Frequently Asked Questions – Exclaimer Cloud Knowledge Base

This page consists of the most frequently asked questions. If you have a question that isn't listed here, let us know, and we'll be happy to answer it.

Azure AD Attributes

Can I use both custom attributes and additional Azure AD attributes in the signature?

It is not possible to enable both the Custom Attributes and Additional Azure AD Attributes features.

However, you can include custom attributes, also known as extension attributes, within the list of directory extensions in Azure AD Connect when selecting up to 100 attributes for use with the Additional Azure AD Attributes feature.
See Which Active Directory attributes can be used in Exclaimer Cloud - Signatures for Microsoft 365?

Cancel Exclaimer Cloud

Can I cancel my Exclaimer Cloud 'trial' subscription?

Yes, you can cancel your Exclaimer Cloud trial at any point within the 14 day period.
Once the 14 day period has expired, you will no longer be able to access your Active Subscriptions unless you upgrade to a paid plan. You can do this by clicking Manage on your Active Subscriptions.

Can I cancel my Exclaimer Cloud subscription?

If you are the subscription owner, you can cancel the Exclaimer Cloud subscription.

NOTE: Please be aware that you will be liable for the remaining amount left on your contract as per our terms and conditions. Full payment will be expected on the termination of your contract with Exclaimer.
Your account will still be active until the last payment has been received. This is non-negotiable, and you will not receive refunds for partial months.
Exclaimer Cloud will work for seven days after receiving your last bill payment. After seven days, all features will be deactivated. We recommend that you update your email server settings during this time.

Configuration

What is the difference between the different configuration options?

Apply to email from all devices including mobiles: In this mode, emails are routed to Exclaimer Cloud to be processed and stamped with a signature. Emails can come from any browser/device/email client - this allows signatures to be applied to the emails from mobile devices. Once the email is processed, it is returned back to Microsoft 365/Google Workspace/Exchange for delivery.
See before you send (Client-side): In this mode, signatures are synchronized to the user's computers for use in Microsoft Outlook. If emails are routed to Exclaimer Cloud, the process recognizes that a signature is already applied and will not apply a duplicate signature. The email is processed and passed back to Microsoft 365/Google Workspace/Exchange for delivery.
Exchange On-Premises: In this mode, signatures are applied to all email messages via Exclaimer's Cloud service, irrespective of which browser/device/email client is used. You do not require a licensed Exchange Online mailbox to configure Exclaimer Cloud to utilize server-side signatures when all your mailboxes are hosted in your On-Premises Exchange environment.

Can I change my configuration options later?

Yes, of course. You can easily edit the configuration (of your subscription) afterwards.

The Launch button is not available?

This usually happens when the user who originally created the subscription didn't accept the terms and conditions.

Direct Debit

Is the Direct Debit option available in my country?

The Direct Debit option is available in the following countries:

Austria
Australia
Belgium
Canada
Cyprus
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Monaco
Netherlands
Portugal
San Marino
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
United Kingdom
United States

CAUTION!
For the Direct Debit transaction to work successfully, please make sure your bank account is in:

- the same currency as you have been invoiced, and

- the same currency as your country's participating direct debit payment scheme.

Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent

How are signatures synchronized with Outlook and Apple Mail?

Signatures are synchronized with Outlook and Apple Mail using the Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent - this must be deployed to each user's computer. The agent runs in the background and synchronizes the signatures at regular intervals.

When the signatures are synchronized to Outlook and Apple Mail, the first applicable client-side signature is synchronized as the default signature for that user.

How often are signatures synchronized to Microsoft Outlook and Apple Mail?

The Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent synchronizes signatures once every hour.

If you want changes to a signature to be synchronized sooner, then:

- For Windows: You can force synchronization by restarting the agent on the user's machine.
To do this: Open the Task Manager and close the Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent, then restart it again.

- For Mac: You can force synchronization by closing the agent on the user's machine.
To do this: From the Launchpad, open the Activity Monitor, select Exclaimer Signature Agent, and click Quit. The Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent will automatically restart and update the signatures.

What is the user's experience in Outlook and Apple Mail?

When a user composes an email in Microsoft Outlook, the appropriate signature, as synchronized from Exclaimer Cloud, is displayed in the message.

- If you are using both client-side and server-side, then when a user sends a message, it is routed to the Exclaimer Cloud servers for processing before being passed to Microsoft 365 for delivery.

- If you are using only the client-side, then when a user sends a message, the email is not routed to the Exclaimer Cloud servers.

In Microsoft Office, you can set Outlook client restrictions to determine what changes users can make to signatures locally.

How does Exclaimer Cloud server-side configuration handle messages when a synchronized signature has already been applied in Outlook or Apple Mail?

A 'text match' check is carried out to prevent duplicate signatures from being applied to a message when using client-side rules. This check determines whether a message has already had a client-side signature applied by Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent.

