DNS Record Management Guide

OpenSRS lets you enable DNS per domain and define the zone records that point traffic to the right servers. You can build reusable DNS templates for your most common zone settings, then apply them to domains at registration or update them later. This article explains how to create and edit DNS templates and how to apply DNS records to a registered domain.

How DNS templates work

A DNS template stores a predefined set of zone records that you can apply to any domain in your account. When you register or update a domain, you select a template and the zone records are applied automatically. You can still edit zone settings on an individual domain after a template is applied.

Templates support these conventions:

• Wildcards (*) represent a third-level subdomain or higher. Wildcards are not permitted in place of a top-level or second-level domain, and cannot appear in the middle of a string (for example, test.*.domain.com is invalid).
• The {{domain}} placeholder inserts the applied domain name into CNAME hostnames, MX hostnames, and TXT record text. For example, applying a template that uses www.{{domain}} to example.com stores the record as www.example.com.

Before you begin

• Sign in to the Reseller Control Panel (RCP) at manage.opensrs.com.
• Confirm DNS service is enabled for the domain you want to edit.
• Have the record values you intend to add ready (IP addresses, hostnames, priorities, etc.).

Step 1: Create a DNS template

1. In the Domains section of the RCP, click the Settings tab.
2. Scroll to Manage DNS Templates and click Edit.
3. Enter a Name and Description for the template. Both are required. The name accepts up to 50 characters.
4. Optionally, in Add Sub-Domain, enter the third level of the domain name (for example, www or ftp).
5. Click Save DNS Settings.

Step 2: Edit a DNS template

1. In the Domains section of the RCP, click the Settings tab.
2. Scroll to Manage DNS Templates and click Edit.
3. From the DNS Template drop-down list, choose the template you want to edit. Existing zone settings appear.
4. Make your changes to existing records.
5. To add a new record, open the Add New Record drop-down list, choose the record type, and complete the corresponding fields. See the reference table below.
6. Click Save DNS Settings.

Step 3: Add or edit DNS for a registered domain

1. In the Domains section of the RCP, search for the domain by entering all or part of the name and clicking Search.
2. Click the domain you want to edit.
3. In the DNS section, click Edit.
4. Do one or both of the following:
   • Apply a template: Choose the template from the DNS Template drop-down list and click Apply. The records defined in the template are added to the domain. You can adjust any record afterward.
   • Add records manually: Choose a record type from the Add Record drop-down list and fill in the corresponding fields.
5. Click Save DNS Settings.

Note: Applying a template overwrites only the record types defined in that template. You can edit individual records on a domain without changing the template itself.

DNS record type reference

Tip: Use the {{domain}} placeholder in templates for CNAME, MX, and TXT records so the same template works across many domains without manual edits.

Next steps

• Verify propagation — DNS changes can take time to propagate globally; use a public DNS lookup tool to confirm new records resolve as expected.
• Review your zone — After applying a template, open the domain's DNS panel and confirm each record matches what your customer expects.
• Manage glue records — If you use custom nameservers, see Adding, Modifying, and Deleting Glue Records.

Questions? Contact OpenSRS Support.