How to add different signatures to internal and external emails

Learn how to configure CodeTwo Email Signatures 365 to add different signatures to messages sent to internal recipients and different to messages sent outside your organization.

Email signatures used in internal and external correspondence serve different purposes. For example, when sending an email to your colleagues, there's no need to include the company information, a marketing banner or legal disclaimer in a signature. Bear also in mind that Exchange Online mailboxes have limited space, so it would be a good idea to remove any graphics from signatures added to internal emails.

For example, an internal email signature could contain the following sender's information only:

• full name,
• job title,
• department name,
• contact info/extension number,
• other (preferably non-graphic) details.

An external email signature typically includes the following details:

• full contact information (sender's name, job title, phone number, company address, etc.),
• company logo,
• marketing banner,
• links to social media profiles,
• legal disclaimer,
• and more.

How to configure the program for this scenario

Use the links below to set up signatures for internal and external messages in:

• Cloud (server-side) mode
• Outlook (client-side) mode

Cloud mode

Cloud (server-side) signature for internal emails

Add a new server-side signature rule (Fig. 1.) and name it, e.g. Internal signature.

Fig. 1. Adding a new cloud (server-side) signature rule.

In the Recipients step, select Add > Internal recipients (Fig. 2.).

Fig. 2. By using this option, the selected (cloud) server-side signature rule will be applied to internal emails only.

In the Logic step, leave the default options selected (Fig. 3.):

• If this rule is applied > Do not process any more rules
• If this rule is not applied > Process the next rule on the list 

Fig. 3. Select these options to allow the program to execute another signature rule, configured for emails sent outside your organization.

In the Design step, click Edit signature to open the signature template editor. Select one of the existing templates or create a new signature template that will be used for internal correspondence only (Fig. 4.). Learn more about how to create a signature template

Fig. 4. Creating a signature template for internal emails.

Once done, submit your changes by clicking Save.

Cloud (server-side) signature for external emails

Add a new cloud (server-side) signature rule, as shown in Fig. 1., and name it, e.g. External signature. Place the new signature rule under the rule configured for internal emails. Next, in the Recipients step, select Add > External recipients (Fig. 5.).

Fig. 5. By using this option, the selected cloud (server-side) signature rule will be applied to external emails only.

In the Logic step, leave the default options selected, as shown in Fig. 3., or adjust the settings to your needs.

Go to the Design step and create a new signature template that will be used for emails sent outside your organization (Fig. 6.).

Fig. 6. Creating a signature template for external emails.

Click Save to apply your changes.

In the signature management app's main window, select both signature rules and click Publish selected to make them available for your users (Fig. 7.).

Fig. 7. Publishing the prepared signatures.

Outlook mode

Outlook (client-side) signature for internal emails

Create a new client-side signature rule (Fig. 8.). Provide a descriptive name, for example Internal signature.

Fig. 8. Adding a new Outlook (client-side) signature rule.

In the Logic step, you can decide whether this signature template should be automatically added to new emails or replies/forwards in Outlook. We recommend setting the external signature template as the default one, which means you need to uncheck (clear) the checkboxes shown in Fig. 9. for the internal signature rule. 

Fig. 9. Leave these options cleared for the signature rule applied to internal emails.

Go the Design step and click Edit signature to select or create a signature template for internal emails (Fig. 10.). Learn more about how to create a signature template in the signature template editor

Fig. 10. Setting up a signature template that will be added to emails sent within your organization.

Once ready, click Save to submit your changes.

Outlook (client-side) signature for external emails

Add a new Outlook (client-side) signature rule, as shown in Fig. 8. Name it e.g. External signature, so that your users can distinguish it easily from the internal signature. 

In the Logic step, select the options shown in Fig. 11. By doing so, this signature template will be added to all new emails and replies/forwards in Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web (OWA) by default. 

Fig. 11. We recommend selecting these options for the signature rule applied to external emails.

In the Design step, create a signature template that will include all the necessary contact details and graphics (Fig. 12.).

Fig. 12. An Outlook (client-side) signature template used for external messages.

Apply your changes by clicking Save.

Select both Outlook (client-side) signatures in the signature management app's main window and click Publish selected. This will make them available to your Outlook and OWA users (Fig. 13.).

Fig. 13. Publishing the created signatures.

Result

If you use the program in cloud (server-side) mode, the correct signature (internal or external) is automatically added to an email based on its recipient(s), as shown in Fig. 14. The signature is added after the email is sent, but users can view their signature by using the CodeTwo Signatures Web Add-in for Outlook.

Fig. 14. An example of a signature added to external email in cloud (server-side) mode.

In Outlook (client-side) mode, the default signature for new messages is added automatically while composing an email in Outlook or OWA. If you configured the Outlook (client-side) rules exactly as described in this article, the external signature is added to all messages by default. To use an internal email signature, it needs to be selected from the CodeTwo Signatures pane in Outlook or OWA by clicking the Use this signature button (Fig. 15.).

Fig. 15. Changing an Outlook (client-side) email signature in Outlook.