Microsoft Outlook 2007

Working with Signatures

An Outlook email Signature is a block of text that you use to identify yourself, which often includes contact information. These Signatures can then be saved and set to automatically apply to new messages or replies and forwards, so that you don't need to retype them every time. Outlook 2007 supports multiple Signatures. You can establish a default signature that you want to use most of the time, but you can also set other Signatures to be applied in certain circumstances. For example, if you are a member of a committee and you want a special signature for messages related to that committee, you can use an alternate.

Signature Guidelines
Creating a Signature
Assigning a Default Signature
Adding a Signature to a Specific Message
Modifying Your Signature
Deleting Your Signature

Signature Guidelines

Using Outlook Signatures is a way of adding a creative or personal touch to your messages. Reviewing the following guidelines will help you to decide what is and is not appropriate.

Limit the length of the Signature to 4-6 lines.
Avoid using pictures in Signatures.
Include contact information about yourself. Examples include: phone number, address, and full name. Some people also include the department and organizations that they belong to.
Avoid using the [Tab] key to align text. The spacing may look different or uneven on others' displays. Instead, use dashes or commas to separate text phrases.
Remember that your Signature reflects on you and the University.

Creating a Signature

Using Outlook's Signature feature adds a personal signature to all of your messages so you do not have to repeatedly type the same information in all of your emails. The following steps will take you through the basics.

From the Tools menu, select Options...
The Options dialog box appears.
Select the Mail Format tab
In the Signatures section, click SIGNATURES...
The Signatures and Stationery dialog box appears.
To create a new Signature, click NEW
The New Signature dialog box appears.
In the Type a name for this signature text box, type a short descriptive name for the Signature
Click OK
In the Edit signature section, type your signature (include spaces and returns as appropriate)
OPTIONAL: To format the text of your Signature, from the pull-down menus, make any desired changes
NOTE: You can add pictures and links to your signature by clicking the ADD PICTURE or ADD HYPERLINK buttons located at the far right of the Edit signatures section.
Click SAVE
Your Signature is saved.
NOTE: If there is only one Signature, it is assumed that it should be the default Signature for new messages.
Click OK
You are returned to the Options dialog box.
Click OK
The Options dialog box closes.

Assigning a Default Signature

If you have used the Signature feature to create multiple signatures, use the following instructions to set a default. The default Signature is added to all of your new outgoing messages. Signatures set in the Replies/forwards pull down list will be added to your outgoing replies and forwards instead of the default Signature. You can also apply any Signature you've created to only a single message. To do this, see Adding a Signature to a Specific Message.

From the Tools menu, select Options...
The Options dialog box appears.
Select the Mail Format tab
In the Signatures section, click Signatures...
The Signatures and Stationery dialog box appears.
In the Choose default signature section, from the New messages pull-down list, select the Signature you wish to be placed on your outgoing new messages
From the Replies/forwards pull-down list, select the Signature you wish to be placed on your outgoing replies and forwards
NOTE: If you do not select a Signature from the Replies/forwards pull-down list, it will not automatically add any signature to your outgoing replies or forwards.
Click OK
The Signatures and Stationery dialog box closes.
Click OK
The Options dialog box closes.

Adding a Signature to a Specific Message

Although a default Signature may be in use, it is quite simple to add a particular Signature to a specific message without changing the default Signature. You may wish to do this if a Signature is required only in rare circumstances.

Create the message
NOTE: For more information, refer to Basic Email Activities: Sending Email Messages.
If necessary, to delete the existing Signature
1. Select the Signature text
2. Press [Delete]
Place your insertion point where you want the new Signature to appear
On the Insert tab, select Signature» select the desired Signature
OR
On the Message tab, in the Include group, click Signature» select the desired Signature
The Signature is inserted.
When ready to send your message, click SEND
Your message is sent.

Modifying Your Signature

As time passes, or if there is a mistake, you may wish to change your Signature.

From the Tools menu, select Options...
The Options dialog box appears.
Select the Mail Format tab
In the Signatures section, click SIGNATURES...
The Signatures and Stationery dialog box appears.
From the Select signature to edit scroll list, select the Signature you want to edit
In the Edit signature section, make the appropriate changes to the Signature
Click OK
The Signatures and Stationery dialog box closes.
Click OK
The Options dialog box closes.

Deleting Your Signature

If you decide that you no longer want to have any signature, or want to delete one that you no longer use, you can delete a selected Signature.

From the Tools menu, select Options...
The Options dialog box appears.
Select the Mail Format tab
In the Signatures section, click SIGNATURES...
The Signatures and Stationery dialog box appears.
From the Select signature to edit scroll list, select the Signature you want to remove
Click DELETE
OR
Press [Delete]
A confirmation dialog box appears.
To delete your selected Signature, click YES
To cancel and return to the Signatures and Stationery dialog box, click NO
Click OK
The Signatures and Stationery dialog box closes.
Click OK
The Options dialog box closes.