Setting Up Custom Domain Hosting

This article describes how to set up Custom Domain Hosting for your FORTH account. It was developed for FORTH account administrators and IT specialists configuring custom domain DNS settings for CRM and Client Portal sites.

This article is organized into the following sections:

• Overview
• Setup
• Add the Security Record (DCV)
• Add the Connection Record (Forwarding)
• Examples
• Troubleshooting
• Assistance

Overview

This process allows your team to access FORTH using your own company domain (like crm.yourcompany.com) instead of the default address. 

Note: This feature requires the Custom Domain Hosting enhancement. If you haven't added this service yet, contact sales@setforth.com to get started.

Prerequisites

• Active Custom Domain Hosting enhancement (Contact sales@setforth.com to add this service).
• Administrative access to your domain registrar (such as AWS Route53, GoDaddy, or Namecheap) to manage DNS CNAME records.

Setup

To make your custom site work, you need to update your domain's DNS settings. You must add two (2) CNAME records for every site you host with us.

1. Security Record (Domain Control Validation or "DCV"): Creates a digital Let's Encrypt (SSL) certificate to keep your site, used by the client and FORTH's web traffic, secure.
2. Connection Record (Forwarding): Points your custom domain to our hosting environment (i.e., servers).

Important: If you have multiple sites (for example, a CRM site and a Client Portal), you must repeat both of these steps for each one. Therefore, if you have a CRM and a portal site, you will need to make four (4) entries. 

Add the Security Record (DCV)

This record allows us to automatically secure your site with an SSL certificate.

1. Log in to your domain registrar (such as GoDaddy, AWS Route53, or Namecheap). We are using AWS Route53 in our examples below.
2. Navigate to your DNS Management or DNS Settings page.
   
3. Create a new CNAME record.
4. Enter the following information. (Replace subdomain with your specific site name, such as crm or portal).

Add the Connection Record (Forwarding)

This record directs your web traffic to the FORTH environment.

1. Create a second CNAME record in your DNS settings.
   
2. Enter the information below based on whether you are a FORTH customer or a CTX customer.

Examples

Here are examples of setting up the DCV CNAME and regular CNAME.

For a CRM site, such as crm.example.com. 

1. DCV CNAME
   1. CNAME: _acme-challenge.<subdomain>
      1. In our example domain, it would be: _acme-challenge.crm.example.com
   2. CNAME Value: <fulldomain>.b6ac64a870f2da4d.dcv.cloudflare.com
      1. In our example domain, it would be: crm.example.com.b6ac64a870f2da4d.dcv.cloudflare.com
2. Forwarding or Pointing CNAME
   1. CNAME: CRM
      1. In our example domain, it would be: crm.example.com
   2. CNAME Value:
      1. For FORTH Customers: scweb.forthcrm.com (see example below)
      2. For CTX Customers: scweb.centrexsoftware.com
3. Jira Ticket

   1. Give Domain (thednsway.com)

   2. Give Subdomain (crm)

   3. Flexmonster Key

For a Portal site,

1. DNS Entries

   1. DCV

      1. CNAME: _acme-challenge.portal

      2. CNAME Value: <portalname>.thednsway.com.b6ac64a870f2da4d.dcv.cloudflare.com

   2. Forwarding CNAME

      1. CNAME: portal

      2. CNAME Value: scweb.forthcrm.com

2. Jira Ticket

   1. Give Domain (thednsway.com)

   2. Give Subdomain (portal)

   3. Give Portal site type; Debt Settlement, Tax resolution, Student Loans, Business Loans, Debt Validation

Troubleshooting

Where do I add CNAME records in my domain registrar?

Registrar navigation varies by provider. Look for interface links named DNS Management, DNS Settings, or Manage Zone Files. Refer to your domain registrar's support documentation if you cannot find the record creation form.

Why is my custom domain not working immediately?

DNS changes take up to 48 hours to propagate across the internet, though updates usually resolve much faster.

Do I still need to provide yearly SSL certificates?

No. The DCV CNAME record automates SSL certificate issuing and renewal through Cloudflare, removing the need to buy or upload yearly SSL certificates. 

Assistance

For further assistance, reach out to support@setforth.com.