How to use e-mail templates so that box auto-adjusts based on length of e-mail

TylerSD · #1 10-17-2014, 05:43 PM

Hi,

I'm trying to create an e-mail template for the first time for my new business. It's pretty basic -- a white box over a grey background, with a header at the top of the box with my logo. I created it using Outlook shapes, and the logo is an image.

My current issue is that I need to manually adjust the white box for each e-mail depending how long the text of the e-mail is. How can I have it automatically adjust? Am I making the template incorrectly?

Secondly, how can I use the template without having to go through the many steps for each e-mail: Home, New Items, More Items, Choose Form, Look In (folder), and then Open. I imagine there must be a shorter way? Also, is there a way to have it so that the template is used by default when creating a new message?

Thanks so much!
Tyler

gmayor · #2 10-17-2014, 11:20 PM

Replace the white box with a white filled table cell (with or without a border).
Table cells (and frames) will adjust to the amount of text. Text boxes won't.

As for ease of access - create a macro to perform the steps e.g. as follows. Change the path and template name as appropriate and add the macro to a button on the QAT (Quick Access Toolbar). The process is virtually identical to that shown at http://www.gmayor.com/installing_macro.htm (albeit that link shows the process in Word).

Code:

Sub PersonalMessage()
Dim oItem As MailItem
Const strFolder As String = "D:\Word 2010 Templates\"
Const strFilename As String = "Example.oft"
    Set oItem = Application.CreateItemFromTemplate(strFolder & strFilename)
    oItem.BodyFormat = olFormatHTML
    oItem.Display
    Set oItem = Nothing
End Sub

TylerSD · #3 10-18-2014, 06:04 PM

Awesome! Thanks, Graham. Both things worked

Couple of related follow-up questions:

1) I have an image in my template that is essentially a signature / business card. It's a jpg file. When I insert it into the template and send, it looks good on both ends. But, when I open the template to use again, this image is larger (both height and width), which doesn't look good. Any idea why it's doing this and how to prevent it? I can replace it each time, but that's not ideal.

2) When I use your macro shortcut, it opens it from my initial account, not my second account which I prefer. Any way to have it open the template from a specific account? Otherwise, I have to remember to change the From field each time. I'd prefer to not change the default account in general, though.

Thanks!
Tyler

gmayor · #4 10-18-2014, 09:42 PM

I am not sure about the graphic. Have you tried creating the signature as a signature and apply that signature to the account you want to use? The following macro version will use the named account (shown here as "account name"

Code:

Sub PersonalMessage()
Dim oItem As Outlook.MailItem
Dim oAccount As Outlook.Account
Const strAcc As String = "account name"
Const strFolder As String = "D:\Word 2010 Templates\"
Const strFilename As String = "Example.oft"
    For Each oAccount In Application.Session.Accounts
        If oAccount.DisplayName = strAcc Then
            Set oItem = Application.CreateItemFromTemplate(strFolder & strFilename)
            oItem.BodyFormat = olFormatHTML
            oItem.SendUsingAccount = oAccount
            oItem.Display
        End If
    Next oAccount
    Set oItem = Nothing
End Sub

TylerSD · #5 10-20-2014, 11:35 AM

Graham,

I updated the macro with your new code, replacing "account name" with my account, and now the macro doesn't work. Nothing happens. I doublechecked the code, and even tried my other account name, but still nothing happens.

Is there a chance there is an error in this code? Is there something else I could be doing wrong? (note: I am new to macros)

Thanks.

gmayor · #6 10-20-2014, 10:47 PM

The account name is the name that is displayed in File > Account settings > E-Mail. The spelling must be EXACTLY as shown there.

TylerSD · #7 10-22-2014, 11:10 AM

I've tried both of my account names, and still nothing happens with your new account name code.

Any other thoughts?

gmayor · #8 10-22-2014, 09:57 PM

Run the following macro. Is the account shown

Code:

Sub Test()
Dim oAccount As Outlook.Account
    For Each oAccount In Application.Session.Accounts
        MsgBox oAccount
    Next oAccount
End Sub

If so I can not immediately see a reason why it should not work

TylerSD · #9 10-23-2014, 03:51 PM

Nothing happens when I run that macro.

gmayor · #10 10-23-2014, 09:53 PM

That would explain why the other macro didn't work, but it doesn't explain why this one doesn't. It should list all the available accounts.

I regret I have no further suggestions.

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