Booking a vacation

[Morticia]

I like the idea of a preformatted standard reply where I fill in the blanks. I have to figure out how to do that on my email service. I generally type out a whole email response and I may get sloppy if I've done a lot of them that day.
But, even when we're full I refer them to places that are not. With a 'you may want to try...' like you do. I do the same if they're looking for a single room for 5 because we don't take 5 but I know places that do..

Why don't you just type up a "stationary" in Notepad or Word of exactly what you want to say. Leave blanks where you fill in the time, date, etc. Save the file then when you need it, just "Copy & Paste" it into an email.... simple as that. Can't you create "stationary" in your email software? That's what I always did and it worked just fine.
.

I've tried doing stationery before but could never save it properly. I'm going to go look at it again.
Ha, just goes to show what I know...I looked up how to do the stationery and voila! I already had 3 in there.
But, it doesn't allow me to save an entire email format, just an overall 'look'. Still have to get the entire email saved somewhere.
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Oh I guess I have the terminology wrong. Stationary in Outlook is the "format for the look, background etc" In my old Eudora Stationary was like a template.
Maybe this link will help you.
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Thanks! It shortened the process, but I don't have the right version of Outlook. I've saved a file in Office to cut and paste.
.

I've just got all my formats saved in my draft folder, so I open the relevant email in "Drafts", CTL-A, CTL-C, ALT-PF4, CTL-V
.

I've just got all my formats saved in my draft folder, so I open the relevant email in "Drafts", CTL-A, CTL-C, ALT-PF4, CTL-V

What does ALT PF4 do for you? For me it closed the email. But, thanks for the draft folder idea. That makes it easier.
.

The ALT-F4 closes the draft email containing the text I use. Then I go back to the new email I'm about to send and CTL-V to paste the text.
.

The ALT-F4 closes the draft email containing the text I use. Then I go back to the new email I'm about to send and CTL-V to paste the text.

Almost there...I have 2 sig lines now that are exactly the same, so I have to cut and paste only the part of the email I want. (Thus the CTL-A won't work.) But this is much better than having to open up Word to copy the email.
Now, another question...how can I get my new 'stationery' to show up when I 'reply' to an email? I am always stuck with whatever lame background, font, whatever that the original email from the guest had in it.
How can I get the email reply coming from me back to the guest have MY font & colors in it without having to go thru and set it up each time?

 

[JBloggs]

Outlook email folders for reservations I have:

• Confirmations
• Cancellations
• Inquiries
• Thankyous
• Events

Under these are subfolders with drafts and copies of things I have sent to guests, ie the "thank you" folder has one generic draft copy that I forward when I send a thank you email.

 

[Morticia]

Outlook email folders for reservations I have:

• Confirmations
• Cancellations
• Inquiries
• Thankyous
• Events

Under these are subfolders with drafts and copies of things I have sent to guests, ie the "thank you" folder has one generic draft copy that I forward when I send a thank you email..

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.

 

[JBloggs]

Outlook email folders for reservations I have:

• Confirmations
• Cancellations
• Inquiries
• Thankyous
• Events

Under these are subfolders with drafts and copies of things I have sent to guests, ie the "thank you" folder has one generic draft copy that I forward when I send a thank you email..

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.
.

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.

It is not the date, I think it is at the top because there is not SENT or email in the TO: field of the email. As I save the email as a DRAFT and it goes in there or wherever I want to put it, and has no "TO:" on it.
I do have subfolders under each section
CANCELLED:
Sent
CONFIRMED:
ConfOld (This is where I put any over a certain time old, made 3 months ago, so I keep only the newest ones on file) Yes I save them in here and delete later on.
FOR SALE:
Inquiries

 

[Morticia]

Outlook email folders for reservations I have:

• Confirmations
• Cancellations
• Inquiries
• Thankyous
• Events

Under these are subfolders with drafts and copies of things I have sent to guests, ie the "thank you" folder has one generic draft copy that I forward when I send a thank you email..

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.
.

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.

It is not the date, I think it is at the top because there is not SENT or email in the TO: field of the email. As I save the email as a DRAFT and it goes in there or wherever I want to put it, and has no "TO:" on it.
I do have subfolders under each section
CANCELLED:
Sent
CONFIRMED:
ConfOld (This is where I put any over a certain time old, made 3 months ago, so I keep only the newest ones on file) Yes I save them in here and delete later on.
FOR SALE:
Inquiries
.

