E-mail Formatting Can Affect Content Delivery

E-mail is a convenient and powerful method of communication with billions of e-mail messages transmitted everyday. As common as e-mail is however, there is still some mystery concerning the use of e-mail programs and the types of corresponding message formats. Why is this worth discussing? Because message formats have a direct effect on how text and text formatting are displayed, the size of the messages, and if the message text is received at all.

Some e-mail systems may not properly translate the format of another. Using Microsoft Outlook, for instance, e-mail messages can be transmitted in one of three formats: Rich Text Format (RTF), HTML or plain text. A preferred message format can be specified for transmitting messages and for receiving messages. Each format affects text formatting, placement of attachments, access to linked objects and message size. Message size impacts the time it takes to send or receive a message and download attachments. Plain text format will yield the smallest message size, while HTML messages will be the largest.

It is quite irritating to have a precisely formatted e-mail received as a mass of text strewn about the screen. This is the result of not choosing a mail format that is compatible with the recipient's e-mail system.

Rich Text Format

Outlook's RTF provides several of the text and paragraph enhancements available in Microsoft Word. RTF offers font formatting, bullets, centering, and supports linked objects. Attachments are placed in the body of the message text. However, Microsoft only recommends RTF use when sending messages to recipients using the same e-mail system. Of the three available message formats, it is the least compatible with other e-mail systems.

Outlook automatically converts RTF messages to HTML when directed to Internet e-mail systems such as Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail, which understand HTML and will display the message properly preserving the majority of the original formatting. Linked objects are converted to BMP files and attachments are placed in the message header.

Other Internet recipients may instead receive a text file attachment called 'winmail.dat' instead of your actual message text and attached files. The winmail.dat file can be decoded using a third-party product or the message should be resent using plain text format.

HTML

HTML is the Microsoft-recommended e-mail format and the default format in Outlook. HTML-formatted e-mail messages can be highly styled with text enhancements, images, objects and hyperlinks. Attachments are placed in the message header. The popular e-mail programs support HTML so the conversion issues found with RTF messages are eliminated. However, for security purposes, administrators often turn off the ability to receive mail in HTML-format.

E-mail programs that do not support HTML will usually display the actual HTML code behind the message, or worse, display gibberish. HTML format produces the largest messages so they take the longest to download of the three and thus require more storage space. Embedded HTML attachments are a common method of spreading computer viruses, worms or Trojan programs. For security purposes and privacy, by default, Outlook 2003 does not display images in HTML messages.

The invisible HTML instructions are a sequence of beginning and ending codes that are difficult to navigate in the dark so to speak.

Plain Text

Plain text format is the most universal e-mail format, and in terms of message size and transmission of viruses, it is by far the most compact and safest. Plain text e-mails are also more likely than HTML messages to get through spam filters.

As its name implies, plain text messages are without formatting ' no bold, italics, colored fonts, bullets, or images allowed within the body of the message. Images can be included as attachments and are placed in the message header.

Text Box: Setting Message Format Defaults

Outlook can be set to open received messages in plain text format only:

• From the main Microsoft Outlook window, select the 'Tools' menu, then choose the 'Options' menu item at or near the bottom of the list.
• Select the 'Preferences' tab, if necessary (upper left corner).
• Click the 'E-mail Options' button.
• Check 'Read all standard mail in plain text.'
• Click 'OK' to close the dialog box.

To set Outlook to create all messages in plain text format:

• From the main Microsoft Outlook window, select the 'Tools' menu, then choose the 'Options' menu item at or near the bottom of the list.
• Select the 'Mail Format' tab.
• In the 'Compose in this message format:' list, select 'Plain Text.'

E-mail Editor: Outlook or Word

In previous versions of Microsoft Outlook, the default e-mail editor was the Outlook editor. In Outlook 2003, Microsoft Word is now set as the default e-mail editor, requiring RTF or HTML message format. Further, Outlook launches a new instance of Word, complete with any macros or add-ins you normally run in Word. That's a lot of overhead for creating one e-mail message. Outlook's editor is faster and eliminates the issues of running multiple instances of Word simultaneously. In fact, many Microsoft Office gurus indicate that using Word as your e-mail editor simply makes Outlook unstable and more susceptible to viruses.

To Turn Off Word as the E-mail Editor/E-mail Reader

• From the main Microsoft Outlook window, select the 'Tools' menu, then choose the 'Options' menu item at or near the bottom of the list.
• Select the 'Mail Format' tab.
• Uncheck both check boxes that reference using Microsoft Word as the e-mail editor or reader.

Paying attention to the format of your e-mail messages is just as important as the content and text formatting. Since e-mail recipients could be using a wide variety of e-mail programs and handheld devices, it is important to communicate about acceptable message formats and file size limitations before hitting 'Send.' Using the plain text format eliminates formatting problems and bloated messages. Consequently, your messages will be smaller, faster to transmit and display, and less likely to be identified as spam.

