Connect SendGrid

Overview

SendGrid authenticates entirely via API key. If you have multiple from addresses, you can use a single API key for all of them as long as each from address or domain is verified in SendGrid as a Sender Identity. You can optionally set an IP Pool to route sends through a dedicated IP.

Get your credentials

1. Log in to app.sendgrid.com
2. Go to Settings → API Keys → Create API Key
3. Choose Restricted Access and grant Mail Send → Full Access
4. Copy the key — it is only shown once
5. Verify your from address: Settings → Sender Authentication → Domain Authentication (preferred) or Single Sender Verification

Add the provider in Nudgel

1. Go to Settings → Providers
2. Click Add a provider
3. Pick SendGrid
4. Fill in the fields:

Test the connection

curl -X POST https://api-raven-cloud.autotribes.app/v1/messages \
  -H "X-Raven-Key: rk_live_a3f7b2c1_..." \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "channel": "email",
    "to": "you@example.com",
    "from": "noreply@mail.acme.co.ke",
    "subject": "Nudgel test — SendGrid",
    "bodyHtml": "<p>If you can read this, SendGrid is wired up.</p>",
    "bodyText": "If you can read this, SendGrid is wired up."
  }'

Confirm in SendGrid → Activity — the message should appear in the activity feed within seconds.

Set up webhooks

SendGrid calls this feature Event Webhook. Configure it under Settings → Mail Settings → Event Webhook.

Set the HTTP Post URL to:

https://api-raven-cloud.autotribes.app/v1/webhooks/email/sendgrid/{YOUR_TENANT_ID}

Enable at minimum: Delivered, Bounce, Spam Report, Unsubscribe. Hard bounces and spam reports are automatically added to your suppression list. See the webhooks guide for full details.

Verify your sending domain at SendGrid

To send from your own domain (e.g. mail.example.co.ke) through SendGrid, publish DKIM records SendGrid generates for you. Nudgel orchestrates this from one dashboard.

1. In Nudgel dashboard, go to Settings → Sending domains → Add domain, enter your domain.
2. On the next screen, select SendGrid. Nudgel calls SendGrid's domain registration API using your credentials and shows you the DNS records to publish.
3. Publish the records at your DNS host (Cloudflare, Route 53, etc.).
4. Nudgel polls every 30 seconds for the first 10 minutes, then hourly. Verification surfaces in the dashboard automatically.

SendGrid-specific notes

• SendGrid domain auth uses 3 CNAMEs: mail_cname, dkim1, and dkim2. All three must be published.
• SendGrid may take up to 48 hours to fully validate after DNS propagation.
• Automatic DKIM key rotation is enabled by default (automatic_security: true) — no manual key rotation is required.

Full setup walkthrough: Sending domains setup

Troubleshooting