Updating Your SPF Records

Learn how to configure Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records so that recipient email servers recognize emails sent from Bullhorn on your behalf as legitimate. Without proper SPF configuration, your emails may be marked as spam or rejected.

These steps apply to Bullhorn ATS and Bullhorn Back Office. For information about DKIM and DMARC records, see DKIM and DMARC Records.

Before You Begin

You'll need admin access to your domain's DNS settings. If you're not sure how to access these, contact your domain host (for example, GoDaddy, Namecheap, or your company's IT support).

Bullhorn uses the include:_spf.bullhornmail.com method instead of providing IP addresses. This approach avoids SPF character limits and eliminates the need to update your records every time Bullhorn changes mail server IPs.

Add Bullhorn to Your SPF Record

Step 1: Log in to your domain admin.

Access the administrative section of your domain host.

Step 2: Locate your DNS Records.

Find the DNS Records or DNS Settings section in your admin tool.

Step 3: Check for an existing SPF record.

Look for a TXT record that starts with v=spf1.

  • If one exists: Copy the entire record. You'll add Bullhorn's entry to it.

  • If none exists: You'll create a new one in Step 4.

Step 4: Update or create your SPF record.

If you found an existing SPF record, replace it with:

Copy 
v=spf1 [YOUR EXISTING RECORDS HERE] include:_spf.bullhornmail.com ~all

If no SPF record exists, create a new TXT record with:

Copy 
v=spf1 include:_spf.bullhornmail.com ~all

Keep everything on a single line. Don't add line breaks.

Step 5: Save your changes.

Save and confirm the update in your domain host's admin tool. Changes usually take 24–48 hours to propagate across email servers.

Verify Your SPF Record

Once you've saved your changes, verify the setup worked:

  1. Wait at least 1 hour for DNS propagation.

  2. Use a free SPF testing tool like MXToolbox or SPF Surveyor to check your domain.

  3. Look for include:_spf.bullhornmail.com in the results. If it's there, you're good.

Still having issues? Contact your domain host or IT support with the test results, and they can help troubleshoot.

If you need a reference copy of Bullhorn's current SPF configuration, download the SPF record file.