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✉️ Email Delivery

Documentation, reference material and tutorials for CRM-NG SMTP Email: setup guides for every mail service, troubleshooting, and one article per error message.

SparkPost

Updated

By Duane GarnerChief Executive Officer (CEO)
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Connect CRM-NG SMTP to SparkPost with an API key that can send transmissions, the right US or EU region, and a verified sending domain.

This guide shows you how to send your WordPress email through SparkPost, a high-volume email service used by large senders. It suits busy sites and businesses that want detailed analytics. SparkPost has offered a free test account with a small monthly allowance; check its site for the current terms. The company is now part of Bird, so you may see that name in places.

The SparkPost mailer sends through SparkPost's API with an API key. SparkPost runs separate US and EU platforms, and your key only works on the one where your account lives.

Before you start

  • A SparkPost account. Note whether you signed up at app.sparkpost.com (US) or app.eu.sparkpost.com (EU).
  • A domain you control, with access to its DNS records.
  • Administrator access to your WordPress site.

Step 1: Add and verify your sending domain

  1. Sign in to SparkPost

    Go to https://app.sparkpost.com/ (or https://app.eu.sparkpost.com/ for EU accounts) and sign in.

  2. Open Domains

    Open Configuration → Domains (older layouts call it Sending Domains) and choose Add a Domain.

  3. Add your domain

    Enter the domain you send from and choose to use it for sending.

  4. Publish the DKIM record

    SparkPost shows a TXT record for DKIM. Add it at your DNS provider and press the verify button.

  5. Add a bounce domain (optional)

    SparkPost can also give you a CNAME for a bounce domain, which aligns SPF with your domain. Add it if you want stronger DMARC results.

Need help? See Adding DNS records.

Step 2: Create an API key

  1. Open API Keys

    Open Configuration → API Keys (the plugin's Get API Key link opens the page for the region you select) and choose New API Key or Create API Key.

  2. Name it

    Use a name that identifies the site.

  3. Set permissions

    Choose to select permissions yourself and tick Transmissions: Read/Write. That is the only permission the site needs.

  4. Copy the key

    Create the key and copy it now. SparkPost shows it once.

Step 3: Connect in CRM-NG SMTP

  1. Choose the mailer

    In WordPress, open CRM-NG SMTP → Settings → General and set Mailer to SparkPost.

  2. Paste the key

    Paste the key into API Key.

  3. Pick the region

    Under Region, choose US or EU to match the SparkPost site you signed up on.

  4. Set the sender

    Set From Email to an address on your verified domain and set From Name. Tick Force From Email so other plugins cannot send from an unverified domain.

  5. Save

    Press Save Settings.

Send a test email

Open CRM-NG SMTP → Tools → Email Test, enter your address in Send To, and press Send Email. In SparkPost, the events or message search page shows whether the message was delivered. See Sending a test email.

The test page's domain check looks for sparkpostmail.com in your SPF record. If you set up a bounce domain, SparkPost handles SPF through it, so make sure DKIM and DMARC pass. See Adding DNS records.

Troubleshooting

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