Extracting HTML from an email generated in Word

Question

I need to convert an email newsletter into an html page without having to reproduce it. The problem is that the sender is technologically hindered. Here is how he generates the email:

In MS Word, he opens a previous template, updates any new text, provides all sorts of formatting and spacing, and then sends the email from inside Word (the best I can figure out from speaking with him). It's likely some sort of Word-Outlook deal he's actually doing, but I do know he's using Word to do it.

I receive the email, along with its 1990s formatting, and need to convert it into an html document to put it on a website each week. He wants the formatting to be exactly like he provided. Getting him to generate the HTML directly from Word is not much of an option.

I have tried copy and paste from the email into Word, directly opening it in Word, copying into several HTML editors, and several other things, but nothing seems to retain the formatting, spacing, and tables that are used. The only workaround we have found is if he emails me the actual .doc file, and I use that to generate the html manually. However, he usually forgets to send it and I then have to manually request it, which may take several days to get it live.

Can anyone think of a better way to do this?

Answer 1

However technologically 'hindered' this chap is, I think you're going to have to change the way he's sending you the data. Given that he's already familiar with Word, and that you've had success when you received a .doc file, I'd say that's the path of least resistance.

he... sends the email from inside Word

As you mention, that's not entirely specific. I can think of two ways he might be doing that.

1. Use Outlook to write the mail as normal, and it's configured to use Word as the default editor.

2. Use Word to write the email and then use Send To.

Whichever way he's currently using, I'd guess the way forwards would be for him to do something closer to the second option. Specifically

1. Compose the mail from within Word.

2. Use the Send To functionality but choosing Mail Recipient (as Attachment).

This ought to solve the issues? You don't mention what version it is, but there's some instructions for 2002 - 2007 versions at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290936. It's really not a difficult task to do, and I'd encourage him to do it as described, but if there's a lot of resistance, you can also just wrap it up in a macro, put a big button with an obvious icon on one of the toolbars, and tell him to just click!

HTH

Andy