E-mail is a convenient and powerful method of communication with billions of e-mail messages transmitted everyday. As common as e-mail is however, there is still some mystery concerning the use of e-mail programs and the types of corresponding message formats. Why is this worth discussing? Because message formats have a direct effect on how text and text formatting are displayed, the size of the messages, and if the message text is received at all.

Some e-mail systems may not properly translate the format of another. Using Microsoft Outlook, for instance, e-mail messages can be transmitted in one of three formats: Rich Text Format (RTF), HTML or plain text. A preferred message format can be specified for transmitting messages and for receiving messages. Each format affects text formatting, placement of attachments, access to linked objects and message size. Message size impacts the time it takes to send or receive a message and download attachments. Plain text format will yield the smallest message size, while HTML messages will be the largest.

It is quite irritating to have a precisely formatted e-mail received as a mass of text strewn about the screen. This is the result of not choosing a mail format that is compatible with the recipient's e-mail system.

Rich Text Format

Outlook's RTF provides several of the text and paragraph enhancements available in Microsoft Word. RTF offers font formatting, bullets, centering, and supports linked objects. Attachments are placed in the body of the message text. However, Microsoft only recommends RTF use when sending messages to recipients using the same e-mail system. Of the three available message formats, it is the least compatible with other e-mail systems.

Outlook automatically converts RTF messages to HTML when directed to Internet e-mail systems such as Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail, which understand HTML and will display the message properly preserving the majority of the original formatting. Linked objects are converted to BMP files and attachments are placed in the message header.

Other Internet recipients may instead receive a text file attachment called 'winmail.dat' instead of your actual message text and attached files. The winmail.dat file can be decoded using a third-party product or the message should be resent using plain text format.

HTML

HTML is the Microsoft-recommended e-mail format and the default format in Outlook. HTML-formatted e-mail messages can be highly styled with text enhancements, images, objects and hyperlinks. Attachments are placed in the message header. The popular e-mail programs support HTML so the conversion issues found with RTF messages are eliminated. However, for security purposes, administrators often turn off the ability to receive mail in HTML-format.

E-mail programs that do not support HTML will usually display the actual HTML code behind the message, or worse, display gibberish. HTML format produces the largest messages so they take the longest to download of the three and thus require more storage space. Embedded HTML attachments are a common method of spreading computer viruses, worms or Trojan programs. For security purposes and privacy, by default, Outlook 2003 does not display images in HTML messages.

The invisible HTML instructions are a sequence of beginning and ending codes that are difficult to navigate in the dark so to speak.

Plain Text

Plain text format is the most universal e-mail format, and in terms of message size and transmission of viruses, it is by far the most compact and safest. Plain text e-mails are also more likely than HTML messages to get through spam filters.

As its name implies, plain text messages are without formatting ' no bold, italics, colored fonts, bullets, or images allowed within the body of the message. Images can be included as attachments and are placed in the message header.

Text Box: Setting Message Format Defaults

Outlook can be set to open received messages in plain text format only:

• From the main Microsoft Outlook window, select the 'Tools' menu, then choose the 'Options' menu item at or near the bottom of the list.
• Select the 'Preferences' tab, if necessary (upper left corner).
• Click the 'E-mail Options' button.
• Check 'Read all standard mail in plain text.'
• Click 'OK' to close the dialog box.

To set Outlook to create all messages in plain text format:

• From the main Microsoft Outlook window, select the 'Tools' menu, then choose the 'Options' menu item at or near the bottom of the list.
• Select the 'Mail Format' tab.
• In the 'Compose in this message format:' list, select 'Plain Text.'

E-mail Editor: Outlook or Word

In previous versions of Microsoft Outlook, the default e-mail editor was the Outlook editor. In Outlook 2003, Microsoft Word is now set as the default e-mail editor, requiring RTF or HTML message format. Further, Outlook launches a new instance of Word, complete with any macros or add-ins you normally run in Word. That's a lot of overhead for creating one e-mail message. Outlook's editor is faster and eliminates the issues of running multiple instances of Word simultaneously. In fact, many Microsoft Office gurus indicate that using Word as your e-mail editor simply makes Outlook unstable and more susceptible to viruses.

To Turn Off Word as the E-mail Editor/E-mail Reader

• From the main Microsoft Outlook window, select the 'Tools' menu, then choose the 'Options' menu item at or near the bottom of the list.
• Select the 'Mail Format' tab.
• Uncheck both check boxes that reference using Microsoft Word as the e-mail editor or reader.

Paying attention to the format of your e-mail messages is just as important as the content and text formatting. Since e-mail recipients could be using a wide variety of e-mail programs and handheld devices, it is important to communicate about acceptable message formats and file size limitations before hitting 'Send.' Using the plain text format eliminates formatting problems and bloated messages. Consequently, your messages will be smaller, faster to transmit and display, and less likely to be identified as spam.