Custom Domain Mapping
You can use your own custom domain for the customer portal. This custom domain makes the portal’s URL match your brand’s website URL, making it easier for the customers to find and remember. It also enhances your brand’s visibility and gives the customer a smoother experience.
Scenario: Patricia runs a company called Zylker with the website domain https://zylker.com. By mapping a custom domain, her customers can access their customer portal at https://books.zylker.com/portal instead of the default https://books.zoho.com/portal. This helps her provide a consistent brand experience by using her own domain for the customer portal.
IN THIS PAGE…
Map a Custom Domain to Zoho Books
Prerequisites:
- You must be subscribed to the Premium plan or higher. Check the pricing page for more details.
- You must own a domain.
To map a custom domain, you need to add a CNAME record on your customer domain provider’s website (for example, GoDaddy) and then verify your domain name in Zoho Books:
- Log in to your domain provider’s website.
- Add a CNAME record with the provided Host Name and CNAME details.
Now, you will have to verify your domain in Zoho Books. Here’s how:
- Log in to your Zoho Books account.
- Go to Settings.
- Select Custom Domain under Organization.
- Click Map Custom Domain to start mapping your custom domain name.
- In the pop-up, read the instructions under Domain Mapping and click Ok, Got it.
- Enter your custom domain name in the Enter your custom domain name field, and click Next. For example, if your custom domain is books.zylker.com, then your domain is zylker.com and the host name of your subdomain is Books.
- Go to your domain provider’s DNS Management page, create the CNAME record, and then click Submit and Verify.
Note: You won’t be able to verify your custom domain name until it updates on the DNS server, which can take some time depending on your custom domain provider’s TTL (Time to Live) settings. If you need further assistance with adding a CNAME record, you can contact your domain name provider’s support team.
Auto-Installation of SSL Certificates for the Custom Domain
SSL Certificates enable websites to use HTTPS, making them more secure. They establish a safe connection between your web server and a user’s browser. Installing a SSL Certificate on your custom domain will prevent access errors for your customers.
Once your domain name is verified, we’ll begin installing a multi-domain SSL Certificate for your custom domain which typically takes 3-5 business days. SSL Certificates enable websites to use HTTPS, making them more secure. They establish a safe connection between your web server and a user’s browser, preventing access errors for your customers.
Once it is installed, you can access the customer portal with your custom domain name. You’ll be notified via email when the SSL Certificate is installed.
Disable the Custom Domain
To disable your custom domain:
- Go to Settings.
- Select Custom Domain under Organization.
- Click Disable.
- In the pop-up, check the box Yes, I want to disable my custom domain, and click Disable to confirm.
Now, your custom domain will be disabled, and your customers will have to access their portal using the default domain https://books.zoho.com/portal.
Note: Once a custom domain is disabled, click Re-enable to enable it again.
Delete the Custom Domain
If your custom domain is expired or you no longer use it, you can delete it and allow your customers to access the customer portal using the default domain.
Prerequisites:
- Custom Domain must be disabled.
- Delete the CNAME record from your custom domain name provider’s website.
Warning: After removing the custom domain, your customers will no longer be able to access the portal through the custom domain and will need to use the default Zoho Books domain: https://books.zoho.com/portal. Any existing transaction links using the custom domain will stop working and won’t redirect to the customer portal.
To delete a custom domain:
- Go to Settings.
- Select Custom Domain under Organization.
- Click Delete next to the custom domain name.
- In the pop-up, check Yes, I want to delete my custom domain permanently, and click Delete to confirm.
Now, your custom domain will be permanently deleted in Zoho Books.