Use your own domain for the portal

You can run your client portal on a domain you own, for example portal.yourcompany.mk, so your clients never see a Bilify address. The setup has three parts: add the domain in Bilify, create two DNS records at the company that hosts your domain's DNS, then switch the portal to the new domain once Bilify has verified it.

Plan for some waiting time. DNS changes usually show up within minutes to a few hours, depending on your provider.

Step 1: Add the domain in Bilify#

Custom domains are managed in their own card at the bottom of Settings, Portal.

Type the domain your clients will open, for example portal.yourcompany.mk.

Click Add domain. Bilify then shows the exact DNS records to create at your domain provider.

Only after the domain shows Active, switch Portal mode to Your own domain and save.

Next

Done

That is everything. You can replay it any time.

Start over

1. Custom domains are managed in their own card at the bottom of Settings, Portal.

2. Type the domain your clients will open, for example portal.yourcompany.mk.

3. Click Add domain. Bilify then shows the exact DNS records to create at your domain provider.

4. Only after the domain shows Active, switch Portal mode to Your own domain and save.

1. Step 1: Custom domains are managed in their own card at the bottom of Settings, Portal.
2. Step 2: Type the domain your clients will open, for example portal.yourcompany.mk.
3. Step 3: Click Add domain. Bilify then shows the exact DNS records to create at your domain provider.
4. Step 4: Only after the domain shows Active, switch Portal mode to Your own domain and save.

1. Open Settings > Portal and scroll to the Custom domain card.
2. Type the domain in the Add domain field, for example portal.yourcompany.mk. Do not include https:// or a trailing slash.
3. Click Add domain.

The card now shows your domain with the status Pending DNS, and a DNS records panel with the exact records to create. Each value has a Copy button. A company can have one custom domain at a time.

Adding a domain needs a package that includes custom domains. Bilify checks this when you add the domain too, so the domain is refused on any other package.

Step 2: Create the DNS records#

Bilify shows one of two record sets, depending on the domain you entered.

A subdomain (recommended), for example portal.yourcompany.mk#

A root domain, for example yourcompany.mk#

A root domain cannot have a CNAME record, so Bilify asks for an A record instead.

If the value of the A record is empty in the panel, root domains cannot be verified on Bilify yet. Remove the domain and use a subdomain instead.

The Host field at your provider#

Most DNS panels add your domain to the host automatically. If yours does, enter only the part in front of your domain:

A common mistake is entering the full name in a panel that adds the domain again, which creates portal.yourcompany.mk.yourcompany.mk. After saving, check how the record is listed.

Instructions per DNS provider#

Records are edited wherever your domain's nameservers point, which is not always the company you bought the domain from. If you moved DNS to Cloudflare or to your hosting company, add the records there.

.mk domains (MARnet)#

MARnet runs the .mk registry, but you do not edit DNS records at MARnet itself. A .mk domain is registered through an accredited registrar, and its DNS zone is hosted either by that registrar or by the provider whose nameservers the domain uses (often your web hosting company).

1. Find out where your DNS is hosted: look up the domain's nameservers in the WHOIS lookup on the MARnet website, or ask your registrar.
2. Sign in to that provider's control panel and open the DNS zone for your domain. It is usually called DNS management, DNS zone editor or similar.
3. Add the CNAME (or A) record and the TXT record from the Bilify panel, using the Host rules above.
4. Save the zone.

If your registrar only offers DNS changes by email or support ticket, send them the records exactly as shown in the panel, including the full _bilify-verify host name.

Cloudflare#

1. Sign in to the Cloudflare dashboard and select your domain.
2. Go to DNS > Records and click Add record.
3. For the CNAME: choose type CNAME, enter portal as the name and the Bilify app domain as the target. Set Proxy status to DNS only (grey cloud).
4. Click Save, then Add record again.
5. For the TXT: choose type TXT, enter _bilify-verify.portal as the name and paste the verification code as the content. Save.

Any other registrar or hosting panel#

1. Sign in where your DNS is hosted and open the DNS settings for the domain. Look for names like DNS management, DNS zone, Advanced DNS or Name server records.
2. Add a new record of type CNAME (A for a root domain) with the host and value from the Bilify panel.
3. Add a new record of type TXT with the _bilify-verify host and the verification code.
4. Leave TTL at its default, or pick the lowest value offered to speed up changes.
5. Save. Do not add quotation marks around the TXT value unless the panel asks for them.

One-click setup with Domain Connect#

Step 3: Wait for verification#

Bilify checks your DNS automatically every 15 minutes. To check right away, click Verify now (you can do this at any time, whatever the status) in the Custom domain card, wait a minute and reload the page. Under the domain you see Last checked and, once it succeeds, Verified.

Both records must be found: the CNAME pointing at the Bilify app domain (or the A record pointing at the Bilify IP) and the TXT record containing your verification code.

You can check your records yourself with any online DNS lookup tool: search for the CNAME of portal.yourcompany.mk and the TXT of _bilify-verify.portal.yourcompany.mk.

Step 4: Switch the portal to your domain#

Only when the status is Active:

1. In the Access mode card, set Portal mode to Your own domain.
2. Click Save.
3. Your portal is live at now shows your domain. Open it to check.

If the domain stops working#

When the portal runs on your domain and the domain is disabled by Bilify or fails a later verification, Bilify moves the portal automatically to your subdomain address if your package includes subdomains, otherwise to the path address (the Bilify address followed by /portal/your-address). Links your clients have on the custom domain stop working until a domain is Active again. Fix the records, wait for Active, then switch Portal mode back to Your own domain.

HTTPS#

You do not need to buy or upload a certificate. Once the domain is Active, Bilify requests an HTTPS certificate for it automatically the first time it is opened. The very first visit can take a few seconds longer while the certificate is issued.

Remove the domain#

1. In the Custom domain card, click Remove domain and confirm.
2. Delete the CNAME (or A) and TXT records at your DNS provider.

If the portal was running on the domain, Bilify moves it automatically to your subdomain address if your package includes subdomains, otherwise to the path address, and shows which one it now uses. Links your clients have on the custom domain stop working.

You can add a domain again later, the same one or a different one, with Add domain. It goes through the DNS check again, and you switch Portal mode back once it is Active. If you only need to fix the DNS records, keep the domain and fix them at your provider.