How to Set Up Business Email on Your Own Domain

Last checked: 13 August 2026.

A business email address uses your own domain, such as name@yourcompany.co.uk, instead of a personal Gmail or Outlook address. The visible address is the easy part. A dependable setup also needs the right provider, working DNS records, protected administrator accounts and a tested migration plan.

This checklist covers the decisions and checks that matter. It does not include copy-and-paste DNS values because those are generated for your particular domain and provider.

1. Confirm who controls the domain

Before buying an email service, confirm that the business can sign in to the domain registrar and DNS provider. They may be different companies.

• Record the registrar, renewal date and account owner.
• Use an email address the business controls for account recovery.
• Turn on multi-factor authentication for the registrar and DNS account.
• Store recovery codes somewhere protected and accessible to an authorised person.
• Do not make DNS changes until every existing email sender is understood.

Losing control of the domain can affect the website and every company mailbox, so it should not depend on a former employee or an unknown web developer.

2. Choose the email platform around the way the team works

The two common choices for a small UK business are Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.

• Microsoft 365 is often a good fit when staff rely on Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, OneDrive or shared mailboxes.
• Google Workspace often suits browser-first teams that prefer Gmail, Drive, Docs and Meet.

Check storage, desktop applications, shared-mailbox needs, security controls, mobile devices and the cost of migration. Our Google Workspace versus Microsoft 365 guide compares those decisions using current UK plans.

Avoid choosing a provider because it is bundled cheaply with a domain. Moving mail later can cost more than selecting the right platform at the start.

3. Plan the addresses before changing mail flow

List every person, shared address and automated sender that uses the domain.

• Named users such as alex@yourcompany.co.uk.
• Shared addresses such as accounts@, support@ and info@.
• Aliases that deliver to an existing mailbox.
• Website forms, scanners, CRM systems, accounting tools and newsletters.
• Former staff whose mail or files must be retained.

Create and license the required users before changing the MX record. Microsoft specifically recommends preparing mailboxes first so messages do not arrive at a service with no matching recipient.

4. Add the domain and its DNS records

The email provider first asks you to prove that you own the domain, normally with a DNS TXT record. It then provides the records needed for mail and related services.

MX records

MX records tell other mail systems where to deliver messages for your domain. When the MX record changes, new mail starts going to the new provider. Do not change it until the new mailboxes and migration route are ready.

SPF

SPF lists the systems authorised to send mail for the domain. A domain should have one SPF record containing all legitimate senders, not several competing SPF records. Website forms and marketing platforms may need to be included.

DKIM

DKIM adds a digital signature to outgoing mail. It helps receiving systems confirm that a message is associated with the sending domain and has not been altered in transit.

DMARC

DMARC checks alignment with SPF or DKIM and tells receiving systems what to do when authentication fails. Start with monitoring, review legitimate senders, then move towards quarantine or rejection. Applying a strict policy before identifying every sender can block genuine mail.

Microsoft explains how SPF, DKIM and DMARC work together. Google also recommends configuring all three for a Workspace domain in its SPF setup guidance.

5. Protect accounts before staff start using them

• Require multi-factor authentication for every user.
• Keep administrator accounts separate from ordinary email use.
• Give people only the permissions they need.
• Set recovery methods that the organisation can maintain.
• Review external forwarding and mailbox rules.
• Document the process for starters, leavers and lost devices.

Antivirus software and a firewall do not replace email authentication, and they should not be disabled as a routine email troubleshooting step.

6. Migrate old mail without losing access

The safest route depends on the old provider, mailbox count and amount of data. A small IMAP mailbox, an Exchange tenant and a Google Workspace account require different migration methods.

Before the cutover:

1. Confirm the source and destination mailbox list.
2. Back up important mail, contacts and calendars.
3. Run a pilot migration for one non-critical account.
4. Tell staff when passwords or applications will change.
5. Plan how Outlook, phones and tablets will be reconfigured.
6. Keep the old service available until the new mail flow and historic data are checked.

7. Test the setup from outside the business

Do more than send a message to yourself. Test:

• inbound and outbound mail with an unrelated external address;
• replies, attachments, aliases and shared addresses;
• Outlook or Gmail on desktop and mobile;
• calendar invitations and shared calendars;
• website forms, scanners and third-party services;
• SPF, DKIM and DMARC results in the message headers;
• access for an ordinary user without administrator rights.

DNS updates can take time to appear across the internet. Check the provider's status page and DNS records before changing unrelated security software.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a website to use business email?

No. You need a domain and an email provider. The same domain can be used for a website later.

Can I use a domain I already own?

Yes, provided the business can verify ownership and update its DNS records.

How long does setup take?

A new single-user domain can be quick, but a safe migration takes longer. Mailbox size, old-provider access, DNS, third-party senders and the number of devices all affect the work. Do not promise a fixed cutover time before checking them.

Does Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace back up everything?

Both services provide resilience and retention features, but those are not the same as an independent backup chosen around the business's recovery needs. Decide what must be recoverable, for how long and by whom.

Need the setup handled for you?

Verge Tech Solutions provides business email setup and support, Microsoft 365 support and Google Workspace setup for small businesses across London, Berkshire and Surrey.

We can check the domain, prepare users, configure the supplied DNS records, migrate existing mail and test the finished setup. Tell us what you use now and where you want to move.

Sources

• Microsoft Learn: set up Microsoft 365 with a domain
• Microsoft Learn: add a custom domain
• Microsoft Learn: email authentication
• Google Workspace Admin Help: set up MX records
• Google Workspace Admin Help: set up SPF