Microsoft KB Archive/210849

= WD2000: Mail Formats and Methods for Sending E-mail Messages =

Article ID: 210849

Article Last Modified on 12/16/2002

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q210849



SUMMARY
When you send an e-mail message from Microsoft Word (on the File menu in Word, point to Send To, and then click Mail Recipient), the message is sent in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) format, regardless of the file format that you used to save the document. This functionality is by design in Microsoft Word.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

210337 WD2000: Document to Mail Recipient Sent from Word Is Sent As HTML

If you want to preserve and send your Word document exactly as you formatted it, use the Mail Recipient (as Attachment) option.

However, when you use Microsoft Word to edit e-mail messages in Microsoft Outlook, you have a choice of three message formats (HTML, Microsoft Outlook Rich Text, and Plain Text) in which to send your e-mail message. After you create and format your message, when you click Send, Microsoft Word automatically converts and sends the e-mail message in the format that you specified in Microsoft Outlook.

This article describes the various e-mail formats that are available and provides several methods of working around the default behavior of both Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Word when you send e-mail messages.



MORE INFORMATION
The following topics are discussed in this article:  How to Use Microsoft Word as Your E-mail Editor In Microsoft Outlook

You can specify one of the following as the default message format for new e-mail messages. The message format that you specify is independent of your choice of message editor. For example, you can choose Microsoft Word as your default message editor and then specify a message format to use in Word.

Send as HTML

Send as Microsoft Outlook Rich Text

Send as Plain Text

 How to Use Microsoft Word to Send an E-mail Message

When you send a Word document as an e-mail message (on the File menu, point to Send To), you have three choices in which to send the document:

NOTE: Microsoft Word does not use the Microsoft Outlook settings for sending an e-mail message when you click Send To on the File menu or when you click the E-mail button on the Standard toolbar in Word.

Mail Recipient

Mail Recipient (as Attachment)

Mail Recipient (as Text)



HTML
Select HTML if you want to preserve the following features:
 * Text Formatting
 * Numbering
 * Bullets
 * Alignment
 * Horizontal Lines
 * Backgrounds
 * HTML Styles
 * Web Pages

When you create an e-mail message (on the File menu in Microsoft Outlook, point to New, and then click Mail Message), Word opens a new mail message in Web Outline view and turns off the features that Web browsers do not support by default. As a result, when you click Send, the recipient should be able to view your HTML e-mail message as you intended.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If the Disable features not supported by check box is cleared in Word, you can apply formatting to your e-mail message that HTML does not support.

When you click Send on the e-mail message header to send your e-mail message, Word automatically converts your e-mail message to the HTML format. As a result, certain formatting in your HTML e-mail message may be lost or changed from what you intended.

NOTE: The same limitations that apply to a Word document that you save as a Web Page (HTML) also apply to a Word document that you send in the HTML mail format.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

212270 WD2000: Limitations of Converting from Word Document Format to Web Page Format

If you want to preserve and send your Word document exactly as you formatted it, send your Word document as Mail Recipient (as Attachment).

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Microsoft Outlook Rich Text
Select Microsoft Outlook Rich Text if you want to preserve the following features:
 * Text Formatting
 * Bullets
 * Alignment

When you create an e-mail message with Word as your e-mail editor, and you select Microsoft Outlook Rich Text in Microsoft Outlook, the recipient should be able to view your e-mail message as you intended. However, if you send mail over the Internet, some recipients may not be able to see Outlook Rich Text formatting.

If you want to preserve and send your Word document exactly as you formatted it, send your Word document as Mail Recipient (as Attachment).

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Plain Text
Select Plain Text when you want your E-mail message to include no formatting. If you send most of your mail over the Internet, you may prefer to use Plain Text rather than adding formatting that recipients might not be able to see.

When you create an e-mail message with Word as your e-mail editor, and you select Plain Text in Microsoft Outlook, your e-mail message is sent as a text message with no character or paragraph formatting. Pictures and graphics are also not retained. In addition, Word turns off the features that Web browsers do not support by default.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If the Disable features not supported by check box is cleared in Word, you can apply formatting to your e-mail message that Plain Text format does not support.

