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How to Set Up Email Functionality in Your uConnect Platform

To set up email functionality in your uConnect platform, submit a support ticket so our team can provide custom DNS instructions for your IT department, complete the backend SendGrid configuration, and help you confirm everything is working.

Christina Butler avatar
Written by Christina Butler
Updated over 2 weeks ago

Your uConnect platform can send automated and custom emails directly to your community. To make sure these emails are delivered reliably and don’t land in spam, they must be authenticated through your institution’s domain.

The uConnect team manages this process for you using our email partner, SendGrid. This guide explains what to expect and what you’ll need to do.

Step 1: Submit a Support Ticket

To get started, please submit a support ticket to the uConnect team requesting email setup for your platform. Select the "DNS - New or Updates" option from the ticket topic drop down.

Important: When submitting this request, please include the proper IT contact and their email address so we can work with them to complete your email set up.

Our team will:

  • Confirm your sending domain (e.g., client.edu or subdomain.client.edu)

  • Generate custom DNS instructions specific to your institution

  • Provide you with a document you can forward to your IT department

Step 2: Work with Your IT Department

Your IT department will need to add DNS records to your institution’s domain. These records allow SendGrid to:

  • Authenticate that emails are coming from your domain

  • Improve deliverability so emails don’t go to spam

  • Apply custom branding to email links

The DNS changes typically include:

  • A return path (e.g., uctreturn.client.edu)

  • Link branding (e.g., uctlinks.client.edu)

  • DKIM records for email security

  • An SPF record to authorize SendGrid’s sending IP

👉 Don’t worry about the exact details—your support ticket response will include a ready-to-send message you can forward directly to your IT contact.

Step 3: uConnect Completes the Backend Setup

Once your IT team confirms the DNS records have been added:

  1. The uConnect team will verify the records.

  2. We’ll configure SendGrid on your behalf (you won’t need to log in to SendGrid directly).

  3. We’ll assign the email settings to your institution’s subuser account in SendGrid.

Step 4: Send a Test Email

After backend setup is complete, we will send a test email to your and your IT contact to ensure everything is working correctly.

  1. You'll be able to view the email here:

    • Navigate to Engage > Emails > Custom Emails.

    • Confirm it’s being delivered to your inbox (not spam).

Troubleshooting

If emails are not delivering as expected, here are some common issues:

  • Emails going to spam
    → Your IT team may not have completed all DNS records, or your institution’s security system may require allow listing of SendGrid’s IP address.

  • DNS verification failed
    → Even small typos (like w1 instead of wl) can cause errors. Our support team can recheck your DNS configuration.

Next Steps

Once email setup is complete, your platform will be ready to send:

  • Automated notifications

  • Custom newsletters and campaigns

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