Custom Domains and Subdomains

This guide explains how institution IT administrators can use Classgrid's default subdomain, ERP login domain, and public website domain.

Overview

Classgrid gives every organization a default address such as:

https://institution.classgrid.in

You can keep using this address or connect domains that your institution owns. Custom domains make your ERP login and public website easier to brand and share.

There are two custom-domain options:

Your default Classgrid subdomain remains available as an administration and recovery address. It is not a custom DNS domain and does not require DNS changes at your provider.

How the custom-domain flow works

1. You enter a domain in Domain Settings.
2. Classgrid normalizes the domain, checks its format, prevents classgrid.in domains from being registered as custom domains, and checks that another organization is not already using it.
3. Classgrid creates a unique verification token and shows the DNS records you must add.
4. You add the TXT and CNAME or A records at the provider that manages your DNS.
5. Classgrid checks the records using public DNS resolvers. Both the TXT record and the routing record must be correct.
6. After successful verification, Classgrid attaches the domain to the appropriate Vercel project when the deployment has Vercel integration configured. Vercel then provisions HTTPS/SSL.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure:

• Your account has the Organization Admin role.
• Your organization has the custom_domain_module feature enabled. If the Domain Settings cards do not appear, ask your Classgrid platform administrator to enable this module.
• You can edit DNS records for the domain at its DNS provider.
• You know whether you are configuring an ERP login domain or a public website domain.
• You are prepared to wait for DNS propagation. The Classgrid UI normally reports propagation as taking about 3-5 minutes, although some providers can take longer.

Understanding Your Domain Options

Default Classgrid Subdomain

Every organization can use a default URL in this format:

https://{your-subdomain}.classgrid.in

For example:

https://institution.classgrid.in

This address is managed by Classgrid. You do not add DNS records for it. The Domain Settings card includes the portal links for this address and an Edit Domain action for changing its subdomain.

Changing the subdomain changes the URL immediately. Existing links using the old address will stop being the organization URL, users are redirected to the new address where possible, the tenant cache is invalidated, and an email notification is sent to the administrator.

ERP Login Portal Domain

The ERP Login Portal Domain is the branded address used by students, faculty, and department users to sign in. For example:

https://erp.mycollege.edu

This domain is connected to the Classgrid platform application. After it is verified, the UI provides links for the organization admin, student, faculty, and department portals.

Organization Website Domain

The Organization Website Domain is the public-facing website address. For example:

https://www.mycollege.edu

This domain is connected to the Classgrid marketing/website project. It does not display ERP portal links in the Domain Settings card.

Setting Up Your Custom Domain

Step 1: Navigate to Domain Settings

Sign in as an Organization Admin and open the organization settings area that contains the Custom Domains cards.

You will see separate cards for:

• Your default Classgrid subdomain.
• ERP Login Portal Domain.
• Your organization, school, college, institute, academy, or polytechnic website domain.

Step 2: Enter Your Domain

Choose the card for the feature you are configuring and enter the domain without a path. The safest format is:

erp.mycollege.edu

or:

www.mycollege.edu

Do not enter a login path such as /student/login. Do not use a domain under classgrid.in; Classgrid platform domains cannot be registered as customer custom domains.

Select + Add domain. Classgrid creates a verification token and changes the domain to Pending Verification.

Step 3: Configure DNS Records

Add both records shown in the Classgrid card at the DNS provider that manages your domain. The verification token is unique to your organization and domain, so copy the exact value shown in the card.

Use the apex/root configuration when the domain itself is the root, such as mycollege.edu. Use the subdomain configuration when the domain has a host label, such as erp.mycollege.edu or www.mycollege.edu.

DNS Records for Subdomain (for example, erp.college.edu)

For a subdomain, the application displays the host portion separately from the registered domain:

For a different host, replace erp in both names. For example, www.mycollege.edu uses www as the CNAME host and _classgrid-verify.www as the TXT name.

Some DNS providers automatically append the domain name. If your provider does this, enter only the host shown in the table; do not paste the complete fully qualified name into the Host field.

DNS Records for Apex/Root Domain (for example, college.edu)

For an apex domain, use an A record because standard DNS does not allow a normal CNAME at the root:

The A record must be the only A record for @. Delete parked-domain or automatically added A records that point somewhere else. Multiple root A records can send visitors to a provider parking page or prevent the domain from routing correctly.

Step 4: Select Your DNS Provider

In the DNS configuration panel, select your provider to see its in-app guidance and an official help link. The application lists these 11 named providers plus an Other / Unlisted Provider option:

• GoDaddy
• Cloudflare
• Namecheap
• Google Domains / Google Workspace
• AWS Route 53
• Hostinger
• Bluehost
• HostGator
• Wix
• Squarespace
• Zoho

Provider-specific notes are included later in this guide.

