The most common mistake I have seen being made while sending a mail is forgetting to attach a file. (The second biggest, I have attempted to solve here)
Any suggestion on how this problem can be fixed?
A $10 starbucks card for the best response.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Attaching this time :)
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9 comments:
Look in (have a function parse) the mail body for words like "attach, attached, pfa".
Most often, when you want to attach something, you end up saying so in the email to direct the attention of the receiver to the attachment.
If any of these words are found and there aren't any attachments, then prompt the user.
@Sunil: I don't drink coffee or chocolate but I do read a lot of books.
pfa ? That would need to be custom code for Sowmya :).
Need a thought through post. A comment is not sufficient. Need screen shots. Messages. Metaphors. The whole nine yards.
Branes and Nobles if yours is the best?
oooh i like Sowmya's idea. Will instantly make the software uber intelligent.
There are no other ideas in my mind as of now(or may be en email software which can read my mind; hehe). But i can share with you guys what i do to avoid this mistake.
I usually start the mailing process from the document side. eg instead of composing a mail and then attaching the file, i right click on the file and select the "send to mail recipient" which will open the compose window with the file attached. Or when i'm already in a document, i use the File > Send to Mail Recipient (As Attachment) option to compose the mail.
Might not be comfortable for you guys at this stage but i always used this and have got used to it. I never forget to attach files when using Outlook.
At the same time i dont think this works for web based emails. I have made the mistake when using gmail (Like not attaching my resume to a job application :P).
I normally mention that the file is "attached" in the mail and thats why i like sowmya's idea. If implemented in gmail/yahoo i will never ever forget to attach files.
Can it be more intelligent to understand contextual references? Like if i was talking about how "attached" i'm to my girl friend would it still remind me to attach a file? :P
1. I think its a fair assumption that at the time "create new message" is clicked, people know there is an attachment to be associated with this mail. So why not have an option "Create new mail message with attachment". Now at the time 'Send' is hit, it will ensure that there is at least one attachment with the mail and the warning/alert can follow...
2. To check the body and subject for keywords like "attach", "pfa", "attached" etc, outlook provides the rules and alerts- the same can be used to alert/remind the user of the attachment. What's good about this approach- people can define their own keywords (like sowmya using pfa) and if the user is fairly confident and has no such requirement (like Umesh)- he/she can ignore the feature
You can go for additional check box asking for need to send attachment. when user has checked in on entry of new mail, when send is clicked the checking of proper attachment can be done and prompt user accordingly.
Since the User knows that he has to attach something in the mail, while creating the message, Type "Attachment" in the To list instead of the intended reciepient. So even if you accidentally 'send' the mail, Outlook will prompt you for a valid address. This works for me in a practical way.
@vidhya: if the user can remember to click on the checkbox, he can remember to attach a file - the core problem doesn't go away.
@swati: I like your suggestion of another menu item - only thing that this solution doesn't scale to other scenarios, e.g., if you are sending an attachment in response to a mail.
@sowmya,
If there could be a "Send with attachment" option, there could also be a "Reply (Reply to All) with attachment".
Of course, the developer's way out will be to leave it as it is. We have given an "Attach File" option, haven't we? :)
@Raghavendra,
You are so right, I have missed that feature forever. Notes has it. Very handy when you want to add more people in the loop and want to pass on the attached documents as well.
Today, the easiest way to do it, is to forward and repopulate all names.
Unless you want to save and attach.
BTW, the other feature that I have seen in notes and like is Save this attachment and then open it from the location.
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