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File Converters
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When you convert email to PDF, choose what should happen to the attachments before you start the batch. Save separate files if the recipient needs to work with the originals. Embed files inside the PDF if you want to carry them in one package. Convert supported attachments into PDF pages if the recipient needs to read their contents alongside the message.
These choices produce different deliverables. A PDF that displays an attachment's filename does not, by itself, tell you whether the file was saved or its contents were converted.
CoolUtils Total Mail Converter Pro offers several attachment workflows for EML and MSG email. This guide explains how to choose the result; the attachment settings guide shows the corresponding controls.
Choose the result your recipient needs
| Attachment result | What you give the recipient | A useful choice when | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Separate original files | An email PDF plus files such as DOCX or XLSX | The recipient needs to edit a document or inspect a workbook | Each attachment opens and can be matched to its email |
| Separate files linked from the PDF | An email PDF with links to files stored outside it | The recipient wants to open an original file from the message | The links still work from the delivery location |
| Original files embedded inside the PDF | A PDF containing attached files | You want the originals to travel inside one document | The recipient's PDF application can open the attachments |
| Attachment content converted to PDF pages | Readable pages placed with the email | The recipient wants to review or print the content | The rendered pages contain the information they need |
Embedding a spreadsheet keeps a spreadsheet file inside the PDF. Converting it to PDF pages creates a view of its content. Those pages do not replace the workbook when the recipient needs formulas, editable cells, or other workbook features.
An example: a quote email with two attachments
Suppose a supplier sends a message with Quote.docx and Costs.xlsx. You want to preserve the email and pass the documents to a colleague.
With separate originals, an illustrative delivery folder might contain:
Supplier-quote/
Email.pdf
Quote.docx
Costs.xlsx
These names show the intended organization, not a fixed folder layout generated by the software. Your selected options and naming rules determine the actual output.
Your colleague can read the email PDF, edit the quote, and inspect the workbook. If the PDF contains links to those files, keep their names and locations consistent when moving the folder.
With embedded originals, the colleague receives one PDF and opens the DOCX and XLSX from inside it. With converted pages, the colleague scrolls from the email into the attachment content. That is convenient for a reading copy, but you should also retain the source documents if they will be needed for further work.
The right choice depends on what happens after the export. A reviewer who only needs to read a quote has different needs from an analyst who must change the costs.
Keep original files available for further work
Use a separate-file workflow when the recipient needs the original file type. In Total Mail Converter Pro, the documented attachment controls include saving files separately and choosing a naming template. Follow the product guide for the exact settings in your workflow.
Repeated names need attention. If several messages contain Invoice.pdf, the delivery should make clear which invoice belongs to which message. A folder per message or a naming rule that includes a message identifier can help. Decide on that arrangement before processing the full collection.
CoolUtils also has a guide to naming extracted attachments. Use it to connect the naming options to the result you want. Do not assume that a familiar filename means two attachments contain the same document.
For linked files, test a copy of the delivery folder in another location. A link that opens on the computer used for conversion may still depend on a path the recipient cannot access. Fix that before sending the package.
Use embedded files when the originals should travel with the PDF
An embedded attachment is stored inside the PDF. Adobe's documentation on PDF attachments explains that these files move with the PDF when it is moved.
CoolUtils documents this result for MSG files in Total Mail Converter Pro's MSG attachment guide. Keep the distinction clear when choosing options: a link to an embedded file and a link to a neighboring file may look similar on the page, but the file is stored in a different place.
Check the output with the PDF application your recipient will use. Adobe provides separate instructions for opening attachments in a PDF. Some viewing environments or organization policies may restrict opening attached files. A filename visible in the document is not a sufficient check.
Turn attachment content into pages for a reading copy
Converting supported attachments into PDF pages lets a recipient read the email and the attached material in one sequence. Total Mail Converter Pro documents this workflow for emails and supported attached documents.
Check the rendered content, especially documents with several pages or wide tables. Does the quote include its final page? Are the spreadsheet columns you need visible? Can the reader tell where the email ends and the attachment begins?
If you need both a readable copy and the editable originals, keep both deliverables. Do not assume that converting an attachment into pages also saves a separate original.
For PST archives, use the Outlook product family. Total Outlook Converter can save original attachments separately; converting supported attached documents into output pages is a Pro workflow. Select the edition for the required result rather than treating every attachment option as interchangeable.
Check the complete delivery
Before sending an export, compare a small set of output files with their source messages. Include a message with multiple attachments and one with an attachment name that also occurs elsewhere.
Check each item:
- The email PDF identifies the intended message.
- Every expected attachment is accounted for as a separate file, embedded file, or converted content.
- Original files open in the relevant application.
- Any links work from the folder or PDF you will actually deliver.
- Converted attachment pages are readable and include the required content.
Keep the source email collection while reviewing the output. The conversion gives you a working copy in another format; it should not be the only copy available while you are still checking it.
Try the attachment workflow you need
Start with a few EML or MSG messages that represent your usual attachments. Choose the intended result, inspect the output, then apply the same approach to the larger collection.
Download Free Trial of Total Mail Converter Pro.
