# Set up support email

> Check mailbox access, sender permission and email domain records.

Canonical: https://gosummer.ai/docs/support-email
Publisher: Summer

Use this guide to check a support address before Summer reads messages or sends replies.
You need access to your mail provider and the help desk you want to connect.

## What works today

Summer has credential setup and an account check for Intercom.
The account check identifies the connected workspace. It does not test inbox access or replies.
Other help desks need a configured API connection or an authorized browser workflow.
See [help-desk connections](https://gosummer.ai/docs/help-desk-connections).

Summer has no direct Gmail or Outlook mailbox connector in its API, CLI or MCP.
It also has no commands to configure email DNS records.
Its help-center DNS commands configure website addresses, not email.

A saved credential or custom integration does not establish a working email connection.
Check reading and sending separately before you use the connection for customer support.

Website chat stays in the widget. Visitors can leave contact details for later follow-up.
Saving those details does not send an email.

## Check the address and mailbox

Choose the support address and the teammate who manages it.
Check whether it is a mailbox, alias or shared inbox.
Confirm where incoming messages arrive and which account can reply from that address.
A published address or domain record does not prove that the mailbox exists.

Use the company's existing mail provider when possible.
Use the provider's sign-in flow when the connection supports it.
For a connection that needs credentials, use Summer's local CLI to store them in Summer.
Keep secret values out of chat, guides, MCP arguments and test reports.

## Check the domain records

Read the current DNS records before changing them.
Use the mail provider's current instructions for the selected domain.

- MX records route incoming mail to the provider.
- SPF lists the services that may send mail for the domain.
- DKIM adds a signature so receiving services can check outgoing mail. Use the provider's key and record name.
- DMARC checks whether the From address domain matches a domain authenticated by SPF or DKIM. It tells receiving services how to handle failures.

Keep existing mail routes and authorized senders when adding another support address.
Check the records for the actual sender domain, including any help-desk sending service.
DNS setup does not grant Summer access to read a mailbox or send replies.

For Google Workspace, use Google's [MX](https://support.google.com/a/answer/6156494),
[SPF](https://support.google.com/a/answer/33786),
[DKIM](https://support.google.com/a/answer/174124) and
[DMARC rollout](https://support.google.com/a/answer/10032473) instructions.

## Verify reading and sending separately

Use a test address you control and made-up customer details.
Your team's reply and approval rules still apply.

1. Send a test message to the support address. Confirm that it reaches the intended inbox.
2. Confirm that Summer can read its sender, recipients, subject, time, body and relevant attachments.
3. Compare the latest message and conversation link with the original inbox.
4. Confirm that the connected account can send as the chosen support address.
5. Send an authorized test reply through the connection.
6. Check that the test address receives one reply from the support address in the same conversation.
7. Ask your mail administrator to check SPF, DKIM and DMARC results in the received message headers.
8. Check that a repeated request does not send a duplicate reply.
9. Check that a teammate can take over and stop automatic replies.

Record the reading, sending and DNS results separately in Company setup, under **What Summer can do**.
Include the test time and original message references. Mark any untested step as incomplete.
Keep a live website conversation in chat unless the visitor wants email follow-up.