Set up Smart Relay for Exchange Online

To configure Zivver Smart Relay, a mail flow rule is required. In simple words, the rule specifies which outgoing emails Exchange Online routes to Zivver Smart Relay. The rule also adds an email header that the Zivver Platform recognizes.

If you configure other mail flow rule conditions, actions, exceptions, or settings other than this page describes, we recommend following Microsoft’s best practices for mail flow rules:

Best practices for configuring mail flow rules in Exchange Online

Follow the steps in the sections below. Obey the sequence of those sections and those steps.

Prerequisites

You must have a Zivver connector set up in Exchange Online. For more information, refer to Create a connector in Exchange Online

Getting started

  1. Go to the Exchange Admin Center.
  2. Click Mail flow in the menu on the left.
  3. Click Rules.
  4. Click Add a rule.
  5. Click Create a new rule.
  6. Enter a name.
    For example: Zivver Smart Relay.

Set mail flow rule conditions

Every condition that you set should apply to the full outgoing email (for example, using the options The message and The sender ). If you apply conditions on the recipient level (for example, using the options The recipient and The sender and recipient), this can result in split conversations. A split conversation is when some recipients of an email are not visible to other recipients of an email, and the other way around.
  1. Under Apply this rule if, select The sender and then is external/internal.
  2. In the side pane that opens, select Inside the organization and click Save.

If you roll out Smart Relay partially or in phases, you can configure additional conditions based on sender characteristics. For example, specific users, user groups, or email domains.

For more information on configuring mail flow rule conditions, refer to Mail flow rule conditions and exceptions (predicates) in Exchange Online on microsoft.com.

Set mail flow rule actions

  1. Under Do the following, select Modify the message properties and then set a message header.

  2. Click the first enter text field, set the message header to zivver-relay. Then, click Save.
  3. Click the second enter text field, set the value to smart. Then, click Save.
  4. Click the + icon to the right of set a message header.
  5. Under And, select Redirect the message to and then the following connector.
  6. Select the connector that you created before for Zivver.
  7. Click Save.

Set mail flow rule exceptions

Every exception that you set must apply to the full outgoing email. Examples are the options The message and The sender. If you apply conditions on the recipient level, these conditions can result in split conversations. Examples are the options The recipient and The sender and recipient. A split conversation is when some recipients of an email are not visible to other recipients of an email, and the other way around.

Set at least these two exceptions. These exceptions have these purposes.

  • Zivver Smart Relay does not scan emails again that the Zivver client integration already scanned.
  • Exchange Online does not route emails back to Zivver Smart Relay when Zivver already processed them and delivered them back to recipients within your organization.
  1. Under Except if select The message headers… and then matches these text patterns.
  2. Click the Enter text field, set the message header to X-zivver-DLP and click Save.
  3. Click the Enter words field, set the value to ..\*. \(that is 2 dots, 1 asterisk/wildcard, 1 dot\) and click Add, then Save.
  4. Click the + icon to the right of matches these text patterns.
  5. Click the Enter text field, set the message header to X-Zivver-Transport and click Save.
  6. Click the Enter words field, set the value to ..\*. \(that is 2 dots, 1 asterisk/wildcard, 1 dot\) and click Add, then Save.

If you roll out Smart Relay partially or in phases, you can configure additional exceptions based on sender characteristics.

Additionally, there may be other exclusions which are specific to your organization. For example, newsletters which are sent via your Exchange which do not need to be routed to Zivver Smart Relay.

For more information on configuring mail flow rule exceptions, refer to Mail flow rule conditions and exceptions (predicates) in Exchange Online on microsoft.com.

Set mail flow rule settings

  1. Leave the Rule mode in the default Enforce.
  2. Leave the Severity in the default Not specified.
  3. Optional: Enable Activate this rule on and select a date and time if you want that this mail flow rule becomes automatically active on a specific date and time.
  4. Leave Deactivate this rule on disabled.
  5. Enable the option Stop processing more rules.
  6. Enable the option Defer the message if rule processing doesn't complete.
  7. Leave Match sender address in message to the default Headers.
  8. Optional: Enter a comment in the Comments section.
  9. Click Next.

Review and finish

  1. Carefully review the draft configuration. Errors in mail flow rule configuration can result in delivery issues of outbound emails.
  2. When you are satisfied that the mail flow rule is configured correctly, click Finish.

Verify mail flow rule priorities

Do these checks if you have other mail flow rules. This is to make sure that the priority of the new and existing rules is correct.
  • If other rules must process a message before the Smart Relay rule, make sure that the Smart Relay rule has a lower priority.
  • Make sure that the other rules with a higher priority do not have the setting Stop processing other rules enabled, unless you explicitly want Smart Relay not to process emails that trigger the other rule(s).
Do these steps to adjust the priority of the mail flow rule.

  1. In the overview on the Rules page, find the mail flow rule that you created.
  2. Select the checkbox to the left of Disabled. Use the Move up or Move down buttons to move the new mail flow rule to the correct priority.
  3. Alternatively, click the name of the mail flow rule.
    A side pane opens.
  4. Select Edit rule settings. Then, under Priority, enter the correct priority for the mail flow rule.

Enable the mail flow rule

Before you enable the mail flow rule, make sure that all the implementation requirements for Smart Relay are satisfied and that Zivver is correctly configured for your organization. For help, speak to your representative at Zivver. Otherwise, send a message to support@zivver.com.

If you configured an activation date and time in the ‘rule settings’ section, you can skip this step. In this case, it is recommended to set a calendar reminder on the specified date and time to verify that the mail flow rule has indeed been automatically activated.

  1. Click the name of the mail flow rule that you have in the overview on the Rules page.
    A side pane opens.
  2. Under Enable or disable rule, toggle the switch to Enabled.
    The side pane shows this message.
    Updating the rule status, please wait…
  3. Wait until the side pane shows
    Rule status updated successfully

The mail flow rule is now enabled. Every email that satisfies the configured conditions and exceptions will be relayed to Zivver Smart Relay.

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