Outlook Message Formats

Microsoft Outlook allows you to use any one of three formats when creating e-mail messages. The following describes the advantages and disadvantages of each format.

1. The Rich Text Format
• Advantages: The Rich Text message format works well for messages in which you want to format the text.
  
  This format allows you to:
  
  
  • create bulleted lists
  
  
  
  • indent paragraphs
  
  
  
  • change the font size and color
  
  
  
  • use bold, italic, underline and strikeout
  
  
  
  • insert graphics
  
  
  
  • insert hyperlinks
  
  
  
  • copy and paste graphics and text into a message from programs like Word and PowerPoint


• Disadvantages: A potential disadvantage to this format is when copying and pasting certain image types (e.g., .jpg) along with the formatted text from something like a Word document, the Rich Text formatted e-mail message may increase the message size exponentially compared to an attachment.


2. The HTML Format



• Advantages: The use of HTML formatted messages works well for messages in which you want to both format text and insert graphics.
  
  This format allows you to:



• create bulleted lists



• create numbered lists



• indent paragraphs



• change the font size and color



• use bold, italic, underline and strikeout



• create bulleted lists



• insert graphics



• insert hyperlinks



• copy and paste graphics and text into a message from programs like Word and PowerPoint



• Disadvantages: The HTML format does not print graphics added to the message.


3. The Plain Text Format



• Advantages: The Plain Text messages will be the smallest size of any format. Hyperlinks do work in the Plain Text format.



• Disadvantages: There is no formatting or graphic capabilities in the Plain Text format.