or contact support. |
| **Removing**     | Sender is being removed and SES resources are being cleaned up.                                             |

While a sender is **Verifying** or **Verified**, use **Refresh Status** in the Branding section to reload the latest state from the platform. Automatic checks also run every 15 minutes.

## Notifications
Status changes appear in the **Branding** section of your dashboard settings. Organization **admins** also receive email for high-signal outcomes (success, terminal failure, and verification loss after activation).

| Event                                    | In the portal                                                                               | Email to org admins                                                |
| ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Sender becomes verified**              | Status changes to **Verified**                                                              | Confirmation email when DKIM verification succeeds                 |
| **Verification fails**                   | Status changes to **Failed** with **⚠ Verification failed** and a reason               | Failure email with the reason and next steps                       |
| **Verification lost after activation**   | Status changes to **Unverified** with an error message; sends use the platform default      | Email explaining what was detected and how to restore DKIM records |
| **During verification or health checks** | Status badge updates on the 15-minute schedule; use **Refresh Status** for the latest state | No email                                                           |
| **Brief DNS issues (grace period)**      | Status stays **Verified** for about 45 minutes while checks retry                           | No email                                                           |

Emails are sent to all organization admins. They are best-effort and do not affect whether the sender status updates in the portal.

## Troubleshooting
**The sender has been in "Verifying" for a long time**

Check that your DKIM CNAME records are correctly configured and have propagated. Tools such as [dnschecker.org](https://dnschecker.org) can confirm propagation across global DNS servers. Verification runs on a cycle — once the records are confirmed to be in place, it will complete on its own.

**The sender shows "Failed"**

Verification did not complete within 72 hours or was rejected. Remove the sender, verify your DKIM records are correct, and add it again.

**I removed the DKIM records by mistake**

If verification is lost, status changes to **Unverified**. Notification emails continue using the **platform default sender** until verification is restored. Your sender address and configuration are kept — you do not need to remove and re-add the sender.

To restore the custom sender:

1. Re-add the DKIM **CNAME** records shown in the UI
2. Click **DNS Records Created** to restart verification
3. Wait for status to return to **Verified** (checks run every 15 minutes; use **Refresh Status** to reload the latest state)

Delete and re-add is only needed when status is **Failed**, not **Unverified**. See [Notifications](#notifications) for when admins receive email.

## Multiple dashboards, same domain
If another dashboard in your organization already verified `acme.com`, adding `support@acme.com` (or any other address on that domain) to a second dashboard reuses the existing verification — no duplicate DNS setup required.

If domain verification is lost, **all dashboards** in your organization using that domain are marked unverified until DNS is restored.

Removing the sender from one dashboard does not affect other dashboards using the same domain. The identity is removed only when no dashboard in your organization references that domain.

## Sending domains are organization-specific
A sending domain can only be registered by one organization on StatusDashboard. If another customer has already verified `acme.com`, you cannot add a sender on that domain — even a different address like `status@acme.com`.

This protects your brand: the organization that verifies a domain is the only one allowed to send notification emails from that domain. If you believe you should own a domain that is already registered, contact support.