How to Setup Your Domain for Microsoft Office 365 & Microsoft Exchange Online

This guide explains how to connect your Ecenica domain to Microsoft 365 for Business or Microsoft Exchange Online. You’ll verify domain ownership and add the DNS records needed to send and receive email.

Before you start

You’ll need:

1. A registered domain name
2. A Microsoft 365 for Business or Microsoft Exchange Online plan from the Microsoft store

Steps

1. Add your domain to Office 365
2. Add DNS records

Step 1: Add your domain to Office 365

1. Log in to the Office 365 admin center.
2. Click Settings > Domains.
3. Click Add domain.
4. Enter your Ecenica domain name and click Next.
5. Copy the TXT value provided. It looks similar to MS=ms12345678.
6. Open Ecenica Dashboard and go to My Domains. Select the domain you want to connect to Microsoft 365.
7. Click DNS from the menu.
8. In the Add New Record section, enter:
   • Name: @
   • Type: TXT
   • Value: MS=ms12345678 (use the value Microsoft gave you)
9. Click Add.
10. Return to the Office 365 admin center and click Verify.
11. Microsoft will verify your domain. When it completes, click Next.

Ecenica DNS editor updates DNS records immediately. However it can take and hour or two for Microsoft to see the updated TXT record. If Microsoft doesn’t verify straight away, wait and try again later.

Step 2: Add DNS records

Now add the DNS records Microsoft requires to your existing Ecenica DNS zone. You don’t need to change your nameservers — keep them pointing to Ecenica as they are.

1. Log in to Ecenica Dashboard.
2. Go to My Domains.
3. Click the domain you connected to Microsoft 365.
4. Click DNS from the menu.
5. Edit the existing MX record. The default is usually mail.example.com. Change the value to the MX record Microsoft provided, for example:
   • Name: @
   • Type: MX
   • Value: 0 example-com.mail.protection.outlook.com.
6. Click Save.
7. Add an autodiscover CNAME record:
   • Name: autodiscover
   • Type: CNAME
   • Value: autodiscover.outlook.com
8. Click Add.
9. Add an SPF TXT record:
   • Name: @
   • Type: TXT
   • Value: v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all
10. Click Add.
11. Return to the Microsoft 365 admin center and click Verify, then Finish.

Why not change nameservers?

Some older guides suggest switching your domain’s nameservers to Microsoft’s. This isn’t necessary for a normal Microsoft 365 email setup. Microsoft’s current guidance is to keep your domain with your existing DNS host (like Ecenica) and add the required records to your existing DNS zone.

Changing nameservers can complicate DNS management and break other services if records aren’t migrated correctly. The approach above avoids that entirely.

Troubleshooting

Microsoft can’t verify my domain

Make sure the TXT record matches the value Microsoft gave you exactly. TXT records can take up to 15 minutes to propagate. If it’s been longer, double-check the record in your Ecenica Dashboard.

Email isn’t working after setup

DNS changes can take up to 24 hours to propagate. If email still isn’t working after 24 hours, check that all the DNS records in Step 2 are correct and have saved in your Ecenica Dashboard.

Which records do I need?

At minimum, you need the MX record (for receiving mail), the autodiscover CNAME (for Outlook setup), and the SPF TXT record (for email authentication).

Related articles

• Register a domain name
• Ecenica Dashboard
• Ecenica support