Custom Domain mapping
Introduction
Want your customer portal to reflect your brand’s website? With Custom Domain Mapping in Zoho Books, you can use your own website domain instead of the default Zoho Books URL. This creates a more professional, consistent experience for your customers and makes the portal easier to find and remember.
For example, instead of https://books.zoho.com/portal, your customers could visit https://books.yourcompany.com/portal completely aligned with your brand.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure:
- You’re on the Premium plan or higher. Check Zoho Books pricing
- You own a domain name (e.g., through providers like GoDaddy or Namecheap)
1. Add a CNAME Record
To point your custom domain to Zoho Books:
- Log in to your domain provider’s website.
- Navigate to DNS Management or similar.
- Add a CNAME record:
- Use the Host Name and CNAME details provided by Zoho Books.
- Example: If your custom domain is books.zylker.com, the host name is books and the domain is zylker.com.
2. Verify the Domain in Zoho Books
- Log in to your Zoho Books account.
- Go to Settings > Custom Domain under the Organisation section.
- Click Map Custom Domain.
- In the pop up, review the instructions and click Ok, Got it.
- Enter your custom domain name, then click Next.
- After creating the CNAME record in your domain provider's portal, click Submit and Verify.
3. SSL Certificate Installation (Auto)
Zoho Books automatically installs an SSL certificate after your domain is verified. This ensures your portal uses HTTPS, keeping customer data secure.
- Installation takes around 3 5 business days
- You’ll receive an email notification once it's complete
- Once done, customers can access your portal via the secure, custom domain
4. Disable Your Custom Domain
If you need to temporarily switch back to the default Zoho Books URL:
- Go to Settings > Custom Domain.
- Click Disable.
- Tick the box for confirmation and click Disable.
Customers will now access the portal at: https://books.zoho.com/portal.
To re enable the domain later, just click Re enable.
5. Delete a Custom Domain (Permanent)
If you no longer use your domain or it has expired, follow these steps to delete it:
Before deleting:
- The custom domain must be disabled.
- Remove the CNAME record from your domain provider’s DNS settings.
Warning: Any links using the custom domain will stop working once deleted.
Steps to delete:
- Go to Settings > Custom Domain.
- Click Delete next to your domain.
- Tick the confirmation box and click Delete.
Your portal will now default to: https://books.zoho.com/portal.
Tips:
- Always double check your CNAME settings with your domain provider.
- If DNS verification fails, wait a few hours before trying again.
- Contact your domain registrar's support team if you're unsure how to add DNS records.
- Use a branded subdomain like portal.yourcompany.com to enhance trust and recognition.
- Bookmark the Zoho Books customer portal login for easy access: https://books.zoho.com/portal
