DNS & Domain Cutover Checklist

Generate a comprehensive, prioritised checklist for your domain cutover — covering DNS preparation, mail routing, certificates, and post-cutover validation.

Domain Overview

Basic information about your domain estate.

Number of domains to cut over

Is this the primary / vanity domain?

e.g. contoso.com, not contoso.onmicrosoft.com

Email Authentication

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configuration.

Custom DKIM signing configured?

DMARC record in place?

SPF record configured?

Third-party email filtering (e.g. Mimecast, Proofpoint)?

Infrastructure

Certificates, Autodiscover, and hybrid configuration.

SSL/TLS certificates tied to this domain?

Autodiscover correctly configured?

Hybrid Exchange in use?

Third-party apps depend on this domain?

e.g. SaaS apps using this domain for SSO or email

DNS Readiness

DNS provider and TTL preparation.

DNS provider

TTL already lowered to 300s (5 mins)?

About this tool

How DNS & Domain Cutover Checklist works

Describe your domains, email authentication, infrastructure and how ready your DNS is. The checklist covers each stage of the cutover: exporting and preparing DNS, verifying and moving the domain, updating MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC, certificates, client configuration, validation and clean-up.

Tick tasks off as you go. The risks section calls out what most often goes wrong, such as long DNS TTLs or a missed SPF include.

Questions

Does it change any DNS records?

No. It produces a checklist; you make the changes with your DNS provider and in Microsoft 365.

Where do my answers go?

Your answers stay in your browser and are worked out there. The site only counts, anonymously, that the tool was opened, finished or downloaded.

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