What I have done is to save it in the drafts folder with a subject line that is easy to pick out. It's going to take me awhile to remember it is in there when I want to reply to an inquiry. I'm annoyed, tho, that I can't just cut and paste it into a REPLY, I have to create a whole new email, copy the guest's email addy, copy their query and copy the draft into the new email.
Too many steps. It might be faster to just type it out each time I need to answer 'what rooms are open?'
I want to hit 'Reply' and then go cut and paste, but then I lose all the formatting of the colors and fonts and the photo insert.

 

[EmptyNest]

Outlook email folders for reservations I have:

• Confirmations
• Cancellations
• Inquiries
• Thankyous
• Events

Under these are subfolders with drafts and copies of things I have sent to guests, ie the "thank you" folder has one generic draft copy that I forward when I send a thank you email..

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.
.

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.

It is not the date, I think it is at the top because there is not SENT or email in the TO: field of the email. As I save the email as a DRAFT and it goes in there or wherever I want to put it, and has no "TO:" on it.
I do have subfolders under each section
CANCELLED:
Sent
CONFIRMED:
ConfOld (This is where I put any over a certain time old, made 3 months ago, so I keep only the newest ones on file) Yes I save them in here and delete later on.
FOR SALE:
Inquiries
.

What I have done is to save it in the drafts folder with a subject line that is easy to pick out. It's going to take me awhile to remember it is in there when I want to reply to an inquiry. I'm annoyed, tho, that I can't just cut and paste it into a REPLY, I have to create a whole new email, copy the guest's email addy, copy their query and copy the draft into the new email.
Too many steps. It might be faster to just type it out each time I need to answer 'what rooms are open?'
I want to hit 'Reply' and then go cut and paste, but then I lose all the formatting of the colors and fonts and the photo insert.
.

Then create a STATIONARY in OUtlook so it keep the format, colors, font, photo. ANd then copy and paste your DRAFT message into your Stationary

 

[muirford]

Outlook email folders for reservations I have:

• Confirmations
• Cancellations
• Inquiries
• Thankyous
• Events

Under these are subfolders with drafts and copies of things I have sent to guests, ie the "thank you" folder has one generic draft copy that I forward when I send a thank you email..

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.
.

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.

It is not the date, I think it is at the top because there is not SENT or email in the TO: field of the email. As I save the email as a DRAFT and it goes in there or wherever I want to put it, and has no "TO:" on it.
I do have subfolders under each section
CANCELLED:
Sent
CONFIRMED:
ConfOld (This is where I put any over a certain time old, made 3 months ago, so I keep only the newest ones on file) Yes I save them in here and delete later on.
FOR SALE:
Inquiries
.

What I have done is to save it in the drafts folder with a subject line that is easy to pick out. It's going to take me awhile to remember it is in there when I want to reply to an inquiry. I'm annoyed, tho, that I can't just cut and paste it into a REPLY, I have to create a whole new email, copy the guest's email addy, copy their query and copy the draft into the new email.
Too many steps. It might be faster to just type it out each time I need to answer 'what rooms are open?'
I want to hit 'Reply' and then go cut and paste, but then I lose all the formatting of the colors and fonts and the photo insert.
.

I want to hit 'Reply' and then go cut and paste, but then I lose all the formatting of the colors and fonts and the photo insert.

If I can just make a plug here for the free mail program Thunderbird (from Mozilla) - they have a templates folder. You can save any message into the templates folder and you're done. I have my confirmation emails set up there. I used to use Outlook and abandoned it after my last computer crash. Thunderbird is much easier to use.

 

[Morticia]

Outlook email folders for reservations I have:

• Confirmations
• Cancellations
• Inquiries
• Thankyous
• Events

Under these are subfolders with drafts and copies of things I have sent to guests, ie the "thank you" folder has one generic draft copy that I forward when I send a thank you email..

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.
.

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.

It is not the date, I think it is at the top because there is not SENT or email in the TO: field of the email. As I save the email as a DRAFT and it goes in there or wherever I want to put it, and has no "TO:" on it.
I do have subfolders under each section
CANCELLED:
Sent
CONFIRMED:
ConfOld (This is where I put any over a certain time old, made 3 months ago, so I keep only the newest ones on file) Yes I save them in here and delete later on.
FOR SALE:
Inquiries
.

