Continuing from the previous, Reply To An E-Mail, section. To forward an e-mail is exactly the same as replying to an e-mail except that any attachments that are in the original, received, e-mail will be left intact when forwarding. Remember. When replying to an e-mail that has attachments those attachments are not included in the reply e-mail. So forwarding is great if you just want to forward an e-mail AS IS (i.e. with attachments).

In this example I have received an e-mail with one attachment, from Philip Crenshal, which I have double clicked on (Fig 1.0) in order to open it. From there, I have read the e-mail and then clicked on the top part of the FORWARD button (Fig 1.1) in order to forward the e-mail onto Denise Oakdale.....with the attachment intact. It's important to click on the top part of the FORWARD button as the bottom part of it has another function (explained later).

Fig 1.0  Double click on an e-mail to open it




Fig 1.1  Click on the top part of the FORWARD button to compose a reply message, if need be, before forwarding this e-mail

In this example Philip Crenshal wants me (John Cairns) to forward on the attachment called Application_Form.pdf to Denise Oakdale, because he does not have her e-mail address to hand and knows I do. So after clicking on the top part of the FORWARD button I then typed in my reply (forward) message to Denise Oakdale, and not to Philip Crenshal. If I wanted to send Philip an acknowledgement (reply) e-mail I would normally send him a separate e-mail.

Fig 1.2  Click on the SEND button to forward this e-mail onto someone else

The forward e-mail, just like a reply e-mail, will have the SUBJECT edit box already filled in with a special prefix. In this case with the Fw: prefix. The subject can be deleted and changed for something else (i.e. Philip's E-Mail) just the same as with a reply e-mail.

The TO edit box will be empty for the simple reason that windows live mail 2011 doesn't know who to forward this e-mail to, of course. So in this example I manually typed in Denise Oakdale's e-mail address - In some of the other sections I have exampled inserting an e-mail address from the contacts list, but not in this section!

All that remains now is to click on the SEND button (Fig 1.2 above). Before sending I could of added more contacts to the TO edit box, so that they those extra contacts also receive a copy of this e-mail with attachment, but for this example I have kept things simple. In the next example I have attached another file to the e-mail before sending it.

Fig 1.3  You can attach other files to an existing, forwarding, e-mail if you want to.....before clicking on the SEND button

The thing to remember about attachments, when forwarding an e-mail and when attaching in general, is to think about the recipient (i.e. Denise Oakdale). For example. In this example I would have to clarify with Denise beforehand whether or not she can view .docx files from her computer. Or at least mention in the forwarding e-mail that I have attached a .docx file that requires Microsoft WORD 2007 / 2010 to view it. That way you can always convert the file into a PDF file for example if she does not have Microsoft WORD 2007 / 2010 on her computer, depending on whether or not she needs to edit the file of course - PDF files cannot be edited without special software.

Another thing to consider is the combined File Size of each attachment. It's no good forwarding a whopping 10MB attachment for example if the recipient's e-mail INBOX is full at the time and/or cannot take that amount of incoming e-mail. Read the other e-mail sections in this category for more details.

Fig 1.4  The e-mail has been forwarded.....denoted by the light blue, right-arrow, envelope icon

When an e-mail has been forwarded check your SENT ITEMS folder for clarification. The INBOX folder will also put a light blue, right arrow, envelope icon next to an e-mail that has been forwarded. Therefore extra clarification.

As mentioned above; It is important to click on the top part of the FORWARD button when normally forwarding an e-mail because the bottom part of the FORWARD button has another function; to forward the entire e-mail as an attachment, therefore allowing you to create a new e-mail message without the forwarding (original) e-mail message being included. That forwarding (original) e-mail message will be apart of the attachment (inside the attachment in other words).

Fig 2.0  Click on the bottom part of the FORWARD button to forward this e-mail as an attachment




Fig 2.1  A new e-mail message for Denise Oakdale as well as a separate attachment containing Philip Crenshal's original e-mail

As you can see from the above; I (John Cairns - contactjohn@yoingco.com) have composed a new e-mail message for Denise Oakdale. The FORWARD AS ATTACHMENT option (the bottom part of the FORWARD button) has put Philip Crenshal's original e-mail message and PDF file attachment into a separate attachment for this new, forwarded as an attachment, e-mail to Denise Oakdale.

When Denise Oakdale receives my e-mail she will see my e-mail message together with an attachment - That attachment will contain Philip Crenshal's original e-mail message to me (John Cairns) plus the pdf file he wanted me to forward onto Denise Oakdale.

Fig 2.2  This is what Denise Oakdale will see when she opens my e-mail




Fig 2.3  This is what Denise Oakdale will see when she double clicks on its attachment

One of the main benefits of FORWARD AS ATTACHMENT is that it keeps things clean. It allows you to create a brand new e-mail message for someone while having a forwarded e-mail's message and attachment(s) treated as a separate e-mail/attachment.

Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.  As stated here by the Microsoft Corporation.