Overview

Sparrow Intel includes a full custom-domain email client. Instead of relying only on OTA messaging, you can send and receive email from your own company domain — and have those conversations land in the same inbox as your Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and PMS conversations.

This is a one-time admin setup. It involves adding your domain in Sparrow Intel, configuring a few DNS records (for outbound sending), and setting up forwarding from your support address (for inbound replies).

The platform lets your team:

• Send and receive email from a company domain address (e.g. stay@yourcompany.com) instead of an OTA alias

• Centralize all email alongside OTA and PMS conversations in one workspace

• Keep a professional, guest-facing identity on every outbound message

• Forward from Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or any provider that supports mail forwarding

💡 You configure one domain with one outbound address per organization. Pick the address guests should see replies from (for example stay@ or reservations@), not an internal alias.

Before you start

You'll need:

• Admin access to Sparrow Intel

• Access to your domain's DNS (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, your registrar, etc.)

• Admin access to your email provider (Google Workspace or Microsoft 365) if you want inbound replies forwarded in

Everything below is done from the Email Domain Management page: portal.sparrowintel.com/settings/email-domain.

Step 1 — Add your domain

1. Open Email Domain Management.

2. In the Add Custom Domain card, fill in:

   • Domain — your domain with no www or protocol (e.g. yourcompany.com)

   • Email Address — the outbound address guests will see (e.g. stay@yourcompany.com)

3. Click Add Domain.

The domain now appears under Configured Domains with the status Awaiting Verification. Adding a custom domain requires DNS configuration — that's the next two sections.

Click the domain card (Click to view DNS instructions) to expand its DNS Configuration and Inbound Email Address details.

Inbound — receiving replies

To receive guest replies in Sparrow Intel, forward mail from your support address (e.g. help@yourcompany.com) to the inbound address Sparrow Intel generated for you.

That address is shown under Inbound Email Address on the Email Domain Management page. It's a unique address ending in @inbound.seesparrow.com — copy it exactly with the copy button; don't retype it.

Whether you use Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or another provider, the goal is the same: route a copy of inbound mail for your support address to that @inbound.seesparrow.com address.

Google Workspace (Gmail)

This assumes you use Google Workspace to manage your domain's email. If your provider isn't Google, set forwarding up at your registrar or your provider instead (see Microsoft 365 below).

1. Copy your Inbound Email Address from the Email Domain Management page.

2. Go to the Google Admin console at admin.google.com → Apps → Google Workspace → Gmail → Routing.

3. Under Routing, click Configure (or Add another rule).

4. Set the recipient: choose Single recipient and enter your support address (e.g. help@yourcompany.com).

5. Check Change envelope recipient and choose one of:

   • Replace recipient — Sparrow Intel becomes the only place these emails are delivered.

   • Also deliver to — emails go to both your existing inbox and Sparrow Intel.

   Then add the Sparrow Intel inbound address as the recipient.

6. Apply the rule to non-recognized and recognized addresses.

7. Click Save.

⚠️ If you have existing routing rules, they can conflict with the new one. For reliable delivery, reorder the Sparrow Intel rule so it applies first.

Microsoft 365 / Outlook

Option 1 — Admin Center mail flow rule (recommended for organizations). Works for shared mailboxes and any user.

1. Go to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center at admin.microsoft.com.

2. Navigate to Admin centers → Exchange → Mail flow → Rules.

3. Click + Add a rule → Create a new rule. Name it (e.g. "Forward to Sparrow Intel").

4. Under Apply this rule if, select The recipient is and choose your support mailbox.

5. Under Do the following, select Redirect the message to and enter your Sparrow Intel inbound address (ends in @inbound.seesparrow.com).

6. (Optional) To keep a copy in the original mailbox, add another action: Bcc the message to the original mailbox.

7. Click Next, configure exceptions if needed, then Finish.

Option 2 — Outlook on the web (individual mailbox).

1. Sign in at outlook.office.com → Settings (gear) → View all Outlook settings.

2. Go to Mail → Forwarding.

3. Check Enable forwarding and enter your Sparrow Intel inbound address.

4. (Optional) Check Keep a copy of forwarded messages.

5. Click Save.

⚠️ Some organizations disable user-controlled forwarding. If you don't see the option, use Option 1 (admin mail flow rule) or contact your IT administrator.

Outbound — sending from your domain

For Sparrow Intel to send email as your domain, you add a small set of DNS records. The Email Domain Management page generates them for you under DNS Configuration → DNS Records for yourcompany.com. Each row has copy buttons for the Name and Value.

You'll see three records:

Add all three at your DNS provider, exactly as shown. The mechanics vary slightly by provider:

GoDaddy

1. Go to your GoDaddy products, pick your domain, and click DNS.

2. Click Add, then for each record set Type, Name (paste the Name from Sparrow Intel), and Value/Content (paste the Value).

3. Save each entry and repeat for all three records.

Namecheap

1. Open your domain and click Manage → Advanced DNS.

2. Under Host records, click Add new record.

3. For each record set Type, Host (paste the Name), and Value (paste the Value).

4. Click Save all changes.

Other providers (Cloudflare, registrar-managed DNS, etc.)

The principle is identical everywhere: create each record with the Type, Name/Host, and Value exactly as Sparrow Intel shows them. Use the copy buttons to avoid transcription errors.

⚠️ Add every record exactly as shown. A single altered character on the DKIM or SPF record will cause verification to fail.

Step 2 — Verify

DNS changes don't take effect instantly. Propagation can take up to 48 hours, though it's often much faster.

Once the records are in place:

1. Return to Email Domain Management.

2. On the domain card, click Verify Domain (it becomes Re-verify Domain afterward — use it any time to re-check).

3. Use Refresh to pull the latest DNS check.

The status will move through:

• Awaiting Verification — DNS records not yet detected

• Verification Failed — records found but incorrect; double-check Name/Value for each

• Verified — "Domain is ready to send emails." You're done.

When the domain shows Verified, outbound replies you send from a conversation will go out from your domain address, and forwarded inbound mail will land in your Conversations inbox like any other channel.

Removing a domain

To stop using a custom domain, open its card under Configured Domains and click Remove Domain. You can also clean up the DNS records at your provider afterward; leaving them in place is harmless but unused.

Where this fits

Custom domain email is the "Email integration set up" line on the Admin Setup Checklist & Tuning for High-Volume Operations checklist. Once it's verified, email behaves exactly like any other channel — the same triage, AI suggestions, templates, rules, and Autopilot all apply.

Related

• Getting Started — PMS connection guides

• Add an Additional User