If a client-side signature has been applied, then the signature processing stops, and the message is routed back to Microsoft 365 for delivery.

Can users edit their signature in Microsoft Outlook?

You can choose to 'lock' access to the signature options in Microsoft Outlook and/or archive (remove) all existing Microsoft Outlook signatures for each user.

On the other hand, you cannot restrict a user's ability to edit signatures in Apple Mail.

What systems are supported by Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent?

Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent supports Windows 7 through to Windows 10 and macOS 10.13 or above.

Currently, the agent works with Microsoft Outlook and Apple Mail.

To apply signatures to emails sent from all devices and mail clients, we recommend using server-side signature rules in conjunction with Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent.

How can I deploy Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent?

You can deploy Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent onto the client computers in two ways:

- Deploy via URL

- Deploy via GPO

We recommend: You deploy Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent via URL as this is the simplest method, and it ensures that the agent is always up to date. But, if necessary, you can also deploy Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent via GPO.

Can I install Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent via GPO?

Exclaimer recommends using the ClickOnce application as it can automatically update when new versions of the agent become available. Deployment via GPO, with an MSI file, is recommended for larger environments; however, new versions will need to be manually updated.
WARNING! This option is valid for Windows only. It will not work with macOS.

What is ClickOnce?

The Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent windows version uses a ClickOnce application.

ClickOnce is a Microsoft technology that enables the Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent to be installed quickly and easily and to update itself with any future updates.

In the macOS version, the Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent uses a Disk Image (.dmg) file format and can be installed by downloading and double-clicking on the file.

Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent via GPO did not install - why and what should I do?

In some scenarios, Exclaimer Cloud Signature Update Agent may not install - this can be due to lack of time to set off the policy.
In such cases, run the following command in the command box to force run the GPO:

gpupdate /force

Images

For detailed information, see Embedded images vs hosted images in email signatures.

What are Embedded images?

Embedded images are images that are physically attached to the email or signature by uploading them from a local directory. These are sent with the email, which affects the email's file size.

What are Hosted images?

Web Hosted images are stored on a publicly facing web server, such as your company's web directory. The images are referenced in the email signature but never added to the email as a physical element.

Which option is suitable for you?

It would help if you considered how your customers view the emails you send them:

If many of your customers use email clients like Outlook, then embedded images are probably the way to go.
If many of your customers view your emails on mobile devices, we recommend using hosted imagery.

What is the difference between background image and background colour?

When designing your signature template, it is essential to understand the pros and cons of using a background image vs background colour - for the differences, please see this page.

Payment

Can I change my payment method?

Yes, of course, you can.
From the Overview tab (in the dashboard), click Manage against the required subscription. Under Subscription details, click Change next to the Payment method.

NOTES:
- Only the subscription owner can add a payment method against their subscription. Other users cannot add a payment method even if they have Admin rights to the subscription.

-Exclaimer Cloud does not store any credit/debit card details.
When you add a new payment card to your account, you are redirected to the Global Iris payment portal, powered by RealEx Payments. This is one of the most secure e-commerce platforms for online payments using a 128-bit SSL Certificate.

Purchase Exclaimer Cloud subscription

What is the billing cycle when purchasing an Exclaimer Cloud subscription?

We understand that every company’s budget is different, so we offer two methods to help you pay easily and in a way that suits you: Yearly or Monthly.
Yearly payment: If you would like to pay for your Exclaimer Cloud subscription in one go, the easiest way is to use your credit/debit card to pay for the entire year.
Please mention this to your Exclaimer Account Manager when placing an order.

Monthly payment: You can pay for your Exclaimer Cloud subscription in 12 monthly instalments. If you choose to pay using our 12-month plan, we will charge you every month on the date that you upgrade to a paid plan.

Regardless of the payment plan you choose, the amount taken from your account depends on the active number of Microsoft 365 users requiring email signatures to be added to their messages.
After payment has been taken, it may still take a few days before it appears on your account.
If you would like to know when your next billing date is or if there are recent charges that have been applied to your account, simply click Manage on your Active Subscriptions.

NOTE: Exclaimer Cloud does not store any credit/debit card details.
When you add a new payment card to your account, you are redirected to the Global Iris payment portal, powered by RealEx Payments. This is one of the most secure e-commerce platforms for online payments using a 128-bit SSL Certificate.

Can I use a cheque to pay for Exclaimer Cloud - Signatures for Microsoft 365?

Unfortunately, Exclaimer does not accept cheques as an acceptable payment method.

We only accept credit/debit cards and purchase orders, depending on the size of your organization.

Can I use PayPal to pay for Exclaimer Cloud - Signatures for Microsoft 365?

Unfortunately, Exclaimer does not accept PayPal as an acceptable payment method.

We only accept credit/debit cards and purchase orders, depending on the size of your organization.

