Hot tip

To get the attached file if showing with a .dat extension log into Deal Engine, press Manage scroll down to the document and download directly.

The .dat problem

Unfortunately this is a longstanding Microsoft issue.

There are hundreds of posts on the internet and most often the issue comes up when someone forwards on an email from Outlook or some other Microsoft service.

TechCertain does NOT use Microsoft to generate emails.

We know that emails that go to non-Microsoft email services have the file correctly attached as a PDF.

If you receive an email which refers to an attached PDF but that file is showing as winmail.dat or some similar name with a .dat extension this is a known Microsoft configuration issue.

If you search you will find this issue has been reported many times with many versions.

The most complete posting we can find is here:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/pdf-being-sent-and-winmaildat-being-received/6045bca4-968b-4547-afa0-218eb8077b4b

As can be seen the issue is not easily solved.

The issue can arise with both your own mail settings and, if you are using a Microsoft Exchange Server service from YOUR own organisation, the settings for that mail server.

What we do know

1. you can download the required document by logging in and downloading the PDF

2. you may be able to open the file by downloading, and renaming, changing the extension to PDF or RTF and then clicking on the file

3. there are free file converters - we do not recommend any as they do involve uploading your file to a third party service and that service may not be safe.