Skalin documentation

Setting up your custom subdomain for the Skalin Portal

# Setting up your custom subdomain for the Skalin Portal

Guide for non-technical users. No development skills required: you just need to copy and paste a few values into your domain name provider's interface.

# 1. What is this for?

The Skalin Portal lets you share and track tasks with your own customers.

By default, your portal is accessible at an address provided by Skalin, for example:

yourcompany.portal.skalin.io
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This configuration lets you make it accessible from your own domain name, for example:

portal.yourdomain.com
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Your customers will see your brand in the address bar, while the portal itself is hosted by Skalin.

# 2. How it works, in one sentence

You are going to create a DNS alias (called a "CNAME record").

Think of it as a redirect sign: when someone types portal.yourdomain.com, the sign quietly says "go and fetch the content from yourcompany.portal.skalin.io". The visitor stays on your address, but the content is served by Skalin.

   Your address                      Skalin address
portal.yourdomain.com   ───►   yourcompany.portal.skalin.io
  (what the customer sees)       (where the portal actually lives)
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# 3. Before you start

You will need:

  1. Access to your domain's DNS management. This is the customer area of the company where you purchased yourdomain.com (OVH, Gandi, GoDaddy, Cloudflare, IONOS, Google Domains, etc.). This is sometimes called "DNS zone", "record management" or "DNS records".
  2. The target value provided by Skalin. We assign each customer their own unique target and communicate it to you individually. It looks like yourcompany.portal.skalin.io. Use exactly the value we sent you (do not guess it).
  3. The subdomain you want to use. We recommend portal.yourdomain.com, but you can choose something else (space, clients, etc.).

💡 If you are not sure where your domain is registered or managed, ask the person who manages your website: they usually have this access.

# 4. The values to enter (the essential step)

In your DNS interface, create a new record with exactly these values:

Field (names vary by provider) Value to enter Notes
Type CNAME Select from the dropdown
Name / Host / Subdomain portal ⚠️ Only the part before your domain. Do not write portal.yourdomain.com here.
Target / Value / Points to yourcompany.portal.skalin.io The specific target Skalin provided to you (unique to your account). Some providers require a trailing dot: yourcompany.portal.skalin.io.
TTL Automatic or 3600 Leave the default value if unsure

⚠️ Key point:

The "Name / Host" field contains only the prefix (portal), not the full domain. Most providers automatically append .yourdomain.com.

# 5. Step-by-step for each provider

The logic is always the same: add a CNAME record. Here is where to find it with the main providers.

# OVH

  1. Customer area → Domain names → select your domain.
  2. DNS Zone tab → Add an entry.
  3. Choose CNAME, then fill in:
    • Subdomain: portal
    • Target: yourcompany.portal.skalin.io. (with the trailing dot)
  4. Confirm.

# Cloudflare

  1. Select your domain → DNS tab → Add record.
  2. Type: CNAME, Name: portal, Target: yourcompany.portal.skalin.io.
  3. Important: set the Proxy status to DNS only (grey cloud, not orange). If the cloud is orange, the SSL certificate cannot be generated correctly.
  4. Save.

# GoDaddy

  1. My Products → your domain → DNS / Manage DNS.
  2. Add → Type: CNAME.
  3. Host/Name: portal — Points to: yourcompany.portal.skalin.io.
  4. Save.

# Gandi

  1. Your domain → DNS Records → Add.
  2. Type: CNAME, Name: portal, Value: yourcompany.portal.skalin.io..
  3. Create.

# IONOS / others

  1. Find the DNS section or Manage records.
  2. Add a CNAME record with Host = portal and Target = yourcompany.portal.skalin.io.

The wording varies, but you are always looking for: Type = CNAME, Name = portal, Target = the Skalin address.

# 6. Checking that it works

After saving, the change needs to propagate across the internet. This is usually quick (a few minutes to 1 hour), but can take up to 24 to 48 hours in some cases.

To check without any technical knowledge:

  • Go to https://www.whatsmydns.net
  • Enter portal.yourdomain.com, select type CNAME, and run the check.
  • If the target yourcompany.portal.skalin.io appears, you are good to go ✅.

# 7. What next? (on Skalin's side)

Once the CNAME is in place:

  1. Let Skalin know that the record has been created.
  2. On our side, we generate the SSL certificate for your subdomain. This is what activates the padlock 🔒 and secure https://. This step can only be done after the CNAME is created, as our system needs to be able to "see" your subdomain pointing to us.
  3. Your portal becomes fully accessible and secure at https://portal.yourdomain.com.

⚠️ Never delete the CNAME afterwards.

It must remain in place as long as you are using your custom subdomain. If it is deleted, the portal becomes inaccessible and the SSL certificate can no longer be renewed.

# 8. Common issues

"I cannot create the record, there is a conflict." A record may already exist for portal. A CNAME cannot coexist with another record of the same name. Delete the existing one (or contact us) before creating a new one.

"My browser shows a security warning / no padlock." This is expected before Skalin generates the SSL certificate (step 7). Let us know the CNAME is ready.

"It is not working straight away." Be patient: DNS propagation can take several hours. Track progress on whatsmydns.net.

"Can I use my root domain (yourdomain.com) directly, without a subdomain?" No. For technical reasons, a CNAME can only be placed on a subdomain (portal.yourdomain.com), never on the root domain itself.

# 9. Quick summary

  1. Go to your domain's DNS management.
  2. Create a CNAME record: Name = portal, Target = yourcompany.portal.skalin.io.
  3. (Cloudflare only) Set the proxy to DNS only (grey cloud).
  4. Check propagation on whatsmydns.net.
  5. Let Skalin know → we generate the SSL certificate.
  6. Enjoy https://portal.yourdomain.com 🎉

# Need help?

Write to us at support@skalin.io with:

  • your domain name,
  • your chosen subdomain,
  • a screenshot of your DNS record if possible.

We will take care of the rest on the infrastructure side.

Contributors: CAMILLE_PRO\camil