I can't send an HTML email using mail merge

[cromarc]

I have created an word document that I want to send using mail merge in
office 2003.
When I click on merge to email and select the format as plain text, the
email gets sent fine. When I select HTML as the format and click ok, the box
disappears but nothing else happens and the email does not get sent.
How do I send the email in HTML format?

 

[Peter Jamieson]

If you are using Outlook Express, you can't merge to e-mail using HTML
format. Only the full Outlook lets you do that.

If you're using the full Outlook...

Assuming you also have Outlook Express on your system, try this:
a. close Outlook
b. look at Internet Explorer|Tools|Internet Options|Programs
c. if you have a choice of Outlook and Outlook Express, try changing
the default Mail program to Outlook Express.
d. if possible, open Outlook Express and use it to send an email (not a
merge to HTML - it won't work), then
close it. However, since you typically have to set up an account to use
Outlook Express, that can
be a slog.
e. change the default Mail program back to Outlook.

See if that makes any difference.

"Disappearing emails" is occasionally reported but there seems to be no
single obvious reason for it, so if you do discover the reason in your case
it would be helpful if you could post back. Some things to look at and/or
try:
a. is Outlook the default Mail program (IE Tools|Internet Options|programs)
?
b. Check Outlook Tools|Options|Other|"Advanced options"|"Enable mail
logging (troubleshooting)". Then restart.
c. if you have a COM Addin called bxAutoZip (see Outlook
Tools|Options|Other|"Advanced Options"|"COM Addins") disable it temporarily.
(If you have other addins and disabling them will do no harm, I'd do that
too).
d. make sure you know where your .pst file is, make a backup copy, and run
the SCANPST.EXE utility - on my system it's in

C:\Program Files\Common Files\System\MSMAPI\1033 )
e. ensure you only have one mail profile (Control Panel|Mail|Show
Profiles)
f. recreate your Outlook profile (I don't have a good set of instructions
for that right now)

Could this problem be related to a specific update? (i.e. did it ever
work, and if so, when did it stop working?)

Peter Jamieson

 

[cromarc]

I am doing this from work on a network with my work email so some of the
things you suggested I am unable to do. This is the first time I have tried
mail merge so I
am not sure if it did work previously and no-one else has used mail merge to
send emails. Someone else at my work also tried and got exactually the same
problem.
I am using the full outlook not outlook express
Outlook is the default email program
Mail logging is enabled
No Com addins
Only 1 profile

 

[Peter Jamieson]

am not sure if it did work previously and no-one else has used mail merge

to
send emails. Someone else at my work also tried and got exactually the
same
problem.

Yes, quite a lot of people have mentioned this problem but no-one seems to
know the cause.

One more thing: if you are able to switch off your virus checker temporarily
(or can find someone with the necessary permissions to do it, can you test
without it?

Otherwise, for the time being you will probably
have to use plain text (the safest anyway) or attachments (tend to be
rejected). Unfortunately that means you will also have to endure the
security prompts that pop up when you do that - you can get rid of them
using the Express click utility, but only if you are allowed to install
software (sounds like you may not be able to there):

http://www.contextmagic.com/express-clickyes/

I don't work for Microsoft, but I will try to pursue this one a bit further
since it's popping up more and more.

Peter Jamieson