Step 5: Verify Your Domain

After saving the records, return to Classgrid and select Verify.

Classgrid checks:

• The TXT record at _classgrid-verify.{your-domain} contains the exact value classgrid-verify={your-verification-token}.
• A CNAME points to an approved Classgrid or Vercel target, or an A record resolves to 76.76.21.21 for an apex domain.

The UI marks each record as it is found. During verification, it can poll automatically every 10 seconds. If the records have not propagated yet, the domain remains pending and you can wait before trying again.

When both records are found:

• The domain becomes verified.
• The verification time is recorded.
• For an ERP domain, its default Classgrid URL setting is changed to disabled as part of the white-label flow. The website domain has a separate configuration and does not change the ERP login switch.
• Classgrid attempts to attach the domain to the correct Vercel project when the required Vercel deployment configuration is available.

Step 6: SSL Certificate Provisioning

After the domain is attached to Vercel, Vercel provisions the HTTPS certificate. Open the domain using:

https://your-domain.example

Allow time for DNS and certificate provisioning. If HTTPS does not work after DNS is correct, see SSL Certificate Not Provisioning.

Managing Your Custom Domain

Enable/Disable Custom Domain

On a verified domain card, use Enable Custom Domain to pause or resume traffic through that domain.

For an ERP domain:

• You cannot disable the ERP custom domain while the default Classgrid URL is also disabled; enable the Classgrid URL first so administrators are not locked out.
• Enabling the ERP custom domain while the Classgrid URL is active requires confirmation and disables the Classgrid URL to avoid two competing ERP login addresses.

For the website domain, the toggle controls whether the custom website domain is active. It does not provide the ERP Classgrid-URL switch.

Enable/Disable Default Classgrid URL

The default Classgrid URL switch is available when a domain has been configured. Disabling it makes the ERP experience rely on the custom ERP domain for normal student, faculty, and department access.

Warning: Before disabling the default Classgrid URL, save the emergency admin address. If the custom DNS expires or is misconfigured, students and staff may lose normal access through the custom domain.

The switch cannot be turned off unless an enabled custom ERP domain exists. Turning the Classgrid URL back on requires confirmation and automatically disables the active ERP custom domain.

Emergency Admin Access

The Organization Admin portal is deliberately excluded from automatic domain enforcement. Keep this recovery URL:

https://{your-subdomain}.classgrid.in/org/login

This path remains the emergency admin access route even when the ERP custom domain is enabled and the default Classgrid URL is disabled for other users.

Portal Links

The ERP custom domain and default Classgrid subdomain provide these portal paths:

For example, if your ERP domain is erp.mycollege.edu, the student URL is:

https://erp.mycollege.edu/student/login

Managing Your Classgrid Subdomain

Editing Your Subdomain

In the default Classgrid subdomain card, open Manage URL & View Links, select Edit Domain, enter the new slug, and confirm the current domain when prompted.

The new URL is:

https://{new-subdomain}.classgrid.in

The current page is redirected to the new URL after the change. Existing links using the old subdomain may no longer work, so update bookmarks, website links, and internal documentation.

Subdomain Rules

The subdomain slug must:

• Be 3-30 characters long.
• Use lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only.
• Start and end with a letter or number, not a hyphen.
• Be unique across organizations.

Classgrid normalizes the value to lowercase before checking it.

Reserved Subdomains

The following system names cannot be used:

www, app, admin, api, dev, staging, mail, ftp, superadmin,
v1, v2, studio, docs, blog, help, support, status, cdn, static,
assets, test, demo, sandbox, classgrid, platform, dashboard

DNS Provider-Specific Notes

The provider selector in the app shows these notes while you configure records. Provider dashboards can change their labels, so use the provider's current DNS help page if a field is named differently.

GoDaddy

Use exactly @ for the apex A record or _classgrid-verify for the TXT record. Do not append your domain name to the Host field. Remove any parked A records so @ points only to 76.76.21.21.

GoDaddy DNS record guide

Cloudflare

Set the A record and verification records to DNS Only (gray cloud). Do not use Proxied (orange cloud) while verifying, because proxying can prevent the expected DNS response from being found.

Cloudflare DNS record guide

Namecheap

Enter @ or _classgrid-verify in the Host field. Namecheap appends the domain name automatically.

Namecheap DNS record guide

Google Domains

For Google Domains / Google Workspace DNS, leave the Host name blank when creating a root-domain record.

Google Domains DNS guide

AWS Route 53

Leave Record Name blank for an apex/root record. Use the host label for a subdomain record. Make sure the hosted zone is the authoritative zone for the domain.

AWS Route 53 record guide

Hostinger

Use @ for the root domain and ensure no other A records exist for @.

Hostinger DNS record guide

Bluehost

Use @ as the Host Record for the root domain.

