MSExchangeGuru.com

After the release of Exchange 2007 we got a simple disclaimer configuration using transport rules. Our scripting experts started pulling the AD attribute and made a signature out of it. This was an awesome innovation.

It does some easy to the corporate signature where ever it was acceptable but we still were not achieve a perfect signature function and feel which you get in the manual signature like you can see the signature as soon as you click new email. In compare to the transport rule which does not show any signature to the sender and only recipient see it. Also reply or forward does not show any signature and Signature placement does not come after your reply text.

So when I presented the same solution to my customer, they asked me to work on a client side corporate signature where we had the following requirement.

1. End user should not be able to edit the signature
2. Signature should pull the AD attributes to create a signature.
3. Every users signature should similar
4. Company logo should show up in the signature and if you click it you should get company website
5. Facebook and Twitter connectors should there in the signature pointing to company Facebook and Twitter profile.

So over all signature came like below: different fonts, bold, italic, blue, black, hyperlink, images.

Now we got the scope so here we go with the solution.

 

Solution:

Step 1. Disable user from changing the corporate signature.

I tried the GPO with admx file by enabling “Do not allow creating, replying, or forwarding signatures for e-mail messages”.

But this setting will totally disable the signature and none of the signature will show up. You need to log off and log in to change this setting.

So the other solution is creating a registry entry as mentioned below at the location: HKEY_CURRENT_USER-> Software ->Microsoft-> Office-> 1x.0-> Common-> MailSettings

x is the office version for Office 2007 use 2, for Office 2010 use 4 and for Office 2013 use 5.

1. Add a new string key NewSignature with the value we will mention in the signature script. This is the name of the signature something like AD Signature
2. Add a new string key ReplySignature with the value we will mention in the signature script. This is the name of the signature something like AD Signature

I have uploaded the registry here

Make sure to copy this .reg file at this location: “\\ domain \ SysVol \ domain \ Policies \ {GPO guid} \ User \ Scripts \ Logon”

 

Step 2. Signature Script

Now Signature script. I used VB script to create the signature as mentioned below and I have uploaded it here.

Make sure you copy the images to the image folder mentioned below and give the same name as mentioned in the script:

DomainSysVoldomainPolicies{GPO guid}UserScriptsLogonImageFolder

VB Script

======================================================================

On Error Resume Next

Set objSysInfo = CreateObject(“ADSystemInfo”)

strUser = objSysInfo.UserName

Set objUser = GetObject(“LDAP://” & strUser)

strName = objUser.FullName

strTitle = objUser.Title

strCompany = objUser.Company

strStreet = objuser.streetaddress

strCity = objuser.l

strstate = objuser.st

strzip = objuser.postalCode

Stremail = objuser.mail

strPhone = objUser.telephoneNumber

StrMobile = objuser.mobile

StrFax = objuser.facsimileTelephoneNumber

Strweb = wWWHomePage

 

 

Set objWord = CreateObject(“Word.Application”)

 

Set objDoc = objWord.Documents.Add()

Set objSelection = objWord.Selection

 

Set objEmailOptions = objWord.EmailOptions

Set objSignatureObject = objEmailOptions.EmailSignature

 

Set objSignatureEntries = objSignatureObject.EmailSignatureEntries

 

objSelection.Font.Name = “Arial”

objSelection.Font.Size = 11

objSelection.Font.Bold = True

objSelection.TypeText strName

objSelection.TypeText Chr(11)

objSelection.TypeText strTitle

objSelection.TypeText Chr(11)

objSelection.Font.Name = “Arial”

objSelection.Font.Size = 10.5

objSelection.Font.Bold = True

objSelection.Font.Italic = True

objSelection.Font.Color = vbBlue

objSelection.TypeText strCompany

objSelection.TypeText Chr(11)

objSelection.Font.Name = “Arial”

objSelection.Font.Size = 10

objSelection.Font.Bold = False

objSelection.Font.Italic = False

objSelection.Font.Color = vbBlack

objSelection.TypeText strStreet

objSelection.TypeText Chr(11)

objSelection.TypeText strCity & “, ” & strState & “, ” & strZip

objSelection.TypeText Chr(11)

objSelection.TypeText strPhone & ” Office”

objSelection.TypeText Chr(11)

objSelection.TypeText strFax & ” Fax”

objSelection.TypeText Chr(11)

objSelection.TypeText strMobile & ” Mobile”

objSelection.Font.Name = “Arial”

objSelection.Font.Size = 10

objSelection.Font.Color = vbBlue

objSelection.Font.underline = True

objSelection.TypeText Chr(11)

objSelection.TypeText stremail

objSelection.TypeText Chr(11)

objSelection.TypeText “http://MSEXchangeGuru.com”

bjSelection.Hyperlinks.Add objShape, “http://MSEXchangeGuru.com”

objSelection.TypeText Chr(11)

set objShape = objSelection.InlineShapes.AddPicture(“(“DomainSysVoldomainPolicies{GPO guid}UserScriptsLogonImageFoldercompanylogo.jpg”)

objSelection.Hyperlinks.Add objShape, “http://MSEXchangeGuru.com”

objSelection.TypeText Chr(11)

set objShape = objSelection.InlineShapes.AddPicture(“(“DomainSysVoldomainPolicies{GPO guid}UserScriptsLogonImageFolderFb.jpg”)

objSelection.Hyperlinks.Add objShape, “https://www.facebook.com/MSEXchangeGuru”

set objShape = objSelection.InlineShapes.AddPicture(“DomainSysVoldomainPolicies{GPO guid}UserScriptsLogonImageFolderTwitter.jpg”)

objSelection.Hyperlinks.Add objShape, “https://twitter.com/MSEXchangeGuru”

 

Set objSelection = objDoc.Range()

 

objSignatureEntries.Add “AD Signature”, objSelection

objSignatureObject.NewMessageSignature = “AD Signature”

objSignatureObject.ReplyMessageSignature = “AD Signature”

 

objDoc.Saved = True

objWord.Quit

======================================================================

 

Copy this VB script to this location: “\\ domain \ SysVol \ domain \ Policies \ {GPO guid} \ User \ Scripts \ Logon”

 

Step 3: Creating bat file to execute registry file.

Create a batch file is mentioned below.

You need to mention the following text and save it as a .bat file.

Regedit.exe /s SignatureReg.reg

Make sure to copy the registry file at the location mentioned below: “\\ domain \ SysVol \ domain \ Policies \ {GPO guid} \ User \ Scripts \ Logon”

 

Step 4: Create GPO to run logon script.

Now we need to deploy this solution to all the users. I would recommend to test the solution on a test users OU when it satisfy the need then deploy on corporate users. The deploy needs linking of this GPO from Group policy manager and logoff then login of the user on the client computer.

Create a new GPO

Edit the GPO and expand to the location: User configurations à Policies à Windows settings à Scripts à logon properties

Add the 2 login scripts.

One for registry and other for vb script.

 

 

Post implement testing.

1. Once we implement the solution, we can log off and log in the user and open the outlook and click on new email or reply an email and you should see the corporate signature.
2. Go to Outlook à Tools à Options à Mail format à Signatures and you will see options are greyed out and signature is populated as screen below

 

Prabhat Nigam

Microsoft Solutions Architect

Team@MSExchangeGuru

Posted October 25th, 2014 under Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010, Exchange 2013, Outlook, Scripting, Tech Buzz, Tips. Tags: AD signature, Corporate Signature, Outlook 2007, Outlook 2010, Outlook 2013, outlook automated signature, Signature
RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback.