# Configuring Outbound Email Addresses Vault sends outbound emails from a Veeva Vault domain address by default. When you send emails from your Vault to external recipients, you can configure Vault to send emails from customized domains and allow users to change the sending email address to one associated with your organization.

Note: This feature is currently available and configurable in MedInquiry Vaults (for Case Response Emails), QMS Vaults (for Sending External Notifications for Complaints and Medtech Complaints), Clinical Operations Vaults (for Study Startup Feasibility Surveys), and Safety Vaults (for emailing Submissions, Distributions, and follow-up questionnaires). This feature does not apply to Vault notifications.

## Creating Email Domains Before creating an outbound email domain, you must create and verify a _Root Domain_: 1. Navigate to **Admin > Configuration > Outbound Email Domains**. 2. Under _Root Domains_, click **Add**. Access to the _Outbound Email Domains_ page is controlled by _Outbound Email Domains_ permissions. 3. Enter a **Domain Name** and a **Verification Email**. 4. Click **Save**. 5. Click **OK**. 6. Check your email inbox for the verification email and click the link.

Note: You cannot edit root domains if there are one or more active Outbound Email Domains. Editing a root domain invalidates any configured Outbound Email Domains using it. You can delete an unverified root domain by clicking Actions > Delete. You can delete a verified root domain only if no Outbound Email Domains are using it. Once a root domain is deleted, the link in the verification email becomes inactive.

Once you verify the _Root Domain_, you can return to **Admin > Configuration > Outbound Email Domains** to add an outbound email domain: 1. Under _Email Domains_, click **Create**. 2. Enter a **Label**. 3. Verify that the _Status_ is **Active**. 4. Optional: Enter a **Description** for the email domain. 5. Click the **Domain** drop-down. You can select an existing subdomain, **Create New Subdomain**, or [**Use Root Domain**][2]. We recommend using a new subdomain rather then the root domain. 6. If you are creating a new subdomain, click **OK** and enter a **Subdomain**. Then, select a **Root Domain**. You can create a maximum of five subdomains with one root domain across all Vaults. 7. If you selected **Use Root Domain**, click **OK** in the **Use Root Domain** warning dialog. 8. Click **Submit**. 9. If necessary, you may need to verify the domain by following the [**Setup Instructions**][1] provided. Click **OK** in the **Additional Setup Required** dialog. Then, follow the steps in the _Setup Instructions_ section. 10. Click **Verify** once setup is complete in your DNS provider. Verification may take up to 48 hours to complete. 11. Click **OK** in the **Domain Verification Failed** dialog if verification is not yet complete. You can create a maximum of five _Outbound Email Domains_ per Vault for a maximum of three root domains. For customers with multiple Vaults that use the same root domain, there is also a limit of five domains for each root domain across those Vaults. For example, if you have five domains registered to `vernbio.com` in a Medical Vault, then you cannot create any new domains of `vernbio.com` in your Clinical Operations Vault.

Note: If your organization uses Approved Email in Veeva CRM or Vault CRM, the root domain may already be in use. If this is the case, Vault creates a placeholder domain.

## Placeholder Email Domains {#placeholder-email-domains} If an outbound email domain is created with a verified root domain that is used by Approved Email in Veeva CRM or Vault CRM, Vault creates a placeholder email domain. The placeholder domain uses the following naming convention: `production-vv-out.[domain]`. For example, `production-vv-out.vernbio.com`. The placeholder domain name is only used as part of the _Setup Instructions_ on the _Outbound Email Domain_ record during the [DNS record setup][1]. Once the outbound email domain is verified, the name specified in the **Create Outbound Email Domain** page is used in the _Outbound Email Domain_ record. The same behavior applies to subdomains. For example, if `mail.vernbio.com` is in use by Approved Email in Veeva CRM or Vault CRM, Vault does not prevent you from creating an outbound email domain using `mail.vernbio.com`. In this case, Vault creates `production-vv-out.mail.vernbio.com` as a placeholder domain. Be aware that you cannot create a subdomain using the placeholder domain. For example, you cannot create a domain called `mail.production.vv-out.vernbio.com` in Vault. ## About DNS Records {#dns-records} Vault uses a tool called Mailgun for the Outbound Email Address functionality. When adding _Outbound Email Domains_, Vault provides details in **Setup Instructions** on Domain Name System (DNS) records that you must create in your DNS provider in order to complete verification. This verification of the ownership of the email domain mitigates spam, and ensures that malicious parties cannot impersonate this domain. If the domain is already hosted somewhere, log in to your DNS provider to change your DNS records. If the domain isn't hosted anywhere yet, set up an account at any DNS provider. Configure the following DNS records in your DNS provider: | DNS Record Type | Purpose | | --- |--- | | SPF (Sender Policy Framework) TXT record | An email-validation system designed to detect email spoofing by ensuring incoming mail from a domain is sent from a host authorized by that domain's administrators. | | DKIM TXT record | A Google standard widely adopted by email providers and Exchange servers designed to detect email spoofing. | | CNAME record | Used for URL redirects. This is also used to track when recipients open and click on a link in emails. | | Optional: Two (2) MX records | Ensures successful email delivery and minimizes Sender Verification errors. Receiving servers may reject emails from a domain without an MX record. MX records are primarily used to specify which mail servers accept incoming mail for the domain and where to route emails sent to the domain. If your DNS provider already has an MX record set up for the domain, you do not need to create an MX record. These records are only needed if you do not plan to use your outbound email address to receive emails.| It may take up to 24 hours for these DNS changes to take effect.

Note: When creating records for subdomains, some DNS providers may append the domain to the entered subdomain. For example, entering mail.domain.com as the subdomain may result in the DNS provider setting up the subdomain as mail.domain.com.domain.com. Please be aware of the behavior of your specific DNS provider.

## Creating Outbound Email Addresses After configuring an outbound email domain, you can add an outbound email address while creating or editing a _Person_ record. Enter the outbound email address in the **Email** field and ensure the **Outbound Email Status** field is enabled. Then, after saving the _Person_ record, verify and activate the email by clicking the **Actions** menu and selecting **Verify Outbound Email**. Vault sends an email to the address defined. Click the link in the email to activate the outbound email. The link expires if you send a new verification email. In some cases, Vault cannot verify the outbound email address because it is not set up to receive emails, such as `noreply@vernpharma.com`. Contact Support to verify and activate this type of email address. ## Outbound Email Domain Migration While the _Outbound Email Root Domain_ setting is not migratable, the setting is included with _Outbound Email Domain_ records in a full Vault clone, such as when creating a sandbox. If the Vault is not a clone, you must create and verify the root domain in the target Vault before migrating _Outbound Email Domain_ records via VPK. ## Related Permissions You can complete all steps in this article with the standard System Admin or Vault Owner security profile. If your vault uses custom security profiles, your profile must grant the following permissions: | Type | Permission Label | Controls | | Security Profile | Admin: Configuration: Outbound Email Domains: Read | Ability to view the Outbound Email Domains page. | | Security Profile | Admin: Configuration: Outbound Email Domains: Create, Edit | Ability to create and edit Outbound Email Domains. | [1]: #dns-records [2]: #placeholder-email-domains