Custom URL

This article outlines how to create a custom URL.

What is it?

A unique brand name that distinguishes your Happeo is known as a Custom URL. Custom URLs are shown in the browser's address bar. 

On the other hand, a custom login page is a variation of Happeo's login page that can be tailored to reflect your brand. It can also be used for seasonal themes and campaigns like International Women’s Day. For more information about custom login pages, please see this article.

How to reserve a domain

For you to be able to use a custom domain, you will need to register the URL. After this has happened, you can move forward in this process. 

To learn how to reserve a domain, please refer to this article from Hubspot.

How to create a Custom URL

To create a Custom URL, you must first and foremost be an Admin. Then:

1. Visit the Admin Panel by clicking your avatar and then Admin Settings
2. Click Branding from the menu on the left
3. Click Custom URL
4. Here, you can type in the custom login URL you reserved to use for Happeo
   1. To set up a Custom URL, it is advisable to have someone with adequate knowledge of domain settings and DNS configurations. Typically, this person would be from your IT department or a similar area. Before proceeding with the setup, please ensure the domain you intend to use is registered. It is worth noting that altering your domain will also change the links generated within your Happeo instance. Hence, it is recommended to establish your Custom URL before creating any content on Happeo
      1. Click Confirm to enter the Custom URL
   2. Happeo verifies if the domain you entered is in a valid format
   3. A message stating “Domain name is invalid” will appear if the format is invalid
      1. A domain name consists of one or more labels, each formed from the set of ASCII letters, digits, and hyphens (a-z, A-Z, 0–9, -), but not starting or ending with a hyphen. The labels are case-insensitive
5. Click Continue

Next, you will be requested to complete the technical setup for the custom login URL to enable us to complete the domain mapping on the Happeo side.

1. After entering the Custom URL, you can find the TXT, A, and AAAA data from the list that becomes visible. Copy this data to the DNS configuration for the domain name you inputted in your domain provider settings. This typically requires your IT team or whoever has access to the domain hosting for the custom login URL to complete
2. Check the box to confirm that you have entered the data in the previous step correctly
3. Click Verify Custom URL to complete the process

Process of domain mapping

Once you have completed the process of verifying your domain, domain mapping will take place. A message stating “Domain mapping in progress” will appear.

If the domain mapping is successful, a message will be indicated in the Domain tab stating that the domain has been connected successfully.

The certificate failed to be issued

If the certificate fails to be issued within 48 hours, you may receive a message stating, “The DNS settings need to be modified to allow the COA to be issued. Updating your COA at the DNS level by Google will guide you through this process.” 

You will receive a link in the message where you can update your COA at the DNS level.

The domain verification failed

Another failure message includes “Domain verification failed.” You may receive this error after 48 hours. The reason why you might receive this error is because:

• The TXT record is not added to the DNS settings for the Custom Login URL
  • Confirm that the TXT record matches the one provided in Happeo and that the TXT is publicly available
    • One tool you can use to verify the A records and TXT records are publicly available is mxtoolbox.com
  • The domain verification fails when you do not input the correct TXT record in your DNS system or never add it
• A bug on Happeo’s end. Please contact our Support Team

DNSSEC interference with Domain Verification and Certificate Generation

Please note that domain verification and certificate generation might fail if DNS records are unavailable to Google Cloud. 

DNSSEC, a security feature, can sometimes interfere with this process. To check if DNSSEC is enabled, look for DS records on your subdomain or root domain. If found, consult your domain registrar for instructions on disabling DNSSEC temporarily while setting up your custom domain. 

Remove a domain

To remove a domain, go to:

1. Admin settings
2. Branding
3. Domain
4. Click Remove Custom URL
5. Notify our Support Team that the domain will be removed. Your IT team will also want to remove the A records and TXT records from your DNS settings

FAQ

Will links be automatically updated when I change the custom URL?

When you change your environment’s custom URL, some links within Happeo automatically update with the new custom URL, while others don't. This can lead to broken links.

• Links that automatically get updated are typically links that don't have a "/" after "app.happeo.com"
• Therefore, links that need to be manually updated are links that include one or more "/" characters, such as links to specific Channels or Pages within Happeo
  • e.g., app.happeo.com/pages/1g7kiari41k3rn4qfg/Mountains/