OL2000: Working with HTML Stationery (195468)

MORE INFORMATION

Outlook allows you to personalize your e-mail messages with the use of stationery. Some of the features of stationery include:

• Graphic images
• Background colors
• Changing Font styles, sizes and other attributes
• Use of Predefined HTML standard text styles for emphasis
• Include signatures and other boilerplate items

Stationery is only available if you use HTML to format your e-mail messages. The procedures outlined in this article include:

• Creating a One Time HTML Message
• Setting HTML as your default Message format
• Becoming Familiar with Stationery
• Changing the Look of Stationery
• Creating a new message using stationery
• Creating stationery
• Deleting Stationery
• Setting the default stationery
• Creating stationery from a saved HTML message

Creating a One Time HTML Email Message

To create a single e-mail message in HTML format:

From the Inbox folder Actions menu, point to New Mail Message Using and click to select the HTML stationery you want to use.

NOTE: To create an HTML message without stationery, click HTML (No Stationery).

Setting HTML as Your Default Message Format

To set Outlook to use HTML as your message format, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Mail Format tab.
2. In the "Send in this message format" list, click HTML.

Each of the following procedures assume that HTML has been selected as your mail format.

Becoming Familiar with Stationery

To experiment with the different stationery designs available, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Mail Format tab.
2. Click Stationery Picker.

This option allows you to see the various stationery files that are installed with Outlook. You can also edit a particular stationery file to suit your tastes by changing fonts, pictures and backgrounds.

Changing the Look of Stationery

To change aspects of a stationery item, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and on the Mail Format tab click Stationery Picker.
2. In the Stationery list, click the stationery you want to change, and then click Edit.
3. Select the options you want to use.

Creating a New Message Using Stationery

1. Click Inbox.
2. On the Actions menu, point to "New Mail Message Using," and then click More Stationery.
3. Select the Stationery you wish to use.

Initially, this menu contains only the item, More Stationery. As you use stationery to send mail, the titles of the stationery items you have used are added. If the stationery you want is not listed, click Get More Stationery, and in the Stationery list, select the one you want to use.

Creating Stationery

1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Mail Format tab.
2. Click Stationery Picker, and then click New.
3. In the "Enter a name for your new stationery" box, enter a name.
4. Under "Choose how to create your stationery," select whether to start from scratch or use an existing stationery.
   
   To select a file to base your stationery on, click "Use this file as a template," type the path and file name or click Browse to select the file.
5. Click Next.
6. Select the options you want to use.

If you want to have text automatically added to the e-mail messages you send, such as a boilerplate response to messages, add a signature when you design your stationery.

Deleting Stationery

1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Mail Format tab.
2. Click Stationery Picker.
3. In the Stationery box, click the stationery you want to delete, and then click Remove.

Setting the Default Stationery

1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Mail Format tab.
2. In the "Send in this message format" list, click HTML.
3. In the "Use this stationery by default" list, click the stationery you want to use.

Creating Stationery from a Saved HTML Message

1. Make sure your default message format is set to HTML in the Mail Format option.
2. Open the message that uses the stationery.
3. Click your mouse into the text of the message and right-click.
4. Click Edit Message.
5. Select and delete all the text, including the Subject text.
6. On the File menu, click Save Stationery, type a name for it, and click OK.
7. On the Tools menu, click Options, click the Mail Format tab, and click Stationery Picker.
8. Click to select the stationery you just created, click OK, and click OK again.

Additional Considerations When Using HTML Mail

• HTML stationery mail can create large e-mail messages. Be careful to choose a background pattern that is not too large a file or too difficult to read the message text on.
• Rich Text Formatting will be maintained if you are sending mail to a client that supports Rich Text Format.
• Mail received by a non-HTML client will receive the background as an attachment that appears in the middle of your message.