Microsoft KB Archive/257396

Knowledge Base

XFOR: Sending Read Receipts Between Exchange Server Computers in Different Organizations

Article ID: 257396

Article Last Modified on 10/27/2006

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q257396

SUMMARY

This article describes how to configure Exchange Server computers that are in different environments to successfully deliver messages that include read receipts over the Internet Mail Service.

You can also use the steps in this article to send other Exchange Server-specific messages such as meeting requests, tasks, and some forms between organizations.

MORE INFORMATION

Read receipts function between any properly configured Exchange Server computer, regardless of the organization that they belong to.

Read receipts are client-specific functions. That is, they are generated and handled by clients. Microsoft Outlook 97, Microsoft Outlook 98, Microsoft Outlook 2000, and Microsoft Outlook Express support read receipts. You can configure Outlook Express to give you the option of sending the read receipt before the receipt is actually sent. In Outlook 97, Outlook 98, and Outlook 2000, read receipts are automatically sent when the message is read.

If the Internet Mail Service is set up to use third-party relay hosts, the read receipt functionality works because read receipts are Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME)-encoded in the message. As long as the third-party Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) servers or firewalls do not strip the MIME encoding, you are able to use third-party smart hosts between Exchange Server computers.

To ensure read receipts are sent between Exchange Server computers, use Microsoft Rich Text Formatting (MS-RTF), sometimes called Transport Neutral Encoding Format (TNEF), for message delivery. You can configure this formatting on the Exchange Server computer or on the Outlook client.

To configure the Exchange Server Internet Mail Service to use MS-RTF when you are sending a message to a particular Internet domain, follow these steps:

1. In the Exchange Administrator program, open the properties of the Internet Mail Service.
2. Click the Internet Mail tab, click E-mail Domain, click Add, and then type the domain name.
3. Click Advanced options, and then set the Send Microsoft Exchange Rich Text Formatting option to Always.
   

NOTE: To set this option for all domains, specify the domains on the main Advanced options button. However, if you follow this method, you may experience issues if you send messages to non-Microsoft clients or servers. It is recommended that you set the Send Microsoft Exchange Rich Text Formatting option to User for all domains, and then make specific exceptions.

When the Send Microsoft Exchange Rich Text Formatting option is set to User, you can configure the Outlook client to use MS-RTF when you are sending messages to a particular user. To do this, use any of the following methods:

• If you are using a one-off address (for example, an SMTP address that you typed in the To box of the new message), double-click the verified name, and then click to select the Always send this recipient in rich text formatting check box before you send the message.
• If you are using address book entries, verify that the Always send to this recipient in rich text formatting option has been selected before you save the entry.
• If you are using custom recipients, in the Exchange Administrator program, click the Advanced tab for that recipient, and then click to select Allow rich text in messages.

If the read receipt functionality is not working, configure the Internet Mail Service to forward messages directly to the Internet Mail Service on the remote server. When you use this method, firewalls and routers are bypassed for all mail flow. This method is as a test which avoids third-party connections:

1. In the Exchange Administrator program, open the properties of the Internet Mail Service.
2. Click the Connections tab and use either of the following methods:
   • In the Message delivery section, in the Forward all messages to a host box, enter a host name or Internet protocol (IP) address of the remote Exchange Server computer that is hosting the Internet Mail Service.
     

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1. • Click the Specify by e-mail domain button, and then add the remote domain that you want to directly forward messages to. In the Forward all messages for this domain to host box, type the IP address of the remote Exchange Server computer that is hosting the Internet Mail Service.
     

NOTE: This method works well when there are more than two servers hosting an Internet Mail Service connector, or if you are using DNS for mail delivery.

1. Stop, and then restart the Internet Mail Service for this change to take effect.
2. Make these changes on every Internet Mail Service that participates in this configuration.

Additional query words: rtf receipts imc IMS

Keywords: kbhowto KB257396

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