What I have done is to save it in the drafts folder with a subject line that is easy to pick out. It's going to take me awhile to remember it is in there when I want to reply to an inquiry. I'm annoyed, tho, that I can't just cut and paste it into a REPLY, I have to create a whole new email, copy the guest's email addy, copy their query and copy the draft into the new email.
Too many steps. It might be faster to just type it out each time I need to answer 'what rooms are open?'
I want to hit 'Reply' and then go cut and paste, but then I lose all the formatting of the colors and fonts and the photo insert.
.

I want to hit 'Reply' and then go cut and paste, but then I lose all the formatting of the colors and fonts and the photo insert.

If I can just make a plug here for the free mail program Thunderbird (from Mozilla) - they have a templates folder. You can save any message into the templates folder and you're done. I have my confirmation emails set up there. I used to use Outlook and abandoned it after my last computer crash. Thunderbird is much easier to use.
.

I tried Tbird a couple of years ago. It does not at all like the idea that I have 2 separate email accounts that want to use the same program. I do NOT want all of my personal email getting mixed in with the inn email and Tbird won't let me keep them separate.
Tbird crashed my email when I tried it.
However, I did give it a try!

 

[muirford]

Outlook email folders for reservations I have:

• Confirmations
• Cancellations
• Inquiries
• Thankyous
• Events

Under these are subfolders with drafts and copies of things I have sent to guests, ie the "thank you" folder has one generic draft copy that I forward when I send a thank you email..

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.
.

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.

It is not the date, I think it is at the top because there is not SENT or email in the TO: field of the email. As I save the email as a DRAFT and it goes in there or wherever I want to put it, and has no "TO:" on it.
I do have subfolders under each section
CANCELLED:
Sent
CONFIRMED:
ConfOld (This is where I put any over a certain time old, made 3 months ago, so I keep only the newest ones on file) Yes I save them in here and delete later on.
FOR SALE:
Inquiries
.

What I have done is to save it in the drafts folder with a subject line that is easy to pick out. It's going to take me awhile to remember it is in there when I want to reply to an inquiry. I'm annoyed, tho, that I can't just cut and paste it into a REPLY, I have to create a whole new email, copy the guest's email addy, copy their query and copy the draft into the new email.
Too many steps. It might be faster to just type it out each time I need to answer 'what rooms are open?'
I want to hit 'Reply' and then go cut and paste, but then I lose all the formatting of the colors and fonts and the photo insert.
.

I want to hit 'Reply' and then go cut and paste, but then I lose all the formatting of the colors and fonts and the photo insert.

If I can just make a plug here for the free mail program Thunderbird (from Mozilla) - they have a templates folder. You can save any message into the templates folder and you're done. I have my confirmation emails set up there. I used to use Outlook and abandoned it after my last computer crash. Thunderbird is much easier to use.
.

I tried Tbird a couple of years ago. It does not at all like the idea that I have 2 separate email accounts that want to use the same program. I do NOT want all of my personal email getting mixed in with the inn email and Tbird won't let me keep them separate.
Tbird crashed my email when I tried it.
However, I did give it a try!
.

I tried Tbird a couple of years ago.

I did, too, and didn't switch then - I believe there have been many updates since then. I find it easier to use in terms of switching the email address I am sending from. BUT I don't try to manage two separate accounts. I use gmail for personal email and access on my phone and away from the Inn, and Thunderbird for the other stuff.

 

[Morticia]

OK, found another place. More of a posh inn than a B&B. Can I find out what rooms are open on their Webervations? No. They have it set up as a group so you STILL have to email a request and tell them which room you want. Do they have pix of the very different rooms? No. They have a 'representative sample'.
OK, some of the rooms look like hotel rooms. Not what I want. Some of them look like a real B&B but don't have the amenities I want. So I still have to call to nail down the exact room.
I get that it is a lot of work to describe every room with a photo when you have 60+ rooms. But if they are all different, you need to do that. Even if it is just a check list chart. There is a place in the next town over that has a search feature. You check off what you want your room to have (ocean view, fireplace, 2 beds, TV, tub, whatever) and it returns which rooms offer those options. Now, if it did that when you selected the nights, too, it would be great.
And, better still, if there were no rooms that met ALL of your req's, then return something that is 'close'.
I know, I want too much. What I need to do is call their concierge and ask. A human can do this.

