When you create an email in FYI, you can apply practice templates, delegate tasks and send immediately or save as a draft to leverage workflow functionality.
Video Walkthrough
For a video walkthrough of this feature, refer to Creating an Email in FYI.
This article contains the following sections:
- Creating an Email
- What Happens when the Email is Created
- Send Immediately
- Draft in FYI
- Draft in Outlook
Creating an Email
You can create the email using the + button, as described below, or using Share for a document in FYI (refer to Creating an Email by Selecting Attachments in FYI).
- From FYI, click the + button in the menu bar.
- Select Email from the list of document types.
Or, from the workspace, simply press the shortcut key E for a new email.
The Drawer displays on the right-hand side.
- Client - Type at least three characters of the client name to display all clients containing those characters. Then click to select the required client. Refer also to Selecting a Client in the Filing Details and Refreshing the Clients.
If you need to change or add to the Recipients, this is done clicking the Recipients link under the Client. Refer to Adding and Changing Recipients when Creating an Email.
The fields that initially display depend on whether or not Filing Defaults have been set for a Cabinet and Category for the Client, or selected in your settings, or if this has been set in the Practice Filing Defaults. If a template is selected, the categories may change depending on whether default categories have been set up for the template. Refer to Setting Defaults and Filing Defaults for your own Login - My Settings, Setting Filing Defaults for a Client, Email AutoFile Settings Exclusions and Practice Filing Defaults and Creating Email Templates and Signatures. - Template - If relevant, you can select from a library of Templates maintained for your practice. Refer to Creating Emails from Templates.
Your Email Signatures would usually contain Merge Fields that relate to the sender and when an email is created as Draft in FYI, these can only be determined when the email is sent. There may also be Merge Fields in a Template you select. When creating the email, the following message displays as information. For Draft in FYI emails, you can use the Preview feature to see these. Refer below to Previewing the Draft in FYI Email.
- Name - this identifies the email internally and is the name that displays in the lists in FYI.
If a default name is provided, for example from the selected template, you can change this. - Enter the filing details (refer also to Using the Email Drawer).
Cabinet - If the selected Client has Filing Defaults set for the Cabinet and Category, these are displayed. This can be changed if required.
Defaults and options display for additional filing fields depending on the Cabinet selected, for example, Categories, Jobs, Tags and Keywords. Refer to the section Jobs and Setting Up Jobs in FYI and to Tags and Keywords. - Attachments
If you want to add attachments to the email, in the Attachment section click the Add Document button. This displays the Document Search where you can search for and select documents. You can select how you want to send the attachment (OneDrive or Email) and if you want to include the attachment as a PDF. Refer to Adding Attachments to an Email in FYI.
The following example shows an email being created from a template with an attachment. - In Save or Send you have the option to select Draft in FYI, Draft in Outlook, or Send Immediate.
Refer below for details on how these are used. - Click Create.
The next action after clicking Create, depends on what you selected for Save or Send.
What Happens when the Email is Created
There are three options for what happens when you click Create, controlled by what you select for Save or Send.
- Send Immediately
- Draft in FYI
- Draft in Outlook
Send Immediately
If you do not need to make any changes to the content (for example, when using a template) you can click Send. When you click Create, the email is sent.
Draft in FYI
If you have selected Draft in FYI, when you click Create the email displays in the Editor. You can edit it as required in the Editor, or click Full Screen to expand the email.
The format and layout (such as fonts) would usually be set up in the Stationery and/or Template selected. You can also make changes to the format, fonts and layout using the tools at the top of the Editor. Hover over the tools to see the tool tip description of how each is used. Click the Full Screen tool to display the template as a full screen. Refer to Formatting and Fonts using the Editor in FYI.
Font used for the Text in the Email Editor
For any text that is entered in addition to the text brought in from a Signature and Email Template uses the Font and Font Size set for the Default Font and Default Font Size in your practice Settings (refer to Managing Practice Settings).
Changing the Recipients
If additional recipients have been selected, these show in the header of the email. You can also use the People section to make changes (refer below to Adding and Changing Recipients).
When an email is Draft in FYI this keeps it inside FYI. This allows you to:
- Close the email and then Re-open and edit it with the Editor at a later time to make further changes. Or it can be sent by another user. Refer to Re-opening and Sending Draft Emails.
- Assign tasks (refer to Adding a Task to an Email or Document)
- Share Comments (refer to Adding Comments and Notifying Team Members)
- Add workflow to the email if it needs to be edited or reviewed by other users in your practice (refer to. Using the Workflow for Approval - Examples).
Merge Fields in Draft in FYI Emails
Email Signatures and Templates set up for your practice can include Merge Fields (refer also to Creating Emails from Templates and to Creating Email Templates and Signatures). Certain Merge Fields, such as those that relate to the Author or to Attachments, are only applied when the final details and sender of the email has been determined. These will only be merged into the email when it is sent or if the email is saved as Draft in Outlook and these do not display when editing the email in the Editor in FYI.
The example above includes Merge Fields that relate to the sender. The Merge Fields are applied when the final sender of the email has been determined and these do not display in the Email Editor in FYI.
Previewing the Draft in FYI Email
If you have selected Draft in FYI, you can check how the email will look when sent using the Preview. This also shows how any Merge Fields will populate.
At the top of the Email Editor, click Preview.
The email opens in a new browser tab.
Note: If you are sending secure links to documents or to folders with Collaborate, these links cannot be rendered out completely due to the limitation of Microsoft 365.
Sending the Draft in FYI Email
When you want to send the email, at the top of the Editor, click Send.
Draft in Outlook
To save the draft in Outlook, click the button next to Draft in FYI and select Draft in Outlook.
Selecting Draft in Outlook sends the email to your FYI - Drafts folder in Outlook.
You need to open the draft from the FYI - Drafts folder in your Outlook and edit and send from there.
You will then be able to add additional recipients, set the importance flag, set the read receipt, attach documents from Windows Explorer and send the email directly from Outlook.
Important Note: Once the email has been created as a Draft in Outlook, if you make any changes from Outlook, you cannot send the draft back to FYI. You need to make all the required changes and send it from Outlook. In FYI, you can only Preview the email (with the Preview tab on the Drawer).
Note: Do not move, delete or rename the FYI - Drafts folder in your Outlook. The FYI - Drafts folder needs to be a top-level folder in your Outlook. If you cannot find your FYI - Drafts folder, refer to FYI - Drafts folder in your Outlook in Sending Immediately or Saving a Draft.