Inanis_Vault/50-Work/BCW/Maileroo Setup.md

Goal

Set up transactional email for each client’s WordPress site using Maileroo, while keeping every client isolated from the others.

This document is written for a website agency that manages multiple client domains and wants a repeatable, low-friction workflow.

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Recommended Structure

Use this hierarchy for every client:

• One Maileroo account for the agency.
• One Maileroo Application per client.
• One verified sending domain per client.
• One sender/API key per client.
• One WordPress mail connection per site.

This keeps Company A’s site separated from Company B’s site, so credentials and authorized domains do not overlap.

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Why This Works

Maileroo describes Applications as separate, self-contained sending environments. Each application can be restricted to its own authorized domains, which is the main isolation layer you want for client work.

Maileroo also says agencies can add an unlimited number of domains, and each domain gets its own sender key, which makes it practical to manage many clients from one account.

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Step-by-Step Setup

1. Create the client record internally

Before touching Maileroo, make a small internal record for each company:

• Company name.
• Website URL.
• Sending domain, usually the main domain or a subdomain like mg.client.com.
• From address, such as noreply@client.com or website@client.com.
• Destination address for form notifications, such as hello@client.com.

This gives you a clean source of truth for setup and handoff.

2. Create a Maileroo Application for that client

In Maileroo, create a new Application named after the client, for example:

• Acme Plumbing
• Acme Plumbing - Website
• Acme Plumbing - Production

Use one application per client so each site has its own sending environment.

3. Add and verify the client’s domain

Add the client’s sending domain in Maileroo and complete DNS verification.

Recommended DNS records:

• SPF.
• DKIM.
• DMARC.

If possible, use a subdomain for sending, such as:

• mail.client.com
• mg.client.com
• tx.client.com

This keeps transactional email separate from the client’s main mailbox setup.

4. Restrict the Application to that client’s domain only

This is the key isolation step.

Set the application’s authorized domains to only that client’s domain. If you leave the authorized-domain list blank, Maileroo can allow sending from any verified domain in the account, which is not what you want for agency isolation.

For example, Acme Plumbing’s application should only allow:

• acmeplumbing.com, or
• mg.acmeplumbing.com

5. Create that client’s sending credentials

Generate a sender key or API credentials for that client/domain.

Best practice:

• One credential set per client/site.
• Store credentials in your password manager.
• Name them clearly, such as Acme Plumbing - WP Production.

Do not reuse the same key across multiple clients.

6. Connect WordPress using API if possible

For WordPress, use a plugin that supports Maileroo.

Preferred order:

1. Maileroo API.
2. Maileroo SMTP.
3. Avoid host SMTP.

API-based delivery is the cleanest option because it reduces the setup friction that often happens with server SMTP.

7. Set the From address correctly

Use a real address on the authenticated client domain, such as:

• website@client.com
• noreply@client.com
• forms@client.com

Do not use a Gmail address or an address from another domain.

For form notifications, keep the actual From address authenticated, and use Reply-To for the visitor’s submitted email if needed.

8. Send a test email before wiring the contact form

Before connecting the form plugin, send a plain WordPress test email.

Test it to:

• Your agency inbox.
• The client inbox.
• A Gmail address.
• An Outlook or Microsoft 365 address.

This catches authentication problems early.

9. Connect the contact form

Once mail delivery is working, build the contact form in WordPress using Contact Form 7, WPForms, or another form plugin.

The form should:

• Send notifications to the client’s chosen inbox.
• Use the authenticated domain as the From address.
• Use Reply-To for the visitor’s email if needed.

10. Document everything

Save the following for each client:

• Maileroo Application name.
• Verified domain.
• DNS records added.
• Sender/API key name.
• WordPress plugin used.
• From address.
• Notification recipient.
• Date tested.
• Who owns DNS access.

This is what makes the setup repeatable later.

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Isolation Rules

Use these rules on every client:

• One Application per client.
• Authorized domains set explicitly.
• One credential set per client/site.
• Never reuse API keys across clients.
• Use separate From addresses per client.
• Keep credentials in a shared password manager grouped by client.
• Rotate keys when a site is rebuilt, migrated, or handed off.

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Suggested Naming Convention

A simple naming system helps a lot:

• Application: Client Name - Website - Prod
• Domain: mg.clientdomain.com
• From address: website@clientdomain.com
• Key: Client Name - WP Mail - Prod

Use the same pattern for every client so the setup stays easy to audit.

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Internal SOP

Here is the shortest version of the workflow:

1. Create a Maileroo Application for the client.
2. Add the client sending domain and verify SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
3. Restrict the Application to that authorized domain only.
4. Generate that client’s sender/API key.
5. Install Post SMTP or the Maileroo plugin on WordPress.
6. Connect via Maileroo API first, SMTP second.
7. Set the From address on the same authenticated domain.
8. Send test emails.
9. Hook up the form plugin.
10. Save all setup details in your internal client record.

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Important Caveat

New Maileroo accounts may begin in Test Mode, where sending is limited until the required production steps are completed, including adding a domain. Make sure your agency’s main account is fully production-ready before onboarding multiple clients.

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Practical Recommendation

If you are standardizing this for an agency, use this as the default model:

• One agency Maileroo account.
• One Maileroo Application per client.
• One verified sending domain per client.
• One API key per client.
• One WordPress mail configuration per site.
• Separate credentials, separate domains, no sharing.

That gives you a clean, low-volume, low-maintenance system for many client sites.