Email Setup
Configure inbound and outbound email for your brands. No code required—just point customers to your support email.
How Email Works
Email is the simplest way to get started with Dispatch Tickets. No code, no integration—customers email you, tickets are created automatically, and your replies go back to them.
The flow works automatically:
- Customer sends email to your support address
- Dispatch Tickets creates a ticket with the email content
- You see the ticket in your dashboard
- You reply in the dashboard
- Customer receives your reply as an email
- Their reply threads back to the same ticket
Default Email Address
Every brand gets a free email address automatically:
The slug is based on your brand name. For example, a brand named "Acme Support" gets:
You can start using this immediately—no DNS configuration needed. Point customers to this address and tickets will appear in your dashboard.
For testing: Email your brand's inbound address right now. You'll see a ticket appear in your dashboard within seconds.
Custom Domains
For a professional setup, use your own domain so customers email [email protected] instead of the default address.
Step 1: Add Your Domain
- Go to Settings → Brands → [Your Brand] → Email
- Click Add Custom Domain
- Enter your domain (e.g.,
support.yourbrand.comoryourbrand.com)
Step 2: Add DNS Records
After adding your domain, you'll see DNS records to configure. Add these to your domain provider (Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.):
| Record | Purpose | Required |
|---|---|---|
| MX | Routes incoming email to Dispatch Tickets | Yes (for receiving) |
| TXT (SPF) | Authorizes us to send email on your behalf | Yes (for sending) |
| CNAME (DKIM) | Cryptographically signs outgoing emails | Yes (for sending) |
| TXT (DMARC) | Tells email providers how to handle failures | Recommended |
Using a subdomain? We recommend support.yourbrand.com to avoid conflicts with your main domain's email. This keeps your corporate email separate from support.
Step 3: Verify
Once DNS records propagate (usually 5-30 minutes, sometimes up to 48 hours), click Verify Domain. Green checkmarks indicate successful verification.
Verification Status
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pending | DNS records not yet detected. Wait for propagation. |
| Verified | All records configured correctly. Ready to use. |
| Failed | Records incorrect or missing. Check configuration. |
Receiving Emails (Inbound)
When a customer emails your support address, Dispatch Tickets automatically:
- Creates a new ticket (or adds to existing thread)
- Extracts the subject as the ticket title
- Stores the email body as the first comment
- Saves attachments (images, PDFs, etc.)
- Links to the customer by email address
Email Parsing
| Email Field | Maps To |
|---|---|
| From | Customer email + name |
| Subject | Ticket title |
| Body (text/html) | First comment |
| Attachments | Ticket attachments |
| In-Reply-To | Thread detection (for replies) |
Handling Attachments
Attachments up to 25MB are automatically saved. Supported file types include images, PDFs, documents, and common file formats. Files are stored securely and accessible via the dashboard or API.
Sending Replies (Outbound)
When you reply to a ticket in the dashboard, the customer receives your reply as an email. The email comes from your configured address:
- Default:
[email protected] - Custom domain:
[email protected]
Reply Format
Outgoing emails include:
- Your reply text
- Ticket reference number in subject
- Threading headers for proper email client grouping
- Unsubscribe link (for compliance)
From: Acme Support <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Need help with my order [#TKT-1042]
Hi Jane,
Your order shipped yesterday and should arrive tomorrow.
Tracking number: 1Z999AA10123456784
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Best,
Acme Support
---
Ticket #TKT-1042 | Reply to this email to respondEmail Threading
Dispatch Tickets automatically threads email conversations. When a customer replies to a support email:
- We detect the ticket ID from email headers (
In-Reply-To,References) - The reply is added as a new comment on the existing ticket
- No duplicate tickets are created
How Threading Works
Customer: "My order hasn't arrived"
→ Ticket #TKT-1042 created
You: "Let me check on that for you"
→ Email sent to customer
Customer: "Thank you! Any update?"
→ Added to ticket #TKT-1042 (not a new ticket)
You: "It shipped today!"
→ Email sent, conversation continues
Broken Threads
Sometimes threading breaks if a customer starts a new email instead of replying. In these cases:
- A new ticket is created
- You can manually merge tickets in the dashboard
- Customer history is still visible by email address
Troubleshooting
Emails not arriving
Check your MX records
Use a tool like MXToolbox to verify your MX records point to our servers.
Wait for DNS propagation
DNS changes can take up to 48 hours. Most propagate within 30 minutes.
Check spam filters
Some corporate email systems may intercept emails before they reach us.
Outgoing emails going to spam
Verify DKIM and SPF
Both records must be configured correctly for email authentication.
Add DMARC record
DMARC improves deliverability by telling providers how to handle authentication failures.
Warm up new domains
New domains have no reputation. Start with low volume and increase gradually.
Custom domain not verifying
Check record values exactly
Copy/paste values from the dashboard. Extra spaces or typos will cause failures.
Remove conflicting records
If you have existing MX or TXT records for the same name, they may conflict.