Should I include Google Calendar in my SPF record, and what is the importance of DKIM versus SPF?

Email marketer from StackOverflow shares that DKIM is generally more robust than SPF because it authenticates the content of the email rather than just the sending server. This makes it less susceptible to issues caused by forwarding or changes in the email's path.

Email marketer from GMass answers SPF records are important for email deliverability as they specify which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain, helping prevent spammers from forging your address.

Email marketer from Mailjet explains that SPF can become complex with multiple senders. They advise caution when adding numerous includes, as it can lead to SPF record validation issues. They recommend reviewing and simplifying SPF records regularly.

Email marketer from Reddit answers in r/emailmarketing forum shares that DKIM is important as it provides a digital signature that stays with the email even if it's forwarded. SPF, on the other hand, can break upon forwarding, making DKIM more reliable for maintaining email authentication.

Email marketer from Sendgrid shares that SPF and DKIM are both important for email deliverability, but DKIM offers more flexibility because it is less likely to be affected by email forwarding. They recommend implementing both for best results.

Email marketer from Email on Acid answers by suggesting not adding Google Calendar to the SPF Record - as it is best practise to keep the SPF records short and concise.

Email marketer from Valimail shares that DKIM survives forwarding, and SPF breaks during forwarding. Therefore, DKIM is more reliable in complex sending scenarios. They suggest focusing on DKIM alignment for improved deliverability.

Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that you will never get Google calendar invites to align SPF, and adding it to your records is a waste of internet bits. As long as DKIM is aligned, you're safe - which should be the default when you enable DKIM on Google Workspace.

Email marketer from ForumUser on forumuser.com explains that Google Calendar sending issues are best solved by ensuring DKIM is correctly configured for your domain. They advise against adding Google Calendar's sending servers to SPF due to maintenance and potential deliverability issues.

Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) explains that DKIM and SPF are both important for DMARC compliance but that DKIM is the preferred method because it survives forwarding.

Expert from Email Geeks says you absolutely do not want to include Google calendar in your SPF record.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that DKIM is the important thing. If you cannot get DKIM, then SPF is really good to have. If you have DKIM then SPF, sure, if it’s trivial to add.

Expert from Spam Resource explains that including too many mechanisms in your SPF record, such as numerous includes for third-party services, can cause the record to exceed the lookup limit and invalidate SPF. Always ensure your SPF is valid using online validators.

Documentation from RFC 7208 is the formal specification for SPF, details the technical aspects of how SPF records are interpreted. It explains the mechanisms and qualifiers used in SPF records and provides guidance on how to construct valid SPF policies. It does not mention Google Calendar.

Documentation from Auth0 clarifies that DKIM adds a digital signature to outbound emails. This allows receiving mail servers to verify that the email was indeed sent from an authorized source and that the message content hasn't been tampered with during transit.

Documentation from DMARC.org states that DKIM provides authentication by adding a digital signature to the email header, while SPF authenticates by verifying the sender's IP address against a published list of authorized sending sources. Both are important for DMARC compliance, but DKIM is considered more robust in some scenarios due to its ability to survive forwarding.

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that SPF records authorize sending mail servers. It states that adding third-party senders might be necessary, but doesn't specifically mention Google Calendar. It does emphasize the importance of keeping the SPF record under the character limit.

Documentation from Microsoft explains that SPF is used to validate the origin of email messages. However, they highlight that SPF alone might not be sufficient to prevent spoofing and recommend using DKIM and DMARC in conjunction with SPF.