Server-Side Configuration for Microsoft Exchange

Server-side signatures are applied post-send by WiseStamp's cloud service, ensuring consistency across all devices and email clients. This is ideal for multi-device users or those with different email platforms. This article describes how to configure your Exchange Server to support WiseStamp’s server-side solution. The configuration must be done by a Microsoft global admin and is performed using a Microsoft Exchange REST API-based PowerShell.

!note!This article focuses on the Microsoft Exchange server-side connector. If you are looking to connect WiseStamp with Google Workspace, see Server-Side for Google Workspace.!/note!

What is a server-side solution?

WiseStamp's server-side solution is a deployment method that enables you to route your organization's emails through the WiseStamp SMTP server to automatically append signatures to your outgoing messages. WiseStamp's server-side solution ensures a consistent, professional signature for all emails, with no need for extra apps or add-ons. Just some email server configuration. It also ensures the newest signature versions are always used.

How do I benefit by using WiseStamp's server-side solution?

The server-side solution applies your WiseStamp signatures to email messages sent from any device and any mail client. You can therefore ensure consistency and professionalism across all outgoing emails, regardless of which email platform is used to compose them. Furthermore, the server-side solution does not require any additional apps, add-ons, or other changes to your WiseStamp environment. (Some configuration of your email server is necessary.)

Another advantage of the server-side solution is the certainty that the latest changes to your signatures are displayed, as the WiseStamp server-side host checks to ensure that the most recent signatures are added to outgoing messages.

Is server-side secure?

Yes. WiseStamp's method is secure, without storing or reading your email content. Each account is processed in isolation for added security.

What's Hybrid Mode?

WiseStamp's Hybrid mode combines client-side and server-side solutions, offering flexibility. It only applies a server-side signature if a client-side one isn't detected, ensuring consistent delivery and security. It's available for various automatic installations.

Server-side automatic configuration

WiseStamp has an automatic configuration process to implement WiseStamp’s server-side solution with your Exchange Server. This method avoids errors due to misspelled entries, and other manual configuration concerns.

Prior to configuration

During the configuration process, you will be able to select the domains affected by WiseStamp's server-side solution. However, you must first add Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records to use the domains you want to use with WiseStamp's server-side solution.

Adding SPF records to your domains provide protection against spoofing and phishing and help prevent your messages from being marked as spam. For more information and instructions on adding SPF records, see Setting Up SPF Records for Your WiseStamp Signature.

!important!Only the Microsoft Global Admin can perform the configuration. If you are not the Global Admin you will be asked to send an invitation email to the Global Admin to perform the configuration.!/important!

Configure your Exchange Server

To configure your Exchange Server to support WiseStamp’s server-side solution:

1. Sign in to your WiseStamp account.
2. On the left panel, click Connectors.
3. In the Server-side for all email platforms section, click Connect and select Microsoft 365. 
4. If a popup appears asking if you are the domain's Global Admin, select Yes, I am and click Integrate with Server-side.
5. On the popup, click the Copy icon to copy the code and then click Connect.
6. On the Microsoft popup, paste the code and click Next.
7. On the next popup, click your account or click Use another account and enter your username.
8. Click Continue to confirm that you are trying to sign in to Microsoft Exchange REST API-based PowerShell.
9. Close this tab, and the list of domains are displayed on the WiseStamp tab.
10. Select the relevant domains and click Connect.
11. If domains do not have SPF records, a popup appears with a list of the selected domains and the SPF status. You must then add SPF records to all domains without SPF records. Once SPF records are added to these domains, click Verify to continue. For information on adding SPF records, click Get configuration instructions. 
12. On the popup, click the Copy icon to copy the code and then click Connect.
13. On the Microsoft popup, paste the code and click Next.
14. On the next popup, click your account.
15. Click Continue to confirm that you are trying to sign in to Microsoft Exchange REST API-based PowerShell.
16. Close this tab and the Management page for this connector is displayed. On this page you can further configure this connector and view its current status. For more information, see Manage server-side connector with Microsoft Exchange.

Perform a validity check

After completing the configuration described above, test your settings.