My payment got declined. What should I do now?

Aside from checking that you have sufficient funds in your account, we recommend that you contact your bank or credit card company as soon as possible to find out why the payment was declined.

Also, raise a ticket with Exclaimer Support.
(We will try and take payment from your credit/debit card a total of three times every 24 hours)

There can be various reasons why a payment is declined; some of the most common reasons are:

There may be a typo when entering the card number.
The date entered may not be correct.
The card may have expired.
There may be a typo when entering the Card Verification Code (CVC).
The card is not set up for international payments - this is only valid for Exclaimer overseas customers.

How much does Exclaimer Cloud - Signatures for Microsoft 365 cost?

The cost of Exclaimer Cloud - Signatures for Microsoft 365 subscriptions depends upon the number of active email users in your organization.
(A user is defined as an individual email address that gets a signature applied.)

You can either pay:

Per-user per month basis, or as a
One-off yearly cost and you only pay for the amount of active Microsoft 365 email users you need.

For further information, please visit our Pricing page or contact our Sales team to discuss your requirements and request a quotation.

What are Exclaimer Cloud licenses based on?

Exclaimer Cloud licensing is based on the number of active email users in your organization.
(A user is defined as an individual email address that gets a signature applied.)
You either pay on a monthly basis or yearly basis for licensing.

I cannot update the payment method in the Exclaimer Cloud portal.

Only the subscription owner can add a payment method against their subscription.

Other users cannot add a payment method even if they have Admin rights to the subscription.

Rules

How are recipient rules processed?

Recipient rules are processed after the product rules (server-side and client-side) and only apply to server-side signature rules. See How are recipient rules processed?

Security

Will my emails remain private if I use Exclaimer Cloud?

Yes, Exclaimer Cloud does not store or read any information from the email body - all it does is add an email signature.

For more detailed information and any security issues, please contact Exclaimer Sales.

Why do I need to enable less secure apps?

We use the Gmail SMTP relay service to route mail back to Gmail.

While Exclaimer can support the secure OAuth2, unfortunately, Gmail’s SMTP relay does not; therefore, we must use a less secure SMTP authentication mechanism.

This option is only required for the account used in the SMTP authentication process.

Are my Microsoft 365 Global Administrator credentials cached?

When you complete the onboarding process for Exclaimer Cloud, or if you run the Microsoft 365 connector setup wizard, you are required to enter your Global Administrator credentials.

Exclaimer Cloud does not cache these credentials - they are only used for a one-time operation. If any part of the setup is rerun and these credentials are required, you will be prompted to enter them again.

Does Exclaimer Cloud support DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM)?

Yes, Exclaimer Cloud supports DKIM.

Exclaimer Cloud strips out the DKIM when it receives an email, but it is re-applied by Microsoft 365 after it has been processed by Exclaimer Cloud and before being sent to the recipient server.

Exclaimer Cloud strips out the DKIM when a server-side signature is applied.

What is DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM)?

DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) is an authentication method that helps protect both email recipients and email senders from forged and phishing email messages.

DKIM uses cryptography to ‘sign’ email with a private key when it leaves the sending server. This digital ‘signature’ is unique for that email and is added (as a field) to the message header. When the email is transferred, it attaches a string of characters with a hash value.

When the signature is generated, part of the private key is stored in the listed domain. The Recipient servers then use this private key to verify the source of the message and verify that the body of the message has not changed during transit – the message passes DKIM and is considered authentic.

Signature Designer

How can I change the alignment of Arabic or Hebrew text within my signature?

You can easily change the direction of the selected text within your signature by using the Text Direction functionality in Signature Designer.

Why can't I create a Rich Text or Plain Text signature in Exclaimer Cloud?

When using Exclaimer Cloud, all emails with a signature applied are converted to HTML format.

This is behaviour by design.

I cannot find a template to suit my requirements?

We are currently updating the signature template library, but if you can't find a design that you like, we can build a signature for you.

We have a dedicated template services team who will be able to take a design you like or have in mind, and build it for your use within our products.

Please note that this is a paid service; for more information, please see Email Signature Template Services.

The text does not wrap in my signature?

Sometimes you notice that long pieces of text do not wrap when rendering as a bitmap - this is normal and a warning message is displayed when setting bitmap rendering, prompting you that the text will not wrap until a fixed-width has been set up.

The text in my signature shows as 7pts instead of Font Size 10

This issue usually happens if you have set 10px on the text boxes instead of 10pt.

You can change this using the Font Size drop-down arrow.

What is Dark Mode?

Dark mode is an accessibility setting that changes the colour scheme of an interface, minimizing the amount of blue light to enhance readability and reduce eye strain. This is great for anyone who is light sensitive and works late hours. For more information, see How does dark mode affect email signatures?

Dark mode settings checks if the HTML has been set for background colour and font:

background-color, bgcolor or color.

