Advice on Email formats

IT Services recommends sending 'plain text' email instead of HTML or rich text email, particularly if sending email to a large distribution list.

Where rich content is desired, it is advisable to send a plain text email including a link to the relevant content on the web.

Why plain text?

Filestore usage:

HTML emails are roughly triple the size of normal emails, as the HTML itself doubles the size, plus the plain text alternative part required for accessibility reasons. This has an impact on finite filestore and backup resources.

Security:

Using plain text email is safer than HTML type emails which can be used to run malicious code on your machine.

Good practice:

• HTML email can impede rather than aid communication.
• Email was invented so people could quickly exchange text messages over fast or slow connections, using simple, non-processor-intensive applications on any computing platform, or using phones, hand-held devices, or almost anything else that can display text and permits typing.
• Email is not a platform for design.