Bluehost DNS record guide

HostGator

Depending on the cPanel version, use your bare domain or @ for the root host.

HostGator DNS record guide

Wix

Leave the Host Name field blank for the root domain.

Wix A-record guide

Squarespace

Use @ in the Host column for the root domain.

Squarespace DNS record guide

Zoho

Use @, or leave the Host/Name field blank, for the root domain.

Zoho A-record guide

Other / Unlisted Provider

For most providers, use @ or leave the Name/Host field blank for the root domain. For the TXT record, use _classgrid-verify; do not enter _classgrid-verify.example.com if the provider appends the domain automatically.

Vercel domain guide

How Domain Enforcement Works

When a custom ERP domain is active and the default Classgrid URL is disabled, Classgrid checks visits to *.classgrid.in for student, faculty, and department experiences.

If a user opens a Classgrid subdomain, the browser is redirected to:

https://{custom-erp-domain}{same-path}{same-query-string}

For example, a visit to:

https://institution.classgrid.in/student/login?campus=main

is redirected to the equivalent path on the active custom domain.

The /org/ path is excluded from enforcement. This means the Organization Admin portal remains available at the default Classgrid URL for emergency recovery when custom DNS is unavailable.

Removing a Custom Domain

Select the delete button on the domain card and confirm by typing the domain. Removal:

• Removes the domain configuration from the organization.
• Resets verification state and the domain settings.
• Restores allow_classgrid_url to true and the domain's is_enabled value to true in the stored configuration.
• Attempts to detach the domain from the appropriate Vercel project when Vercel integration is configured.
• Resets the organization's site title, favicon, campus photo, and primary/secondary brand colors to the Classgrid defaults in the current implementation.

Warning: Removing the domain breaks access through that custom address. Users must use the default Classgrid URL until you add and verify a domain again. Removing a website domain also resets the branding values listed above.

Troubleshooting

Domain Not Verifying

Check each item:

1. The TXT value is exactly:

   TEXT

   classgrid-verify={your-verification-token}

2. The TXT host is _classgrid-verify for an apex domain or _classgrid-verify.{host} for a subdomain.

3. A subdomain uses a CNAME to cname.classgrid.in.

4. An apex domain uses an A record at @ pointing to 76.76.21.21.

5. The provider did not append the domain twice to the Host field.

6. Cloudflare records are set to DNS Only.

7. No conflicting A records remain at @.

Wait a few minutes for propagation and select Verify again. Classgrid uses Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 and Google 8.8.8.8 resolvers for its check, so a local DNS cache can show a different result from the platform.

SSL Certificate Not Provisioning

Confirm that:

• The domain is fully verified, not merely pending.
• The CNAME or A record still points to the required target.
• There are no proxy or parked-domain records interfering with the route.
• The domain is attached to the expected Vercel project by the deployment configuration.

After correcting DNS, wait for Vercel certificate provisioning and try the HTTPS address again.

Users Can't Access Custom Domain

Confirm that the domain's Enable Custom Domain switch is on and that users are using the correct host and portal path. For an ERP domain, also check that the domain is not disabled because the organization switched back to the default Classgrid URL.

If only the Classgrid address is failing to redirect, check whether allow_classgrid_url is enabled. The Organization Admin URL under /org/ is intentionally exempt from redirects.

Locked Out of Admin Panel

Use the emergency admin URL:

https://{your-subdomain}.classgrid.in/org/login

The admin path is not domain-enforced, so it remains the recovery route when the custom domain expires, DNS records are deleted, or the custom domain is disabled.

FAQ

Can I use both an ERP domain and a website domain?

Yes. They are separate configurations. The ERP domain serves login portals; the website domain serves the public institution website.

Do I need to add DNS records for the default Classgrid subdomain?

No. Classgrid manages the *.classgrid.in address. DNS changes are required only for domains you own and are connecting as custom domains.

Should I enter https:// in the domain field?

Enter the hostname only, such as erp.mycollege.edu. Classgrid removes a leading HTTP/HTTPS scheme during registration, but omitting it avoids mistakes.

Why do I need both TXT and CNAME/A records?

The TXT record proves that you control the DNS zone. The CNAME or A record routes the domain's traffic to Classgrid/Vercel. Both checks must pass before the domain is verified.

Can I use a CNAME for the root domain?

Use the A record shown by Classgrid for an apex/root domain. Use the CNAME record for a host such as erp.mycollege.edu or www.mycollege.edu.

What happens if I disable the default Classgrid URL?

Normal ERP users are expected to use the active custom ERP domain. The /org/login Organization Admin route remains available on the default Classgrid subdomain as an emergency path.

What happens if I remove the domain and add it again later?

You receive a new verification configuration and must configure DNS verification again. The current removal flow also resets the stored branding fields to Classgrid defaults.