E-mail Links to Network Files
Have a file you want to share with someone in the office but don't want to send it as an attachment? No problem! Follow the simple directions to the right.

How to E-mail Links to Network Files to Other People in the Office
The easiest way to insert a network path into an e-mail is by simply typing the desired path of your document or folder into your e-mail. Outlook Express will then automatically turn the path into a hyperlink when you type a space or after the end of the path. For a shortcut way to figure out the path, simply start typing "file" in your browser. If your browser stores history, it will automatically start filling in your browser's address bar with your most recently accessed files. Then, you can just copy and past the desired path from the address bar. Below are 2 examples of the format to use:

file://P:\marketing\demos\SummitDemoInstructions\SummitDemoInstructions.pdf

OR (the same thing a different way)

\\ssisoft\pcfiles\marketing\demos\SummitDemoInstructions\SummitDemoInstructions.pdf

An alternative way to insert hyperlinks is by following these steps:

1. Composing a Rich Text Format (RTF) (NOT html or plain text) messages with WordMail in Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2002
2. Insert a file hyperlink into the message text by clicking Insert, File, then choosing Insert as Hyperlink from the drop-down Insert list in the Insert File dialog box.  Sometimes Outlook does not provide the Insert as Hyperlink option so you just have to remember the format above. If Outlook DOES provide the Insert as Hyperlink option, the resulting link looks fine in the text of the unsent message, but, when the message arrives at its destination, sometimes the text that contains the path to the file is no longer an underlined link and is not click-able.  However, if the inserted hyperlink in the text gets an explicit file:// prefix (like the links above), it will work fine.

Note that Outlook by default blocks Windows shortcut files that have the .lnk extension.