Microsoft ® Office Outlook ® 2003 Training Control how you send and see e-mail messages Your STS, Tom Redd, presents:

Microsoft® Office Outlook® 2003 Training

Control how you send and see e-mail messages

Your STS, Tom Redd, presents:


Course contents

• Overview: Control view, format, size

• Lesson 1: Choose the right format for sending

• Lesson 2: Control how you see the messages you receive

Each lesson includes a list of suggested tasks and a set of test questions.


The formatting of your e-mail messages is important for many reasons. Message format dictates how text and images are displayed, and even the size of your messages.

Overview: Control view, format, size

This course will give you the information you need to choose and control message formats in Microsoft® Office Outlook® 2003, both for e-mail messages you send and for those you receive.


Course goals

• Understand the differences between HTML, Rich Text, and Plain Text e-mail message formats.

• Choose the right format for your audience and avoid sending "gobbledygook" or a winmail.dat attachment.

• Understand which format causes attachments to appear inline and which formats show them in the message header.

(Continued on next slide.)


Course goals, cont’d.

• Know how to change the default format for all messages you send (and even set a different default for messages that go to specific people).

• Control the format used to view messages that are sent to you and understand why some types of pictures and attachments are blocked.

Lesson 1

Choose the right format for sending


Choose the right format for sending

You carefully formatted an e-mail message and sent it to someone over the Internet.

When she replied, you saw that your text had lost its format, and instead it appeared to be Plain Text with a lot of gobbledygook mixed in. Or, maybe she replied that she couldn't open the "Winmail.dat" file that you sent.

A message with gobbledygook in it


Do they see what you see?

Can everyone who gets your e-mail message see your animated signature?

Do they have the ability to see the inline photo of your dog, or does it appear as a 350 KB attachment (and take forever to download over their slow modem)?

Before sending a message, consider who will get it.


What you have to choose from

In Microsoft Outlook, you have three choices for the e-mail message format:

• HTML (the default)

• Rich Text Format (RTF)

• Plain Text

You have three choices for the message format.



If you use a format that your recipients’ e-mail program can't understand, they may not see what you see.




Plain Text format will yield the smallest message size, and HTML messages will be the largest.


Each choice also influences a message’s size—and size can affect the amount of time it takes to send or receive a message.


HTML: It's on by default

Do you receive e-mail messages that look like fancy newsletters? They were probably created using HTML.

An HTML newsletter sent as an e-mail message

HTML is the default message format in Outlook. HTML lets you add style and emphasis to your messages.


RTF: Show attachments inline, with caution

If you're sending e-mail to people outside your company or if not everyone inside your company uses Outlook, Rich Text Format (RTF) is not the best choice for a message format.

RTF increases your chances of sending gobbledygook because it's the least compatible of the three available message formats.

E-mail message in Rich Text format


RTF: Show attachments inline, with caution

See the image at left.1. In a Rich Text Format (RTF) message, an

attachment appears inline. This allows you to emphasize the point of the attachment.

2. In an HTML or Plain Text format message, an attachment appears in the message header.

E-mail message in Rich Text format


Plain means plain

If a message recipient complains about getting gobbledygook when you've sent him an HTML message, try using Plain Text format the next time you send him a message.

A Plain Text message


Plain means plain

This means that the recipient of your Plain Text format message will be able to:

• Read your message • Access your message as

quickly as his system will allow

A Plain Text message


Work outside the default

You’ve carefully considered the people who receive most of your e-mail and verified that you're using the right default format for them.

But what if you want to send a message to someone else using a format other than the default?



You can pick a format before you start.

1. To create a new message in any of the three available formats, use the Actions menu.

2. Click New Mail Message Using on the Actions menu, and select the format of your choice.

Here are your options:



You can set a new default for a single contact. If you send e-mail to someone with an Internet address (rather than to someone within your company who has an Exchange e-mail account), you can specify the format you'd like to use for that one contact.

• Double-click the e-mail name of that person, and select the Internet format option you want.


Use Word as your e-mail editor

With Word as your e-mail editor, you can use features like AutoCorrect, bullets, numbering, and tables to compose better messages—provided you're using a format that supports them. The Mail Format tab

of the Options dialog box



When you're using the HTML format and Word as your e-mail editor, be aware: Word includes an HTML "filter" that automatically strips out unnecessary HTML elements when you send your e-mail messages.

The Mail Format tab of the Options dialog box



To verify whether Word is selected as your e-mail editor:

The Mail Format tab of the Options dialog box

1. In Outlook, on the Tools menu, click Options.

2. Click the Mail Format tab.

3. Confirm that the Use Microsoft Word to edit e-mail messages check box is selected.


Format e-mail replies and forwards

Other types of messages that you send are replied to and forwarded messages.

Although you may not think of these as messages that you create (because someone else started the message), you do have some control over how your replies and forwards look.

Responder’s name in an e-mail message response


Format e-mail replies and forwards

One option you have in messages that you reply to or forward is to change the look of your comments:

• Here, Nancy has set up Outlook so that her replies appear in dark blue and her name is automatically entered as she makes each comment.

Responder’s name in an e-mail message response


Suggestions for practice

1. See your default message format and e-mail editor.

2. Set the default for a specific contact.

3. See how to customize the look of messages you reply to or forward.

4. See where to change the default font for Plain Text format messages.

(Continued on next slide.)


Suggestions for practice, cont’d.

5. Create a message that's different from the default.

6. Change the message format midstream.

7. Add an attachment and compare HTML and RTF formats.

8. Restore your settings.

Online practice (requires Outlook 2003)

http://office.microsoft.com/training/Training.aspx?AssetID=RP010447801033&CTT=6&Origin=RC010447701033


Test 1, question 1

When you specify a default format on the Mail Format tab of the Options dialog box, that's the format that you'll be forced to use for all messages you send. (Pick one answer.)

