I have read Options to Serve a Custom Domain, and I need some guidance on determining which option to choose to serve a custom domain so our Experience Site for our surveys can be served from our kfa.org
domain.
We use WordPress for our website and have 14 CNAME records in our domain config to integrate with Shopify and for sendgrid, digicert, and others. To the best of my knowledge, we are not using a CDN for this domain.
We are on the free non-profit Enterprise Edition USA778 with these licenses:
- Salesforce Integration
- Analytics Cloud Integration User
- Salesforce
- Chatter Free
- Identity
- Chatter External
- Sales Insights Integration User
I also followed Determine How to Serve Your Custom Domain, and I think it is telling us to set up a temporary non-https domain and serve the domain with your HTTPS certificate on Salesforce servers.
Does that sound right? Do you have any well-designed guides on setting up a temporary non-https domain? Thanks in advance for your insights!
Based on your situation, I can provide guidance on setting up a custom domain for your Experience Site. However, I should clarify that the documentation you're referencing ("Options to Serve a Custom Domain" and "Determine How to Serve Your Custom Domain") appears to be Salesforce-specific documentation rather than Copado documentation.
Your Situation Analysis
Based on what you've shared:
14 existing CNAME records for various integrations (Shopify, SendGrid, DigiCert, etc.)
No CDN currently in use for
kfa.orgWordPress hosting your main website
Enterprise Edition nonprofit org
Recommended Approach
Yes, your interpretation sounds correct. For your scenario, serving the domain with your HTTPS certificate on Salesforce servers is likely the best option. Here's why:
Why This Option Makes Sense for You:
CNAME Compatibility: Since you already have 14 CNAME records, adding one more for your Experience Site won't conflict with your existing DNS configuration. Each CNAME can point to different services.
No CDN Required: The Salesforce-hosted certificate option doesn't require you to set up or manage a CDN, which aligns with your current infrastructure.
Simplicity: This is the most straightforward approach for nonprofit organizations without dedicated DevOps resources.
High-Level Setup Process:
Create a subdomain for your surveys (e.g.,
surveys.kfa.org or community.kfa.org)
Set up the temporary non-HTTPS domain in Salesforce:
Go to Setup → Digital Experiences → Settings
Configure your Experience Site with a temporary Salesforce domain first
This allows you to test functionality before DNS changes
Request the certificate from Salesforce:
Navigate to Setup → Digital Experiences → Domains
Add your custom domain (e.g.,
surveys.kfa.org)
Salesforce will provide you with DNS verification requirements
Update DNS records:
Add the CNAME record pointing to Salesforce's servers
Add any TXT records for domain verification
These won't conflict with your existing 14 CNAMEs
Activate HTTPS:
Once verified, Salesforce will provision an SSL/TLS certificate
Your site will be accessible via
https://surveys.kfa.orgImportant Considerations:
License Check: With your current licenses (Salesforce Integration, Analytics Cloud Integration User, Chatter Free, Identity, Chatter External, Sales Insights Integration User), verify that you have Experience Cloud licenses or Community licenses available. Experience Sites require specific licensing beyond what you've listed.
Subdomain vs. Root Domain: You'll likely need to use a subdomain (like
surveys.kfa.org) rather than the root domain (kfa.org) since your WordPress site is already using the root domain.
Regarding Setup Guides:
While I don't have access to Copado-specific guides for setting up temporary non-HTTPS domains for Experience Sites (as this is primarily a Salesforce configuration task), Salesforce provides comprehensive documentation:
Salesforce Help: "Set Up a Custom Domain for Your Experience Cloud Site"
Salesforce Help: "Add a Custom Domain to Your Experience Cloud Site"
Trailhead: "Experience Cloud Basics" module
Next Steps:
Verify your Experience Cloud licensing with your Salesforce account team
Choose your subdomain (e.g.,
surveys.kfa.org)
Follow Salesforce's domain setup wizard in Setup → Digital Experiences → Domains
Coordinate with your DNS administrator to add the required CNAME and verification records
Test thoroughly before directing users to the new domain
The temporary non-HTTPS domain is just an intermediate step during setup—once complete, your users will access your surveys via a fully secure HTTPS URL at your custom domain.
Would you like more specific guidance on any particular step in this process, or do you have questions about the DNS configuration with your existing CNAME records?
