Summary
Addressing DMARC issues with Mailchimp, Woodpecker, and O365 involves a comprehensive approach. It begins with configuring custom DKIM for Mailchimp and ensuring the SPF record correctly includes Mailchimp's domain and the O365 include if sending via Woodpecker. A DMARC record must be created in your domain's DNS settings. Monitoring sending and domain reputation is vital. Implementing DMARC requires correct SPF and DKIM configuration, and choosing an appropriate DMARC policy. Testing email authentication and regularly monitoring DMARC reports are crucial. Addressing common errors, verifying DMARC alignment, checking for organizational overrides, using SPF flattening, and considering testing on subdomains are key considerations.
Key findings
- DKIM Setup: Setting up custom DKIM for Mailchimp is essential.
- SPF Configuration: Ensure SPF record includes Mailchimp's domain and O365 if used with Woodpecker.
- DMARC Record Creation: Create a DMARC record in your domain's DNS settings.
- Reputation Monitoring: Monitor sending and domain reputation.
- DMARC Alignment Verification: DMARC alignment with SPF/DKIM must be verified by matching the From address domain.
- DMARC Policy Configuration: Implement with correct SPF, DKIM and create appropriate DMARC policy to protect domain.
Key considerations
- Testing Authentication: Test email authentication to identify and address deliverability issues.
- Monitoring Reports: Regularly monitor DMARC reports for spoofing and other security threats.
- Error Troubleshooting: Address common errors like incorrect SPF syntax, DKIM signing issues, and misconfigurations.
- Organizational Policies Check: Check for organizational DMARC policies that may override individual settings.
- SPF Flattening: Consider SPF flattening to avoid DNS lookup limits.
- Subdomain Testing: Use subdomains for DMARC testing before full implementation.
What email marketers say
8 marketer opinions
Several key steps and considerations are involved in resolving DMARC issues with Mailchimp, Woodpecker, and O365. Proper SPF and DKIM configuration are essential, followed by the creation of a DMARC policy. DMARC alignment with SPF or DKIM needs verification, ensuring the 'From' address domain matches the authentication domains. Organizations should check for overriding DMARC policies. Email authentication should be tested, and DMARC reports should be monitored regularly to address deliverability issues. DMARC policies should be carefully chosen to protect domain reputation, and common errors like incorrect syntax or misconfigurations should be troubleshooted. SPF flattening can help avoid DNS lookup limits, which also affect DMARC compliance.
Key opinions
- SPF/DKIM Configuration: Implementing DMARC requires correctly configuring SPF and DKIM records.
- DMARC Alignment: Verify the domain used in the 'From' address matches the domain used for DKIM signing or the SPF authorized domain.
- Organizational Policies: Check for organizational DMARC policies that may override individual settings.
- Testing Authentication: Testing email authentication is important after setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to identify any issues.
- DMARC Monitoring: Regularly monitor DMARC reports to identify and address deliverability issues, spoofing attempts, and other email security threats.
- SPF Flattening: Use SPF flattening to avoid exceeding the DNS lookup limit, which can affect DMARC compliance.
Key considerations
- DMARC Policy Choice: DMARC policies define how email receivers should handle emails that fail DMARC checks. Choosing a stricter policy (quarantine or reject) can better protect your domain's reputation.
- Troubleshooting Errors: Common DMARC errors like incorrect SPF syntax, DKIM signing issues, and DMARC policy misconfigurations need to be troubleshooted.
- Monitoring Reports: Regularly monitor DMARC reports to identify and address deliverability issues, spoofing attempts, and other email security threats.
Marketer view
Email marketer from DMARC Analyzer emphasizes the importance of regularly monitoring DMARC reports to identify and address deliverability issues, spoofing attempts, and other email security threats.
24 Mar 2025 - DMARC Analyzer
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email on Acid advises that after setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, testing the email authentication is important to identify any issues. They suggest using email testing tools to check the authentication results.
