Create & Deploy Email template in Outlook 365

Question

We'd like to create a "template" purchase requisition email in Outlook 365 and deploy (pushed out by Outlook administrator with no involvement of users) it to all company personnel now and to be part of what new hires get when their account is set up. The email we have in mind lists the information needed on the template for sending into the approval cycle. We also want certain individuals to always be copied whenever the template is used. I've been able to set up the content as a form under "choose form" and I've been able to create it as a Quick Step; including the required email recipients. But don't know how to get this out to everyone. We'd prefer it to be its own icon on the Outlook Ribbon (not in Quick Step & Not on Quick Access Toolbar).

1 Can we create a template email pre loaded with certain email addresses that can be its own icon on the Ribbon and deploy that to all current & future Outlook users? How to do this? We need specific individual steps, not familiar with any programming language.

2 Alternatively, can this "template" be its own icon on the QAT and deployed to all/future users? How? Need the steps

3 Lastly, can the form I've created in Quick Steps window be deployed to all/future users? How?

Answer 1

Here's the how to I set up if the template can't be deployed - see pdf attached and text thereof inserted below

Appendix A

Please complete the 6 fields below.

1 Who is making the request:

2 What needs to be purchased
Item description and specifications, or
URL if a specific identified item with Vendor contact information;
(if a URL is an example label accordingly):

3 Quantity needed:

4 Unit price:

5 Reason for purchase or how the item will be used:

6 Date Needed (please specify, do not use ASAP):

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CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This communication may contain privileged or other confidential information. If you have received it in error, please advise the sender by reply email and immediately delete the message and any attachments without copying or disclosing the contents. Thank you.

Appendix B
How to set up a mail template accessible from the Web Outlook version via the PC version of Outlook
Step 1 In the PC version of Outlook, open a New Mail message
On the ribbon for the new email, should be an Icon “View Templates”. Click on View Templates.

Step 2 You’ll be prompted with a few “canned” email content and see an indication for adding a template “ (+) Template”. Open the new template.

Step 3
1 Give the template a title such as “Purchase Requisition ”
2 Copy the content of Appendix A into the 2nd window

Step 4 Click Save

Within the PC version of Outlook:
To use the PR template from a “new message” window, click on View Templates and select “Purchase Requisition ”
Address the email to Ram, Lorraine & Doug plus anyone else you need to copy
Complete the Subject Line with “Purchase Requisition for [description]
And complete the information on the 6 bullets

When you are in Web version of Outlook
Open a New Message once you are in the Web Outlook version.

On the ribbon below the message that starts with “Send”, on the far right are 3 dots (floating periods), select the 3 dots, select “My Templates”
and then select “Purchase Requisition”
[59909-purchase-req-email-template-set-up-instructions-vp.pdf][1]
And the email content populates.

Answer 2

Hi @Doug Rusch ,

I tested and researched a lot about your needs and I'm afraid that they might be unachievable.

As I know, we can modify the default email theme to make Outlook "New email" button show our own template by default. However, in this case, the email addresses we added in the template will not be automatically added to the Recipient list of the new email. (Note: Since the web site is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.)

So, seems that the Quick Steps workaround you mentioned above become the only workaround we could use. For more specific information about the Quick Steps workaround, you could also check this similar thread.

>>Can the form I've created in Quick Steps window be deployed to all/future users?
Nope, as Steve mentioned in this thread, it's hard to shared "Quick Steps" to other users. Quick Steps are not saved as separate files on your disk. They are stored in the PST file or mailbox, in a hidden folder, where every Quick Step is stored as a message.

Finally, if you still would like those features, maybe you could search if there is some third-party tools or methods which could help.

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Answer 3

Hi @Doug Rusch ,

Thanks for your detailed reply.

I read your explanation carefully, the "View template" add-in method is indeed an effective method. However, as I know, it will only be applied to the current user and will not be synced to other email users.

Considering what you need is a simple plain text template, the .oft template fully satisfy it. Please try to create a email template via the steps in this article: Create an email message template.

About the "create a shared path in Windows", I found two articles which might be helpful to you to understand that.
File sharing over a network in Windows 10
How to Share Files and Folders Over a Network in Windows 10
(Note: Since the web site is not hosted by Microsoft, the link may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.)

When you finished those, users who have access to the shared path only need to double click to open the .oft file and type the information before sending out.

Hope these could help.

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