OL2000: AutoSignature Uses Format of Received Message (195400)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 2000
This article was previously published under Q195400

SUMMARY

When you forward or reply to a message and insert an AutoSignature, your signature may appear in plain text format.

When you receive a message in Microsoft Outlook 2000, the Outlook editor determines the format used when the message was composed, and uses this format to display the message. When you reply or forward the message, Outlook applies the same format. If the format is plain text, the format of the signature converts to plain text also.

MORE INFORMATION

Outlook allows you to create an AutoSignature in HTML, Microsoft Outlook Rich Text, and Plain Text message formats. If you use either HTML or Microsoft Outlook Rich Text as your default mail format, you can apply font and paragraph characteristics to your Signature. If you use Plain Text as your default Mail format, your Signature uses the font you chose to display when composing and reading plain text.

To apply a default message format, follow these steps:

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  2. On the Mail Format tab, in the Message Format section, click to select one of the formats in the "Send in this message format" list.
If you use Microsoft Word 2000 as your e-mail editor, the AutoSignature is stored in a Word template, not in Outlook and does not affect the format of the Signature in a reply or forward.

To create an AutoSignature using Word to edit your e-mail messages, follow these steps:

  1. On the Actions menu, point to New Message Using and then click Microsoft Word (Rich Text).
  2. On the untitled message Tools menu, click Options.
  3. On the General tab, click E-mail Options.
  4. On the E-mail Signature tab, type the title of your new signature and create your e-mail signature, applying the desired formatting.
  5. Click Add to add the new signature to the list.
  6. When prompted, "Do you want to make this your e-mail signature for all messages?" click Yes or No.
  7. Click OK and OK to exit.
You can mimic multiple AutoSignatures by defining several templates each containing a different signature.

To create templates for AutoSignatures, follow these steps:

  1. Open a new email message.
  2. Enter the signature as you want it to appear. You can insert graphics in this mode.
  3. On the File menu, click Save As.
  4. In Save As Type, click to select Outlook Template from the list.
  5. Type a name for your template in the File Name box, and click Save.
  6. Close the e-mail message.
To use your AutoSignature templates, on the Outlook File menu point to New and then click "Choose Form ..." In the Look In list, click "Use Templates in File System." Click to select your template and then click Open.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/5/2003
Keywords:kbinfo KB195400
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