Email Deliverability Methods: Default, SPF/DKIM, and SMTP Relay
Learn how VZO sends emails on behalf of your institution. This article explains the three email deliverability methods—Default, SPF/DKIM, and SMTP Relay—so you can choose the setup that works best for your institution.
1. Default Method
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From Address:
do-not-reply@visualzen.com -
Reply-To Address: Institution’s email address
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Setup Required: None
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Best For: Fastest implementation; no DNS or mail server configuration
2. SPF/DKIM Setup
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From Address: Institution’s domain (e.g.,
noreply@institution.edu) -
Reply-To Address: Institution’s email address
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Setup Required:
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SPF record and DKIM key provided by VZ
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Institution’s IT team updates DNS with these values
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Your institution’s implementation team tests the configuration
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Best For: Institutions that want emails to appear directly from their own domain without routing through their own mail server
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Key Difference: Authenticates VZ servers through DNS records (SPF/DKIM)
👉 See the full guide to SPF & DKIM setup
3. SMTP Relay Setup
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From Address: Institution’s domain (e.g.,
noreply@institution.edu) -
Reply-To Address: Institution’s email address
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Setup Required:
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Institution’s IT team provides SMTP relay credentials
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VZ configures VZO to send through the institution’s SMTP server
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Your institution’s implementation team tests the configuration
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Best For: Institutions that want emails to appear directly from their own domain while routing all mail through their own mail server
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Key Difference: Uses the institution’s SMTP relay server for all outbound mail
Next Step
Which email deliverability method works best for your institution?