Word as email editor turns signature font yellow

[David S]

Sorry for the repost.

Many people have run across this issue without getting a solid resolution
(many workarounds). We have Outlook 2003 installed with all of the factory
defaults. No themes or stationary, using Word as the email editor (html).
On certain emails, our signatures are being turned into a yellow, unreadable
font.

Workaround: Changing the signature font color to Navy prevents it from
being turned yellow.

Problem: People shouldn't have to remember to change the font color of
their signature so it is readable 100% of the time. The default font color
should work ALL the time!

Another Workaround: Uncheck the Use Microsoft Office Word 2003 to edit
e-mail messages option under Tools-Options-Mail Format. This makes the
signature readable with the font set at black (default setting).

Problem: Changing this setting causes you to lose the functionality that
Word provides as an email editor.

So my question for the MVP's is: Why does Word as the editor cause the font
to change yellow? Can this be fixed?

Any real solutions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mary]

You need to change the signature in Word itself, not in Outlook signatures.
Directions:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HP052761261033.aspx?pid=CH063563051033

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

is there any similarities when it happens? IE, does it happen only when you
reply to RTF formatted messages, use file, send to etc?

 

[David S]

I thought it might be caused by the senders formatting, however, we have
received emails from the same person where the reply signature turns yellow
on one email but not on a different email. (We're assuming they used the
same computer to send both emails.) The emails in question appear to be
formatted using html. The font turns yellow when we reply to or forward the
email in question.

I have also found that the yellow font occurs if I forward the problem email
to someone else and then they try to reply to or forward it. Then their
signature font turns yellow too.

Crazy!

 

[David S]

Hey! I might need to test it a little more, but that seemed to work! What
is the difference between creating the signature in Word as opposed to
creating it in Outlook?

 

[Rligouri]

Hey! I might need to test it a little more, but that seemed to work! What
is the difference between creating the signature in Word as opposed to
creating it in Outlook?

It is because your font color of your signature is set to AUTO. I
think it has something to do with the sender using stationary. I
changed my signature to BLACK and that did the trick.

 

[dottiemay]

I have seen this with some users at our office as well and it is crazy! Not
to mention annoying for the person experiencing it. It seems even more
challenging with those users who have roaming profiles. Ugh! These posts
were helpful though. Thanks!