How to flatten TXT records safely?

Flattening replaces SPF include statements with the actual IP addresses they resolve to:

• Before: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
• After: v=spf1 ip4:209.85.128.0/17 ip4:... ~all
• Benefits: Reduces DNS lookups toward the 10-lookup limit.

Risks:

• Provider IPs change. You must monitor and update.
• Flattened records become stale without maintenance.
• Manual flattening is error-prone.

Safe flattening:

• Use automated tools that monitor for changes.
• Set up alerts when source records change.
• Test after every update.
• Document your flattening process.

Copying addresses from another ledger into yours. But when the source ledger updates, your copy is outdated.