How to Set Up a Custom Domain

Most of the Bidsketch plans offer the feature of setting up a custom domain that allows your clients to be routed to a URL of your choice. It's basically a nickname for your proposals and is a great branding feature. You can set up a custom domain by following these steps:

1. Log in to your account
2. Go to the Account settings page (in the top-right corner of your main dashboard):

3. Under the General tab, on the left, next to Custom Domain, click the link that says “Set one up right now!":

4. Set your custom domain by creating a CNAME for your DNS. This basically means you're creating an alternative domain name that will be routed to your Bidsketch proposal URL. For example, let's say your company name is ABC Designs, and your Bidsketch domain URL is: abcdesigns.bidsketch.com. You can rename the domain to say something like: proposals.abcdesigns.com
5. Once you choose a CNAME, click the “save" button
6. Go to your host site and set up the custom domain according to the instructions given on the Bidsketch page. Make sure you assign “cname.bidsketch.com." Each hosting company does it a little differently, but most are very good about assisting with custom domains.

7. Once you have set up your DNS, come back to the Bidsketch page and click the “verify" button

There are a few things that can come up once this process is complete. 

1. If the CNAME data “cname.bidsketch.com" is entered incorrectly, the system won't route to your custom domain. Double check to make sure you've entered it correctly before moving forward.

2. Depending on the host company, it can take up to a few hours for the settings to take place. If your custom domain doesn't work right away, don't worry; check it again in a few hours and it should be up and running.

3. Sometimes the DNS settings aren't correctly set with the host company. If the previous two issues are okay and you're still having trouble, we recommend that you contact your host. 

Note that even if your custom domain isn't working, you can still access your account by logging in to your original bidsketch URL until it's fixed.