How to Create New Custom Stationary for Outlook

Add style and personality to your email and stop getting lost in the crowd by using custom stationary in your Microsoft Outlook email program. You can express your creativity, make your email noticeable and even tailor it to fit your particular marketing message and make your business more effective.

Instructions

Outlook 2003

1. Open your 2003 Outlook or Outlook Express program. Select "Tools" > "Options" > "Mail Format." Choose "HTML" as your mail format.

2. Click on the "Fonts" button in "Stationery and Fonts" to change your email fonts from the Outlook defaults. Click on the "Stationery Picker" button and select from the list if you want to use the included Outlook stationery templates. Click on the "New" button to begin creating custom stationery.

3. Type a name for your new custom stationery. Click on the "Start with a blank stationery" radio button to create your new stationery from the beginning. Click on the "Use this existing stationery as a template" radio button to modify an existing stationery template. Click on the " Use this file as a template" to browse to another template file for use in creating new custom stationery. Click the "Next" button to go to the "Edit Stationery" function.

4. Select a font, font size and style for your new stationery in the "Message font" section. Choose a picture by browsing to it or select a palette color for the background in the "Background" section. You can choose to have no background, also. You can see your stationary in the "Preview" window. Click "OK" to save your new custom stationary to the stationery template list.

Outlook 2007 and Later

1. Open your 2007 or later Outlook or Outlook Express program. Select "Tools" > "Options" > "Mail Format." Choose "HTML" as your mail format.

2. Customize a template as your Outlook 2007 or later stationary. Select "File" > "New" > "Mail Message." Select the font type and size, add images or other objects to the email body. Click "Save As" followed by "Outlook Template." Type a file name for your template and click "Save."

3. Use your new custom template as Outlook stationery. Click on "Tools" > "Forms" > "Choose Form" and select "User Templates in File System." Choose your desired custom template and click "Open."

4. Modify a theme in Word to use as your Outlook 2007 or later stationary. Open your Word program and drill down the menu by clicking on "Page Layout" > "Themes" > "Theme Colors" > "Create New Theme Colors" to access and change colors.
   Click "Theme Fonts" and select "Create New Theme Fonts" to access and change fonts and font sizes. Click "Theme Effects" to access and choose line and fill styles.
   Save your custom theme by clicking "Save Current Theme," typing the file name and clicking "Save."

5. Use a Word theme as your Outlook 2007 or later stationary. Create your email message. Click "Options" > "Themes" > "Browse for Themes" > "Choose Theme or Themed Document." Select the theme and click "Open" to apply it to your message.

Tips & Warnings

• Use graphics from your other business documents in your Outlook stationery to create a "brand" look and feel for your company email.

References

• Microsoft Office Online: Create Stationery for Messages
• Microsoft Office Online: Send an e-mail Message Based Upon a Template
• Microsoft Support: Apply, Customize and Save a Document in Word or Excel

Resources

• Stationery.org: Free Outlook Stationery