This guide explains the difference between an alias domain and a secondary domain and how to use CloudM Signatures to assign specific signatures based on which secondary domain a user sends an email from.
This feature is useful for companies with multiple brands or legacy domain names.
1. What are Alias and Secondary Domains in Google Workspace?
In Google Workspace, there are two ways to manage multiple domains for your organization:
- Secondary Domain: This is a full, separate domain with its own set of users. You can add users to this domain or give existing users an email address on the secondary domain. This is commonly used for sub-brands or subsidiary companies that operate independently.
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Alias Domain: This is a simpler way to manage a secondary name for your primary domain. All users on your primary domain (
@yourcompany.com) automatically receive an email address for the alias domain (@yourbrand.com). Both addresses point to the same user mailbox. This is often used for rebranding or catching legacy email addresses.
A key feature is that both domain types allow for "send-as" addresses. A user can choose which address to send from, and any email sent to either the primary, alias, or secondary address will arrive in their primary Google Workspace inbox.
Important Limitation: CloudM Signatures does not support signatures for domain alias send-as aliases. CloudM Signatures can currently only be applied to emails sent from primary addresses, secondary domain send-as aliases and Google Group send-as aliases.
2. How CloudM Manages Secondary Domain Signatures
CloudM allows you to assign specific email signatures that are displayed based on the secondary domain of the "send-as" address. This ensures brand consistency for users who communicate from different domains.
For example, a user's primary email address might use a signature with your company's main logo, while a secondary domain email address uses a different signature with a sub-brand's logo.
CloudM Signatures can be assigned at three levels, following a clear hierarchy. A signature assigned at a lower, more specific level will always override a signature from a higher, broader level.
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Root OU/Domain: A signature assigned at this level serves as the default for all users in the organization.
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Organizational Units (OUs): A signature assigned to a specific OU will override the Root OU signature for all users within that OU.
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CloudM Smart Teams: A signature assigned to a Smart Team is the highest level of priority and will override any OU signature. Because users can be members of more than one Smart Team, you can modify the order of the Smart Teams list to ensure the correct signature is applied.
3. Assigning a Signature to a Secondary Domain
This process explains how to assign a default email signature to a secondary domain.
Note: A signature assigned to a domain will apply to all emails sent from that secondary domain (e.g.,
@seconddomain.io), unless a different signature is assigned at the OU or Smart Team level.
3.1. Navigate to Signature Management
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From the Navigation Menu, select Signatures Email Signature Management.
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Find and select the OU or Smart Team you wish to configure.
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The Root OU is at the very top of the list and is marked with a building icon.
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3.2. Enable Signature Sync
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For an OU:
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Enable or disable Inherit signature from parent to choose whether to use the parent OU's signature.
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Enable Signature Sync Active to sync changes to users.
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For a Smart Team:
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Ensure the Enabled option is active.
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3.3. Select the Domain
- In the Default signature tab.
- Click on the Select an email drop-down and choose the secondary domain:
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You will see the primary domain listed first, followed by all (verified) secondary domains you have configured.
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This is the crucial step that connects the signature to the domain, not just the user.
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3.4. Select and Save the Signature
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Under the Currently selected signature tab, click Select signature to choose the assigned signature.
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Click +Add to confirm your changes.
- Click Save changes.
The selected signature will now be applied automatically whenever a user sends an email from an alias address within that domain.