Custom Domains

Custom domains let you share a link to your timeline on your own website's domain instead of the preceden.com domain.

For example, instead of sharing a link to your timeline at an address like:

https://www.preceden.com/timelines/123456?s=1a2b3c4d5e6f7890

You could share it on your own domain such as timelines.datetime.io:

https://timelines.datetime.io/timelines/123456?s=1a2b3c4d5e6f7890

How to set up a custom domain

1) Before you begin, confirm that your plan supports custom domains.

Head to Account > Settings. In your account information table, if you see a Custom Domain row with a Configure link, your current plan supports custom domains. If not, you'll need to upgrade to a plan that does (like our current Pro plan). If you're on a legacy plan and see no way to upgrade to one that supports custom domains, contact support: [email protected].

2) Decide on the custom domain that you want to use, such as timelines.datetime.io, planning.myagency.com, or clients.mycompany.com.

The URL of your timeline on your custom domain always includes "/timelines" in the path, so you may want to choose a subdomain other than "timelines" to avoid repeating the word, as the earlier example does.

3) Next, you'll need to add a CNAME record in your domain's DNS settings to point that custom domain to cname.preceden.com. If you're using Cloudflare use the DNS Only (gray cloud) setting.

You can find specific instructions on how to add CNAME records in your DNS provider's support docs. Here are a few common ones: GoDaddy, NameCheap, Cloudflare, DNSimple.

4) Next, in Preceden, head to Account > Settings.

5) In that same table, look for the Custom Domain row and click the Configure link. (As noted in step 1, if you don't see this, you're not on a plan that supports custom domains.)

6) Enter the custom domain, such as timelines.datetime.io (that is, both the subdomain and the domain itself).

The custom domain setup form with timelines.datetime.io typed into the field, above a Save Changes button

7) Click Save Changes

8) After you add the CNAME record it can take several hours for your change to take effect. After it does, your custom domain page will reflect the DNS Setup is complete:

The Status table on the custom domain page, listing the custom domain timelines.datetime.io and a DNS Setup row reading Complete

9) After the DNS changes take effect, you'll see a "Custom Domain" indicator above your timeline:

A red arrow pointing at the ticked Custom Domain button in the row of sharing buttons above a timeline named Project Timeline

Clicking it opens a window showing the full custom domain URL, with a button to copy it to your clipboard:

The sharing dialog for a timeline, showing the full timelines.datetime.io URL above a Copy URL button

FAQs

The custom domain page says DNS is working but I'm still seeing an error when loading a timeline

DNS changes need time to propagate across the internet. If the custom domain page says the DNS setup is complete but the timeline isn't loading, the changes have only propagated partway: some systems (like Preceden's servers) already see them, while your browser does not yet. Waiting 5-10 minutes usually resolves it.

Will Preceden's branding ever appear on custom domains?

No, Preceden's branding is entirely hidden and viewers will only see your timeline. The page looks exactly the same as it does when shared on preceden.com, just served from your own domain instead.

Will this work for any timeline regardless of its visibility?

Yes, you can share links to public, secret URL, and password protected timelines on your custom domain. Private timelines cannot be shared with a link so custom domains don't apply to them.

Can I turn off custom domains for specific timelines?

When you configure a custom domain, it is enabled for all timelines on your account by default. If you use Preceden for both work and personal timelines, though, you may not want the personal ones shared on your work domain.

You can disable the custom domain for specific timelines by adjusting the timeline settings:

Click the timeline's name above the visualization
Under Custom Domain, uncheck Use timelines.datetime.io for this timeline (the checkbox names whichever domain you configured)
Click Update Timeline

Can I use a non-secure (http) domain?

No, your website, including the custom domain, must use SSL/HTTPS for this to work.

Can I use a root domain instead of a subdomain?

No. The setup in step 3 above relies on a CNAME record, and a root domain like yourdomain.com cannot point somewhere else with a CNAME. Use a subdomain such as timelines.yourdomain.com instead.

Can collaborators and teammates work off the custom domain?

No, when you invite people to collaborate on your timelines, either using Preceden's collaboration features or as other users on your account, they'll be working on the preceden.com domain, not the custom domain. Custom domains let people view timelines on there, but editing timelines still takes place on the preceden.com domain.

Can multiple users use the same custom domain?

Not normally: for security reasons only one user can use a given custom domain.

However, if you're in the same organization as the other user, we can confirm with them that they're fine with you using the same custom domain, then set it up for you. Contact support if you're interested in this.

Also, if your account supports multiple users, you (the account owner) can set up a custom domain and every other user on the account can use it too.