Tips for sending e-mail attachments

When you attach a word processing document to an e-mail message, the recipient may have trouble opening it or reading it if they have a different word processor (or different version) than you have.  

Below are three suggested options to try when attaching documents to e-mail messages. You may have to try all three to find a way that works for the person you're sending the attachment to.

  1. OPTION ONE
Save your document (either to your hard drive or to your floppy disk). Remember where you saved it.

Open your e-mail program and compose a brief message to the recipient.

In your e-mail program, click on the attachments button. A dialogue box will ask you which file you would like to attach. Remember where you saved your essay and select it. This action will attach your essay to the e-mail. Then click send. 

  1. OPTION TWO
In your word processor, chose File/Save as and then choose to save your document as "rich text format" (called an "rtf" file).  Then attach the rtf file to an e-mail message, as described above. This option works when the two parties have different word processing programs (e.g., Microsoft Word and Lotus Word Pro).
  1. OPTION THREE
In your word processor, copy all of the text from your document and paste it directly into your e-mail message. This option works if the above attachments options fail. All the formatting will be lost, but the words will all get there.