After you edit and customize your message, sending the message is the easy part: Click Send a Copy. Word places the message in the Outlook Outbox, where it is sent automatically the next time Outlook sends messages (unless you have customized your Outlook settings).
If you don't want to wait, or if Outlook 2003 is not configured to connect to an server automatically, open Outlook 2003 and click Send and Receive. Outlook connects to your mail server to send and receive messages (see Figure 30.9), including the message you just created.
Suppose you have a document that you need to send to several people, and you want each person to review the document and send it on to the next person. If you're using Microsoft Exchange or another compatible email system, you can use Word's routing capabilities:
Choose File, Send To, Routing Recipient. The Routing Slip dialog box appears (see Figure 30.10).
NOTE
If Word displays a dialog box questioning whether you want to give another program access to Outlook 2003's Contacts list, click Yes to continue.
Click Address to display the Address Book, from which you can choose names for routing.
When you finish selecting names, click OK to return to the Routing Slip dialog box.
Use the arrow you keys to change the order in which recipients are to receive the message.
Type text for an accompanying message in the Message Text box.
Choose whether you want to route the document to recipients One After Another or All at Once.
When you finish defining how you want to route the message, click Route, and Word delivers the message to the first recipient.
TIP
You can prevent your recipients from making edits except with Word's Tracked Changes or Comments feature turned on. To do so, choose Tracked Changes or Comments from the Protect For drop-down box. (See Chapter 26, "Managing Document Collaboration and Revisions," to learn more about these features.)
NOTE
For Word's internal and routing features to work, you must be connected to a compatible system. These include the following:
Full MAPI-compatible systems such as Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Outlook 2003
Simple MAPI clients such as Outlook Express, Eudora, or Netscape Messenger
VIM-compatible systems such as Lotus cc:Mail
Word and Office 2003's email and routing capabilities can vary depending on how your company has configured its email and messaging systems. For more information about using Office in Microsoft messaging environments, see Special Edition Using Office Outlook 2003, Special Edition Using Microsoft Exchange 2000, and Special Edition Using Microsoft Exchange 2003.