When you click Send on the e-mail message header to send your e-mail message, Word automatically converts your e-mail message to the Plain Text format. As a result, all formatting in your e-mail message may be lost or changed from what you intended.

If you want to preserve and send your Word document exactly as you formatted it, send your Word document as Mail Recipient (as Attachment).

To select a default mail format or to set "Use Microsoft Word to edit e-mail messages"

 * 1) Start Microsoft Outlook.
 * 2) On the Tools menu, click Options.
 * 3) Click the Mail Format tab.
 * 4) In the Send in this message format list, click the format that you want to use to send your e-mail messages (HTML, Microsoft Outlook Rich Text, or Plain Text).
 * 5) Click to select the Use Microsoft Word to edit e-mail messages check box.
 * 6) Click OK to close the Options dialog box.

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To change "Disable features not supported by"
To change the Disable features not supported by check box, follow these steps:
 * 1) In Microsoft Word, click Options on the Tools menu.
 * 2) On the General tab, click Web Options.
 * 3) On the General tab of the Web Options dialog box, click to clear or select the Disable features not supported by check box.

NOTE: You can also change the setting in the Browser list to the Web browser with the appropriate features.

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Mail Recipient
When you send a document to Mail Recipient (on the File menu in Word, point to Send To, and then click Mail Recipient), Word adds an e-mail header to your Word document.

When you click Send a Copy on the e-mail header toolbar, the document text is sent in the HTML format. Word automatically converts your Word document text to the HTML format, regardless of the format in which you may have saved the Word document. Then Word sends the HTML-formatted text in an e-mail message to your recipient and removes the e-mail header from your Word document.

As a result of sending to Mail Recipient, some formatting in your Word e-mail message may be lost or changed from what you intended.

NOTE: The same limitations that apply to a Word document that you save as a Web Page (HTML) also apply to a Word document that you send to Mail Recipient.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

212270 WD2000: Limitations of Converting from Word Document Format to Web Page Format

If you want to preserve and send your Word document exactly as you formatted it, send your Word document as Mail Recipient (as Attachment).

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Mail Recipient (as Attachment)
NOTE: The Mail Recipient (as Attachment) will not appear when you point to Send To on the File menu if the Mail as attachment option in Microsoft Word is turned off.

When you send a document to Mail Recipient (as Attachment), Word creates a new Microsoft Outlook e-mail message based on the Mail Format that you specified in Microsoft Outlook.

When the document is added as an attachment to an e-mail message, the formatting of your Word document is completely preserved as you intended. Additionally, if you saved the document in a different format in Word (for example, Rich Text Format), the document retains the file format in which you saved it.

Some e-mail systems may not allow an attachment to an e-mail message. In this case, send your Word document either as Mail Recipient or as Mail Recipient (as Text).

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Mail Recipient (as Text)
NOTE: The Mail Recipient (as Text) will not appear when you point to Send To on the File menu if the Mail as attachment option in Microsoft Word is turned on.

When you send a document to Mail Recipient (as Text), Word creates a new Microsoft Outlook e-mail message in Plain Text format and inserts the text of your Word document into the message area of the e-mail message. The formatting of your Word document is not retained in your new e-mail message.

If you want to preserve and send your Word document exactly as you formatted it, send your Word document as Mail Recipient (as Attachment).

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If Mail Recipient (as Attachment) or Mail Recipient (as Text) does not appear on the Send To menu (on the File menu, point to Send To), follow these steps:

NOTE: Only one of these choices appears on the Send To menu at a time. The choice that appears is determined by the Mail as attachment setting in Microsoft Word.  In Microsoft Word, click Options on the Tools menu. Click the General tab. Click to select or clear the Mail as attachment check box.

If you click to select the Mail as attachment check box, Mail Recipient (as Attachment) appears on the File menu.

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If you click to clear the Mail as attachment check box, Mail Recipient (as Text) appears on the File menu. Click OK to close the Options dialog box.</li></ol>

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Additional query words: email

Keywords: kbinfo wd2000 kbdta KB210849

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