Recently, our company automatically migrated from Google Domains to Squarespace, and we encountered several challenges. Here’s a summary of our experience and some of the key questions that arose during the process.
Email Aliases Setup and Challenges
At Skive, we had several email aliases set up. For example, we used addresses like billing@skive.co to forward emails to specific employees without creating full Google accounts for them. This concept was particularly useful for:
- Client-facing addresses
- Handling emails for old employees who had left the company
- Forwarding to external users not under our Google Workspace account
Under Google Domains, we could set up to 100 of these email aliases, which allowed us to create client-facing addresses without incurring additional costs for full accounts.
Migration Issues with Squarespace
When we migrated from Google Domains to Squarespace, we ran into a significant issue: Squarespace did not allow us to access the list of email aliases that were previously set up under Google Domains. Instead, it prompted us to delete the Google Domains MX Records that migrated to Squarespace, or use our Google Workspace account to manage aliases in Squarespace.
This presented a dilemma. Our Google Workspace account contained much more than just email aliases, and shutting it down was not an option. Additionally, deleting the MX records and starting over wasn’t feasible since we didn’t have a complete list of all the aliases set up, and they were still technically working.
Finding a Solution
After some effort, we managed to get a list of the aliases directly from Google support, as Squarespace support was not particularly helpful. They mostly referred us to articles instead of providing direct assistance.
Through this process, we learned that MX records are essentially forwarding rules. The aliases set up under Google Domains were creating forwarding rules in our Google Workspace account. These rules remained intact even after the migration.
Managing Email Aliases Post-Migration
We realized that Google Workspace allows us to create aliases under a single account. This means we can now manage, add, and delete aliases directly within Google Workspace. For instance, we can still use an alias like billing@skive.co, which forwards to the designated address.
This solution also works for managing emails for old employees. However, for forwarding to external users, we rely solely on the forwarding rules set up in Google Workspace.
The technical side of an alias in Google Workspace involves creating a forwarding rule. Through this, we were able to set up rules that forward emails from an alias to an external user. Essentially, all aliases are really just forwarding rules.
Key Takeaways
- Understand Your Setup: Before any migration, ensure you have a complete understanding and documentation of your current setup, including all email aliases.
- Support Channels: Be prepared to reach out to support channels directly, and don’t hesitate to ask for the information you need.
Our migration experience highlighted the importance of having a clear strategy for managing email aliases and understanding the implications of moving between service providers. While the process was challenging, it ultimately provided us with a better understanding of how to manage our email setup more efficiently.