1. True.

2. False.


Test 1, question 1: Answer

False.

It's the default, but you can always switch to one of the other formats.


Test 1, question 2

Which of the following formats will yield the smallest file size? (Pick one answer.)

1. Plain Text.

2. Rich Text.

3. HTML.



Plain Text.

If small is what you want, Plain Text format is your choice.


Test 1, question 3

You send a friend a snazzy message with an attachment over the Internet. The friend replies that the message contained a Winmail.dat file and that she could not open it. Which e-mail format is most likely to cause this scenario? (Pick one answer.)

1. Plain Text.

2. Rich Text.

3. HTML.



Rich Text.

If you use Rich Text format to send a message to someone who doesn't also use Outlook, the message may be accompanied by a file called Winmail.dat, the contents of which won't make sense to him.


Test 1, question 4

Which format type will show attachments inline with the message text? (Pick one answer.)

1. HTML.

2. Rich Text.

3. Plain Text.



Rich Text.

If you want your attachments to appear inline, you need to use RTF. Be sure that the recipient is using an e-mail program that understands RTF. Otherwise, she may see gobbledygook instead of the attachment that you intended.

Lesson 2

Control how you see the messages you receive


Control how you see messages you receive

Do you wonder why you sometimes see red Xs in your messages instead of pictures? The Xs are related to message format, too.

Do you wish you could choose whether to see formatting in messages, or read them only in Plain Text format? You can!

Think about the messages you receive.


The sender sets the format

Now you know you can choose among formats when you send messages.

But what about controlling the format of messages that you receive? What are the choices and defaults for those?

Wondering how to manage message formats?


The sender sets the format

By default, you see messages the way they were sent, which means that the sender controls the message format.

Wondering how to manage message formats?

You'll be glad to know that Outlook gives you some control over how you see a received message, regardless of its original format.


Blocked attachments: It's about security

Does the message in the picture look familiar? It’s a message about a blocked attachment.

A received message with a blocked attachment

Outlook automatically blocks certain types of attachments. This blocking helps protect your computer from viruses and cannot be changed.


Pictures and privacy in HTML messages

Have you ever received a message that had red Xs like the ones in the picture? One reason for the red Xs is that Outlook purposely blocks certain types of pictures in HTML-formatted messages.

Why does Outlook do this?E-mail message with blocked pictures



HTML has the potential to carry pictures that may do either of the following:

• Invade your privacy (by alerting the sender to the fact that you downloaded the picture and therefore opened the message)

• Irritate or even offend you (unwanted photos or advertisements may appear in the reading or message pane)

E-mail message with blocked pictures



You can also view the pictures right away.

1. Click the text at the top of the message.

2. Click Download Pictures.

3. If you always want to see pictures from this sender, select one of the commands.

4. A red X indicates that a picture has been blocked.

E-mail message with blocked pictures


Play it safe with Plain Text format

Although HTML offers some great safety features, you can play it safer yet with Plain Text format.

Just as Plain Text format is the simplest and least cumbersome format you can choose for sending a message, it also simplifies things with messages you receive.

Plain Text message with menu to view as HTML


Play it safe with Plain Text format

If you opt for Plain Text as your initial "receive" format, there are a couple things you should keep in mind:

• When you reply to or forward a message that you've viewed this way, the format of that message will also be Plain Text.

• This setting will not reduce the size of a received message, the way it does a sent or forwarded message.

Plain Text message with menu to view as HTML


Suggestions for practice

1. Select the Plain Text option for reading e-mail messages.

2. Send yourself a glitzy message.

3. Open the message.

4. Clear the Plain Text option for reading e-mail.

5. See where to change settings for downloaded pictures.

Online practice (requires Outlook 2003)



Test 2, question 1

You receive an e-mail message with a red X in it. What's the most likely cause? (Pick one answer.)

1. It's probably a glitch in the e-mail server.

2. Outlook prevented pictures from being downloaded.

3. The picture is too big to display in an e-mail message.



Outlook prevented pictures from being downloaded.

If you trust the sender and want to see the pictures in the e-mail message, click the InfoBar at the top of the message, and then click Download Pictures.


Test 2, question 2

Which of the following is the main advantage of reading e-mail in Plain Text? (Pick one answer.)1. It's safe.

2. It can help you conserve disk space.

3. You won't have to bother with attachments.



It's safe.


Test 2, question 3

You received an e-mail message and it says that the attachment was blocked. What are your options? (Pick one answer.)

1. Tell the sender.

2. You don't have any. Blocked means blocked.

3. Change the message format to RTF.



Tell the sender.

Tell the sender that the attachment is a type that was blocked automatically by Outlook. The sender will need to take a few extra steps before sending the attachment, but the good news is that with a few extra steps, the sender should be able to get the file to you. For more information, see the "Useful links" section in the Quick Reference Card.


Test 2, question 4

Suppose you're using the HTML default format for sending messages. Which format will be used for messages you receive? (Pick one answer.)

1. HTML.

2. RTF.

3. Whatever format the sender used.



Whatever format the sender used.

A sender chooses the format of the sent message. If it's sent as Plain Text, that's how you'll receive it. If you want to use something different in a reply or forward, you'll need to take action to do that.


Test 2, question 5

In Outlook, it's possible to view all your received messages in Plain Text format. (Pick one answer.)

1. True.

2. False.



True.

To see the message in the format that the sender used, select that option in the InfoBar at the top of the message.


Quick Reference Card

For a summary of the tasks covered in this course, view the Quick Reference Card.


Documents

Microsoft ® Office Outlook ® 2003 Training Control how you send and see e-mail messages Your STS, Tom Redd, presents: