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By Stephanie Krieger

How can I add my own style to e-mail messages? Can I create separate signatures for different e-mail accounts? Does it matter whether my e-mail messages use Rich Text or HTML format? If these questions sound familiar, you're in the right place.

This article introduces you to the e-mail message format options available in Microsoft Office Outlook 2003. The article will also help you set those options to provide the most flexibility for creating a unique look for your e-mail messages.

Select your Outlook message options

If you've never looked at the e-mail format options in Outlook, you're missing some useful formatting tools. You can use these options to select the format for new messages, to set Microsoft Office Word 2003 as your e-mail editor, and to create or choose default stationery for new messages. All features discussed in this article are found in the Options dialog box.

To set Outlook e-mail format options

Understand the differences among e-mail message formats

If you want to use formatting in your e-mail messages, you need to begin with the right message format. Here's a quick look at the three message formats available in Outlook:

• HTML   This is the default message format in Outlook. It's also the best format to use when you want to create messages that are as well crafted as traditional documents. By default, when you use either of the options that allow formatting (HTML or Rich Text), the message is sent in HTML format. So when you use HTML, you know that what you send is what the recipient will see.
• Rich Text   The Rich Text format in Outlook is a Microsoft format that might not be understood by other e-mail programs. For this reason, if you use Rich Text, your e-mail is converted to an HTML message by default when sent over the Internet. Although formatting compatible with HTML is preserved when your message is converted from Rich Text format, HTML format is still the better option to use for formatted e-mail messages, because it alleviates the need to be concerned about compatibility from one e-mail program to another.
• Plain Text   The Plain Text format is exactly what it sounds like. You cannot use formatting — other than font options (discussed later in this article) — or include graphics when you create e-mail messages in Plain Text format.

Select a default message format

To set a default message format

Note  The remainder of this article assumes that you use HTML as your message format.

Change the message format for a message

Many people prefer to set their default message format to Plain Text to help protect against malicious e-mail. If you do this, you can change the message format for individual messages whenever you need to create a formatted e-mail document.

To change the message format for an individual message

Use Word as your e-mail editor

When Word is your e-mail editor, many of the features that you use to create great documents can also be used to format fabulous e-mail messages.

To set Word as your e-mail editor

Note  For help and more information about using Word to format e-mail messages, click "Use Word to format professional e-mail messages" in the See Also section.

Set a default stationery

Outlook offers a large assortment of stationery to add creative backgrounds to your e-mail messages. You can select from the stationery available in Outlook, create your own stationery from any HTML document, or select from additional stationery on the Microsoft Office Online site.

To set an Outlook stationery as the default for all new messages

Note  When you use stationery, keep in mind that the complexity of some stationery designs might cause your e-mail messages to take longer to open, depending upon the recipient's computer and e-mail program.

Stationery might add more formatting than you need for some e-mail messages. For example, a message to your boss or to a client is likely to look more professional if you use formatting that's clean and simple, rather than formatting that includes elaborate colors and graphics. Remember that the reason to use any formatting in any document is to help the content shine through. When formatting overpowers your content, your message might not be as effective as it can be. To create a professional impact with all of your e-mail messages, consider instead using well-chosen Word formatting such as styles, tables, and the occasional graphic, just as you would when formatting any important document.

Use a stationery for a single message

When stationery is appropriate for your message, it can be fun to use. You can apply Outlook stationery to a new individual message by creating a message based on that stationery.

To apply Outlook stationery to a single message

For help and more information about using Outlook stationery, see the See Also section.

Add a custom background to a message

To create your own background for an individual e-mail message, use the background feature in Word. To do this, you must designate Word as your e-mail editor.

Just as with some stationery, a complex background (such as one containing a graphic) might cause your e-mail messages to take longer to open, depending upon the recipient's computer and e-mail program.

Note  For help about using backgrounds in Word, see the See Also section.

Select fonts for your e-mail messages

You can specify font styles and font sizes for new messages, for message replies and forwarded messages, and for messages created or read in Plain Text format.

To set font options

Even if you select default fonts, keep in mind that when you use Word as your e-mail editor, you can use styles that override default fonts to help ensure more consistent formatting in your messages.

Note  For more information about using Word styles in e-mail messages, as well as information about additional Word formatting options for use with Outlook e-mail, see the article "Use Word to format professional e-mail messages" in the See Also section.

Use signatures

The last option for formatting your e-mail messages in Outlook is to create signatures that are automatically added to your messages.

To create an e-mail signature

You can create one signature for new messages and another for message replies and forwarded messages. You can also have a separate set of signatures for each e-mail account that you use with Outlook. After you create a new signature, assign it to the account and type of message that you want by using the lists under Signatures on the Mail Format tab in the Options dialog box.

When creating signatures, keep in mind that they're part of your e-mail document, so their appearance should be consistent with the tone of your message and appropriate for the particular recipients. For example, you wouldn't include a family photo in a signature for your professional e-mail.

To ensure a professional effect every time, format signatures with a small amount of font and paragraph formatting that compliments the style of your messages and that's easy to read without overpowering the message content.

Note  For help about creating and working with signatures in Outlook, see the See Also section.

Send the right message

When you set your e-mail format options, be sure to consider where your e-mail messages will be sent. Fun stationery that makes a great impression for personal e-mail messages might not be the best choice for professional e-mail messages, such as ones that contain your resume or a report for your boss. Keep in mind that Outlook e-mail format options are easy to set and easy to change, so you can make the perfect statement with every message.

About the author   Stephanie Krieger is a Microsoft MVP and a document production expert with more than 10 years of consulting experience, as well as the author of the book Microsoft Office Document Designer. Stephanie writes for several pages on the Microsoft Web site, including Microsoft At Work and Office Online, and she regularly delivers Microsoft Office tips and tricks webcasts.