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SPF Configuration

This content highlights MxToolbox's SPF Configuration feature.

Current SPF Record

This initial section shows the status of the SPF record you currently use. All aspects of the record are visible. If the record is highlighted in green, your SPF record is in good standing. If you see red here, your record is invalid due to introduced errors or missing verified sources. In this case, action is required to correct your SPF record to ensure proper use.

To access your Configure SPF interface, click here.

The ability to have your SPF record flattened and/or hosted by MxToolbox is available on the far right of this section. You can click the blue "Inspect" button to see the current status of your record. If you want to either flatten your SPF record or have it hosted by MxToolbox, these options are provided at your discretion. Both are recommended.

By hosting your SPF record with MxToolbox, you are able to modify your record and add new senders to your SPF record without having to log in to your DNS host. Additionally, when errors occur, you can correct those issues without leaving your account.

If you have your SPF record hosted with MxToolbox, your hosted status is in bold and highlighted green. You can edit your record and enable features to help improve email delivery or solve problems.

If your record is not hosted with MxToolbox, the "Not Hosted" indicator is shown and grayed out. To have MxToolbox host your SPF record, click the orange "Setup SPF Hosting" button to begin the process of hosting your SPF record.

Edit Your SPF Record

The second section shows how you can manage your SPF record through verified sources. If your record is hosted by MxToolbox, several features are available for you to access. You can enable the automated options below, which will automatically keep your record up-to-date. If you want to manually change your record, you can use the "Editor" option at the upper right of the box.

There are three automated options provided in this section:

  • Use MxToolbox Recommendation: You want MxToolbox to keep your SPF record consistent with your verified sources.
  • Auto Add Suggested Sources: You want any/all suggestions from your SPF record to be automatically accepted.
  • Auto Remove Sources with no Data: You want sources that have no data after 30 days to be removed from your verified sources, which also deletes them from your SPF record.

Note: You must configure verified sources to enable SPF recommendations, so be sure to complete this process if you want to update your record. If applicable, click the Verified Sources hyperlink in the provided pink box to get started.

MxToolbox has found over the years that many SPF records contain information that is unnecessary, out of date, or just plain wrong, so we will generate an SPF record for you based on your Verified Sources. The SPF recommendation will ensure you are secure by not including extra sources, do not have errors in your record, and are not missing a verified source.

We run the recommended record through a check to ensure there are no errors, so your email is not interrupted by a bad record. In addition, we also run a check on your current record to make sure there are no errors. You can use the "Inspect" button to get more details on your record.

SPF Flattening

This section lets you enable SPF Flattening by clicking the provided box located to the far right. SPF Flattening allows you to work around the limit of 10 DNS lookups in your SPF record. The reduction of lookups minimizes the chance of your emails getting flagged as spam since it becomes easier for the receiver to validate SPF. MxToolbox will host your SPF record and automatically generate an up-to-date record that uses the IP addresses of your SPF mechanisms.

MxToolbox's SPF Flattening tool is part of our Delivery Center Plus plan. It provides a simple, intuitive system to help manage your complex SPF configurations. The more 3rd-party email sources you add to your domain, such as Marketing Automation, CRMs, Customer Support, and Order Fulfillment, you quickly max out of SPF configuration options. MxToolbox SPF Flattening removes the SPF limitations by automatically reconstructing your SPF record.

For more information about our SPF Flattening tool, click here.