Custom Domains
FM BetterForms generates custom subdomains with the *.fmbetterforms.com domain name space and will automatically generate and maintain a security certificate For custom domains you will have to follow a few steps to configure.
If your account permits it, you can map fully customized domains to BetterForms servers.
Custom Domain Configuration
To map the
portal.mycompany.comdomain to one of your apps, visit your DNS provider / registrar ( eg GoDaddy ) and add a CNAME record forportal.mycompany.compointing toalias.bfoperations.comIn the BetterForms editor under your apps environment page, add your new custom domain.
Check if your CNAME record has propagated. You can check here: https://dnschecker.org/#CNAME BetterForms will not be able complete your domain configuration until this step has been done.
In the BetterForms App editor under the deployments section, add your custom domain. BetterForms servers will complete the connection and generate the security certificate.
How Custom Domain Provisioning Works
Understanding the provisioning process can help you troubleshoot issues:
DNS Verification - BetterForms pings your custom domain to verify connectivity and confirm it resolves to
alias.bfoperations.com(performed once during initial setup)Certificate Generation - Once DNS is verified, BetterForms requests a Let's Encrypt TLS certificate using path-based authentication
Distribution - The certificate is shared across all BetterForms data centers
Auto-Renewal - Certificates automatically renew every 60 days
Troubleshooting: Custom Domains Behind CloudFlare
If your custom domain uses CloudFlare (or similar CDN/proxy services), you may encounter issues during initial setup.
Symptoms
CloudFlare Error 526: "Invalid SSL certificate" displayed to visitors
BetterForms Environment Alert: Shows "Awaiting DNS forwarding to alias.bfoperations.com (Last checked: [timestamp])"
Deployment Status: App is deployed but domain is not fully provisioned
Root Cause
When CloudFlare's proxy is enabled (indicated by an orange cloud ☁️ icon in CloudFlare DNS settings), your domain resolves to CloudFlare's IP addresses instead of alias.bfoperations.com.
This prevents BetterForms from completing the initial DNS verification required to provision your SSL certificate.
Solution Options
Option 1: Temporarily Disable CloudFlare Proxy (Recommended)
This approach allows BetterForms to manage your SSL certificates automatically:
Log into your CloudFlare dashboard
Navigate to DNS settings for your domain
Locate the CNAME record pointing to
alias.bfoperations.comClick the orange cloud ☁️ icon to turn it grey (DNS-only mode)
Wait for BetterForms to verify and issue the certificate
Monitor progress in your BetterForms environment screen
This typically takes 5-15 minutes
Optional: Once the certificate is provisioned and your domain shows as active in BetterForms, you can re-enable the CloudFlare proxy (orange cloud) if desired
BetterForms will automatically renew the certificate every 60 days
Trade-off: While in DNS-only mode (grey cloud), CloudFlare's proxy features (caching, DDoS protection, Web Application Firewall) are not active for this domain.
Option 2: Use CloudFlare-Managed Certificates
Keep CloudFlare proxy enabled and allow CloudFlare to handle SSL certificate management:
Keep the orange cloud ☁️ enabled in CloudFlare DNS
Configure CloudFlare's SSL/TLS settings appropriately
Your IT team will need to configure this
Refer to CloudFlare's SSL documentation
Visitors will see CloudFlare's certificate (typically issued by Google Trust Services) instead of BetterForms' Let's Encrypt certificate
Important: With this option, your IT team is responsible for CloudFlare's SSL configuration. BetterForms cannot troubleshoot CloudFlare-specific certificate issues.
Naked Domains
( update needed )
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