29 Jan 2025 - Email on Acid
What the experts say
5 expert opinions
Fixing DMARC issues with Mailchimp, Woodpecker, and O365 involves several key actions. Setting up custom DKIM for Mailchimp is crucial. Ensuring the correct SPF record is in place, reflecting Mailchimp's own domain, is vital for DMARC alignment. Maintaining the include for Outlook SPF records is necessary if sending mail through Woodpecker connected to O365. DMARC implementation on subdomains can serve as a testing ground before full deployment. Monitoring sending and domain reputation is paramount, as a poor reputation can undermine even the most technically sound DMARC configurations.
Key opinions
- Mailchimp DKIM: Setting up custom DKIM for Mailchimp is a key step in resolving DMARC issues.
- SPF Record Accuracy: The SPF record must accurately reflect Mailchimp's domain for proper DMARC alignment.
- Outlook SPF Include: If sending mail via Woodpecker and O365, retaining the include for Outlook SPF records is essential.
- Subdomain Testing: Implementing DMARC on subdomains provides a safe environment for testing configurations.
- Reputation Monitoring: Monitoring sending and domain reputation is critical as poor reputation undermines technical DMARC setups.
Key considerations
- SPF Configuration: Ensure the SPF record accurately reflects all sending sources, including Mailchimp and O365 if used via Woodpecker.
- DKIM Setup: Properly configure DKIM for both Mailchimp and O365 to ensure email authentication.
- Reputation Management: Actively monitor and manage sending reputation to prevent it from negatively impacting deliverability.
- Testing: Thoroughly test DMARC configurations on subdomains before implementing them on the main domain to avoid deliverability issues.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks points out that the SPF record is incorrect because Mailchimp uses its own domain in SPF, which is important for DMARC alignment via custom DKIM.
23 Feb 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks confirms that the include:<http://spf.protection.outlook.com|spf.protection.outlook.com> is necessary because mail is being sent from Outlook through Woodpecker.
25 Jun 2025 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Resolving DMARC issues with Mailchimp, Woodpecker, and O365 involves creating a DMARC record in your domain's DNS settings as guided by Mailchimp. It also requires configuring DKIM records for your custom domain in Office 365 using the Microsoft 365 Defender portal or PowerShell, as detailed in Microsoft's documentation. Setting up DKIM correctly for Woodpecker is essential for email authentication and improved deliverability, and instructions are available in Woodpecker's DKIM setup guide. Properly configuring DNS records using a provider like Cloudflare ensures that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC function correctly, including ensuring that those records are correctly entered and propagated.
Key findings
- DMARC Record Creation: Setting up DMARC requires creating a DMARC record in your domain's DNS settings.
- O365 DKIM Configuration: DKIM records for your custom domain in Office 365 need to be configured using the Microsoft 365 Defender portal or PowerShell.
- Woodpecker DKIM Setup: Properly setting up DKIM is essential for Woodpecker to authenticate emails and improve deliverability.
- DNS Configuration: Correctly configuring DNS records is critical for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to function properly.
Key considerations
- Mailchimp Instructions: Refer to Mailchimp's documentation for specific instructions on creating a DMARC record.
- Microsoft Defender Portal/PowerShell: Use the Microsoft 365 Defender portal or PowerShell for creating DKIM records in Office 365.
- Woodpecker's DKIM Guide: Follow Woodpecker's DKIM setup guide to ensure correct configuration.
- DNS Propagation: Ensure DNS records are correctly entered and propagated across the DNS system.
Technical article
Documentation from Cloudflare explains how to properly configure DNS records, which is critical for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Ensure the records are correctly entered and propagated across the DNS.
19 Jul 2023 - Cloudflare
Technical article
Documentation from Woodpecker shares that properly setting up DKIM is essential for Woodpecker to authenticate emails and improve deliverability. Follow their DKIM setup guide to create and add the DKIM record to your DNS.
1 Oct 2024 - Woodpecker
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