 

[Samster]

Outlook email folders for reservations I have:

• Confirmations
• Cancellations
• Inquiries
• Thankyous
• Events

Under these are subfolders with drafts and copies of things I have sent to guests, ie the "thank you" folder has one generic draft copy that I forward when I send a thank you email..

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.
.

You know I feel like an idiot here...I tried to find help on Outlook for 'drafts' and there isn't anything at all listed under help.
So, how are you saving drafts in folders other than 'Drafts'? I guess the question is more- how do you keep the draft email at the top of the folder so you don't have to search for it? I am assuming you store sent emails or replies in the same folders with the draft email.

It is not the date, I think it is at the top because there is not SENT or email in the TO: field of the email. As I save the email as a DRAFT and it goes in there or wherever I want to put it, and has no "TO:" on it.
I do have subfolders under each section
CANCELLED:
Sent
CONFIRMED:
ConfOld (This is where I put any over a certain time old, made 3 months ago, so I keep only the newest ones on file) Yes I save them in here and delete later on.
FOR SALE:
Inquiries
.

What I have done is to save it in the drafts folder with a subject line that is easy to pick out. It's going to take me awhile to remember it is in there when I want to reply to an inquiry. I'm annoyed, tho, that I can't just cut and paste it into a REPLY, I have to create a whole new email, copy the guest's email addy, copy their query and copy the draft into the new email.
Too many steps. It might be faster to just type it out each time I need to answer 'what rooms are open?'
I want to hit 'Reply' and then go cut and paste, but then I lose all the formatting of the colors and fonts and the photo insert.
.

I want to hit 'Reply' and then go cut and paste, but then I lose all the formatting of the colors and fonts and the photo insert.

If I can just make a plug here for the free mail program Thunderbird (from Mozilla) - they have a templates folder. You can save any message into the templates folder and you're done. I have my confirmation emails set up there. I used to use Outlook and abandoned it after my last computer crash. Thunderbird is much easier to use.
.

I LOVE Thunderbird too! I funnel all my email accounts into Thunderbird except for one that is through my cable provider which goes to Outlook Express. That account will be going away soon.
I used it for all the business email accounts as well. Very easy to use.

 

[Samster]

I just spent HOURS today trying to book only 4 days total at 2 places in CA wine country in a couple of weeks. It's absolutely amazing to me that there are B&Bs in 2010 that don't have online reservations in a high volume tourist destination!!! What the heck is up with that??? Most places did not have enough photos at all. Very disappointing....
The places with really good websites and photos....booked solid, even the ones with very high rates. I was challenged because this is a busy time there to begin with, so I was not happy with more aggravation. I literally looked at probably over 100+ places.
The large places were impossible to figure out what the rooms are really like, except for a couple of chain hotels (I didn't really want to book a chain but looked at them because I was getting so frustrated.)
You know that it's not easy when people like us who have more than a passing familiarity with lodging websites get frustrated. Yeesch.

 

[Morticia]

OK, found another place. More of a posh inn than a B&B. Can I find out what rooms are open on their Webervations? No. They have it set up as a group so you STILL have to email a request and tell them which room you want. Do they have pix of the very different rooms? No. They have a 'representative sample'.
OK, some of the rooms look like hotel rooms. Not what I want. Some of them look like a real B&B but don't have the amenities I want. So I still have to call to nail down the exact room.
I get that it is a lot of work to describe every room with a photo when you have 60+ rooms. But if they are all different, you need to do that. Even if it is just a check list chart. There is a place in the next town over that has a search feature. You check off what you want your room to have (ocean view, fireplace, 2 beds, TV, tub, whatever) and it returns which rooms offer those options. Now, if it did that when you selected the nights, too, it would be great.
And, better still, if there were no rooms that met ALL of your req's, then return something that is 'close'.
I know, I want too much. What I need to do is call their concierge and ask. A human can do this..

And the human came thru...I told her exactly what I wanted, she told me which rooms had that. Then I told her I needed a different price point and she gave me a different set of rooms. I looked at the photos online while I talked to her. Some rooms didn't have photos, so I didn't book any of those. And I wonder if they see that as a trend!

 

[One Day]

OK.........didn't read all the posts towards the end....
Formatted fill in the blanks emails is doable through Outlook......I have no idea how to do it.........I totaly forgot................completely forgot much of that and the vast computer knowledge I had some 20 years when I was a part time contractor in the online game industry..........
We had so many preformated emails and correspondence letters it was pathetic..........boy did it make our work soooooo much easier