HTML Format Messages

An HTML email is an email that is formatted like a web page, using colors, graphics, table columns and links. But HTML emails use only a subset of the full HTML standard and sometimes that subset is implemented inconsistently in different email clients. In fact a very small minority of email clients can't handle HTML emails at all.

What this means is that you have to be careful and understand the implications of what you are doing if you decide to send messages in HTML format.

The DutyMan mailer is NOT a WYSIWYG HTML editor! So, unless you are very skilled in writing HTML code, you need to use a specialised HTML email editor which creates a .html (or .htm) file for you on your computer. You can then upload that file into the mailer where it appears in the Message box as raw HTML.

Microsoft Word may produce acceptable HTML if you save your document as Web Page, Filtered. Alternatively there are a number of on-line editors, some of them free. Search the web for "html email editor" to find services such as BEE free and Ink Brush.

Once you have your HTML text in the mailer's Message box you can add Variable Tags.

Use the Test function to check your email before sending. There are also sites that will check your HTML on many email clients. Search the web for "html email tester" to find services such as Litmus Putsmail and Email on Acid.

If you want to send members good looking document, like for instance a newsletter, rather than using HTML consider creating it with a word processor, saving it as a PDF file and attaching it to a simple plain text message.