To test the connector:

1. Activate your user on WiseStamp.
2. From Outlook, send a test email to yourself or a colleague.
   The WiseStamp signature should be displayed on the email received.

Manage server-side connector with Microsoft Exchange

After creating a server-side connector with Microsoft Exchange, you can manage this connector from the Management  page. From this page you can perform many management tasks, such as view the connector status, set new features, refresh SPF records, edit included domains and remove the connector. To access the Management page, go to the Connectors page and click Manage for the server-side connector.

The following table lists the management tasks available to you:

!important!Only the Microsoft Global Admin can edit the included domains list or disconnect the connector.!/important!

To edit the included domains:

1. Sign in to your WiseStamp account.
2. On the left panel, click Connectors.
3. In the Server-side for all email platforms section, click Manage.
4. In the Included domains section, click Edit.
5. On the popup, click the Copy icon to copy the code and then click Connect.
6. On the Microsoft popup, paste the code and click Next.
7. On the next popup, click your account.
8. Click Continue to confirm that you are trying to sign in to Microsoft Exchange REST API-based PowerShell.
9. Close this tab and the list of domains are displayed on the WiseStamp tab.
10. Edit the selected domains by selecting or clearing the relevant domains and click Connect.
11. If domains do not have SPF records, a popup appears with a list of the selected domains and the SPF status. You must then add SPF records to all domains without SPF records. Once SPF records are added to these domains, click Verify to continue. For information on adding SPF records, click Get configuration instructions.
12. On the popup, click the Copy icon to copy the code and then click Connect.
13. On the Microsoft popup, paste the code and click Next.
14. On the next popup, click your account.
15. Click Continue to confirm that you are trying to sign in to Microsoft Exchange REST API-based PowerShell.
16. Close this tab and the Management page with the updated domains list is displayed.

Troubleshooting server-side configuration issues

The following sections provide guidelines to help handle issues that may occur with server-side configuration.

Server-side connector errors

Sometimes connector errors can prevent your emails from being sent or your signature from appearing in your emails. In such cases, disconnecting and reconnecting your WiseStamp account can resolve the issue. 

To disconnect and reconnect the Server-side connector: 

1. Sign in to your WiseStamp account.
2. On the left panel, click Connectors.
3. In the Server-side for all email platforms section, click Manage.
4. On the top-right, click Disconnect.
5. On the popup, click the Copy icon to copy the code and then click Disconnect.
6. On the Microsoft popup, paste the code and click Next.
7. On the next popup, click your account.
8. Click Continue to confirm that you are trying to sign in to Microsoft Exchange REST API-based PowerShell.
9. Close this tab and the Connectors page is displayed, indicating that the connector has been removed.
10. To reconnect, in the Server-side section click Connect and select Microsoft 365. Then continue with step 4 in section Configure your Exchange Server above.

Troubleshooting email rule conflicts with WiseStamp in Exchange

For users with additional rules set up in Microsoft Exchange, it's important to configure these rules to complement WiseStamp's signatures effectively. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Exchange admin center using administrator credentials.
2. Go to Mail flow > Rules.
3. Locate and click the rule related to WiseStamp's signatures (e.g., "Identify messages to send to WS SMTP").
4. Within the rule settings, ensure there's an instruction to ‘stop processing more rules’ after this rule is applied. This setting will allow your other rules to function, but only after the WiseStamp signature is added to the email.

This configuration helps prevent any conflict between the signature application and other rules you have set in Exchange.

Ensure Compatibility of WiseStamp Signatures with Email Format in Exchange

To ensure the WiseStamp signatures are displayed correctly, Exchange users should ensure their email format is set to HTML instead of RTF. Here's how to change this setting:

1. In the Exchange Admin Center, go to Mail flow > Remote Domains.
2. Select the default remote domain or the specific remote domain you are working with.
3. Under the Message Format tab, set the Exchange rich-text format to "Never".
4. This change ensures that all outgoing emails are in HTML format, which is more compatible with WiseStamp's signature formatting.

For more troubleshooting issues, refer to the table below.

Troubleshooting

Here are additional issues that may occur concerning this topic: