Retaining Tabs in outlook body

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

GuyCarnegie

Member
Outlook version
Outlook 2019 64-bit
Email Account
Office 365 Exchange
Operating system::    win10
Outlook version:     365
Email type or host:    exch
Need to work out how best to align horizontal tabs in outline numbered lists and retain them through conversations.

I have a weekly report to do which includes an outline numbered list of activities. Each activity has a description, status and ETA which I'm aligning with tab characters.

It looks like horizontal tab formatting is lost as soon as I send the item, where all tabs are converted to spaces or periods and the horizontal alignment is lost, so I need to either
1. Reformat with Tabs each time I respond to an email
2. Somehow shoehorn each line of the outline numbered list into an HTML table row. Can HTML table include outline numbering from row to row?
or
3. Do everything in msword and keep as an attachment rather than part of the mailitem body.
4. Do everything in Excel and forego the nested outline numbering. (not ideal)

Actually, I suspect the recipient also doesn't see the horizontal alignment as my "sent item" also shows the misalignment of fields, although was correct when composed.
Capture.JPG


Is there any other way to horizontally align multiple fields in a outline numbered list in such a way that they are retained through a conversation?
 
If the list width is not too wide - and mail is html format - it should work, but line wrapping can break it for the recipient.

I would use tables - but wide tables can be a problem - so either word or excel attachment might be better.

Wild guess... but if the lines break around my red line, does it retain the format? If yes, try Shift+enter to break the lines to retain the outline. Adding the ruler to the view might help too - add the button to the Quick Access Toolbar to enable / diable showing it. If you are using tabs, try spaces (tabs will be converted to spaces anyway) and use a fixed width font.
1710270495352.png
 
Diane Poremsky said:
If the list width is not too wide - and mail is html format - it should work, but line wrapping can break it for the recipient.

I would use tables - but wide tables can be a problem - so either word or excel attachment might be better.

Wild guess... but if the lines break around my red line, does it retain the format? If yes, try Shift+enter to break the lines to retain the outline. Adding the ruler to the view might help too - add the button to the Quick Access Toolbar to enable / diable showing it. If you are using tabs, try spaces (tabs will be converted to spaces anyway) and use a fixed width font.
View attachment 4145
Click to expand...
Hi Diane,
The list width isn't too wide at all so I'm not worried about line wrapping.
When you say "tabs will be converted to spaces anyway" - I think that is the root of the problem. How to make tabs stay as tabs with the corresponding indent, throughout the course of a conversation, rather than a series of spaces which doesn't always correspond to the same precise indent.
Some of my tabs have leaders made of full stops / periods rather than spaces, which are being converted to lots and lots of full stops - but obviously different numbers of them.

If you would use tables, then how would you make sure that each table row gets its appropriately generated and indented outline numbering?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
< Setting up Outlook 2021 on new computer | Run macro automatically when a mail appears in the sent folder >
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
M Retaining old contacts and calendar in new account setup Using Outlook 6
C Custom Forms: Question about retaining form information throughout the entire conversation Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 2
S Removing an Exchange Server account, retaining POP accounts Exchange Server Administration 1
T Outlook 2007 forms: Check boxes and free text boxes not retaining data Using Outlook 1
B Outlook or iPhone turning tabs into spaces in Outlook Notes Using Outlook 1
P Email and calendar entry text now shifts right about 3 tabs worth of space Using Outlook 1
T "Tabs from (eg) 5 May, 18 May and 17 June" in Favourites Using Outlook 3
C BCM Text Boxes & tabs are too short when downloading to Office 365 BCM (Business Contact Manager) 0
J Setting tabs in contacts / notes field Using Outlook 0
D Calendar Resources tabs are greyed out Using Outlook 1
E Email Formatting - Tabs Using Outlook 1
A Changing Tabs in Outlook 2010 Using Outlook 1
U TABS MISSING OR DUPLICATED - BCM 2007 on Vista laptop BCM (Business Contact Manager) 5
J How To Change Default View of Tabs in Outlook 2010 Using Outlook 4
J How do I view the ruler in an Outlook message and/or insert tabs? Using Outlook 7
P VBA help window: Multiple windows/tabs, bookmarks, bookmarks/historypane Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 4
P Outlook Calendar entry being used as malware vector. Using Outlook 4
S How to Move Data from Mac Outlook to Windows Outlook? Using Outlook 3
T What is the best way of using the Classic Outlook client to change my email address? Using Outlook 4
T Creating a second email account on an Outlook client Using Outlook 2
Daviddavidsonz How to Schedule Emails in Microsoft Outlook Using Outlook 0
S Rule not running in Outlook Classic unless... Using Outlook 9
J column with actual email address in Outlook Classic Using Outlook 2
S Not receving all email since converting from Outlook 2007 to Outlook Classic Using Outlook 3
Rupert Dragwater Outlook 365 taking too long to synchronize each time email is being checked Using Outlook 17
Hornblower409 Outlook VBA Code Example - Unified inbox in Outlook Classic Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 5
J Need replacement for iTunes to locally (USB) sync. iPhone 17 to Classic Outlook 2024 Using Outlook 4
Thomas Fast Best way to manage incoming customer emails automatically in Outlook? Using Outlook 1
I Outlook 2024 Windows 11 Gmail - sudden log in problems Using Outlook 14
S Outlook Classic on 2024 Using Outlook 10
L Fresh Install of Windows 11, saved previous image, how to retrieve Outlook Contacts Using Outlook 10
C Can't Use Custom Contact form in Outlook Classic since early January 2026 Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 7
e_a_g_l_e_p_i Need help updating email in Outlook 2021 Using Outlook 10
V Outlook spam filter misbehaving Using Outlook 9
L what are the downsides of running both classic and new outlook on same win 11 pc? Using Outlook 2
P Preventing permanent deletions in Outlook on the Web Using Outlook 0
L any trick to embedding images in new outlook and outlook on the web contacts? Using Outlook 4
L new outlook contacts searching Using Outlook 5
R Outlook 2010 Outlook 2010 migration question Using Outlook 2
W New Outlook PEOPLE blank Using Outlook 6
C New Outlook issues with Gmail, particularly labels/folders Using Outlook 3
E What is the next workaround for macro in New Outlook 1.2025.1111.100 Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 3
E Need to digitally sign macro but VBA\Outlook crash Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 4
P Outlook 2003 no longer opens "without" Folder List Showing in Navigation Pane Using Outlook 2
Hornblower409 Outlook 2010 - Never ending update Using Outlook 0
V Outlook created new profile? Using Outlook 1
J Outlook inbox question Using Outlook 4
T How to Add AT&T Contacts to Outlook 365 Using Outlook 5
F Outlook 2021 outlook on iPhone Using Outlook 1
F Outlook 2021 Outlook on iPhone asks for password Using Outlook 0

Similar threads

Back
Top