If a colour is set, the setting will reverse the colours; for example, black will change to white and white will change to black.

NOTE: This does not affect Plain Text Signatures.

Can I use a specific font in my signature?

Yes, of course!

The Exclaimer Template design team recommends using Custom fonts and Fallback fonts.

Can I use static text for each user?

Yes, of course, you can!

However, please be aware that this will increase the number of templates you manage - depending on the text.

Alternatively, you can use the visibility settings if it's text, such as a quote (based on the user name).

My telephone number isn't showing on my signature?

If the {Telephone} field has been changed to a static number, the visibility is linked to Microsoft 365.

To resolve this issue - this field visibility needs to be changed to Always Visible.

Alternatively, if the {Telephone} field is not showing at all, check the data in Microsoft 365 – make sure the visibility is set correctly.

CAUTION! Data can take up to 24 hours to synchronize; if there is a problem with the data synchronization, then this is a technical issue at this point.

Why does my signature look blurry?

Unfortunately, the bitmap rendering process can cause quality issues. The cause is unknown.

If you are using a custom font or background image that is rendering as a bitmap, unfortunately, we cannot do anything about the quality here. We recommend you remove the custom font/background image.

Alternatively, you can use font stacks and break up the background into separate images and background colours, depending on what you are using.

I cannot add a hyperlink to a text?

Sometimes it can be tricky to add hyperlinks to text and ensure they are correctly applied.

If you are having issues, we recommend:

Save then close the signature template.
Open the signature template again.
Highlight the text required, then within the properties window click ADD HYPERLINK, and copy in the link.
Click OK to save the changes.
Check the preview with the cursor to see if the hyperlink has been set (by hovering over it) – you will notice the cursor will change to hand shape.
For more information, see Hints and Tips.

Why are extra line spaces appearing in my email signature?

The main issue that causes this is where the recipient replies from their email account. The mail client they are using adds its own line-height value to the email signature, causing it to display with double-line spaces. To resolve this issue, see how you can fix the extra line spaces appearing in your email signature?

Why are hyperlinks not working in Outlook?

Unfortunately, Outlook does not support image area mapping for the content composed within the body of the message in Outlook. This is the method by which hyperlinks are required to be added to objects rendered as bitmaps which, subsequently, is the method used to apply custom fonts to signatures.

However, you can use custom fonts via the Font Stack method.

If you are using a background image, you may be able to substitute this as a banner image or use a background colour and split the image into different parts as a suitable workaround.
NOTES:

- This issue does not affect messages where the signature has been applied by an Exclaimer Cloud 'In-transit' signature rule.

- This issue does not affect social media icons despite them being rendered as bitmaps (as area mapping is not used).

Why are hyperlinks not displayed as blue and underlined?

This issue occurs mainly to override the mail client behaviour.

To resolve this issue, you can do any one of these two options:

Remove the hyperlink from the text you wish to show as blue and underlined, or
Set blue and underline styles on the required text.

Why does my signature appear small on mobile devices?

This happens because some mobile devices are designed to reduce the content of the entire email to Fit to Screen.

You may have noticed when opening an email, that the content jumps from being a normal reading size to a much smaller size. This is because the email being sent has an element within it that is larger than the device screen size, so the mobile device reduces the whole email to fit on the screen. See how you can resolve this issue.

Why are spaces missing from the signature when viewed in Outlook?

By default, Outlook removes the empty text spaces as it recognizes these as extra line breaks, and it also saves space in the email.

In most cases, a message will be displayed at the top of the email to say that the extra line spaces have been removed.

We recommend using Padding to create the extra space you want in the signature - this is universally read by all mail clients and devices.

Why does the URL appear blue and underlined when an email is viewed?

Mail clients such as Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail and so on recognize when something should be clickable and, by default, change the style to blue and underline. See how you can resolve this issue.

Why is my signature showing Times New Roman instead of Calibri?

Some devices such as iPhones do not have Calibri installed; therefore, they will default to Times New Roman. We suggest you use Font Stack for such issues.

Underlines are not being set correctly

For reasons unknown, sometimes underlines may not appear to be set.

To resolve this issue, you can:

Clear the formatting and re-apply the underline.

OR

Save the template, then close the template.

Remove the hyperlink, then re-apply the link back.

Text isn’t aligned with the image

To resolve this:

Check alignments are set correctly.
Check that padding isn't set at a weird place.
Check for white space around the image file - remove this using an image editor on the original file.

Can I use a specific social media icon in my signature?

To add a specific social media icon that is not in the Social Media Strip list provided in the Signature Designer toolbox - we recommend using the Image/Logo tool to import your custom icon.

Can I use different logos for different departments?

Of course!

If you want to use a different logo/banner for different departments, you will need to use Conditional Visibility.

Why are images in my signature missing or have become attachments?

Typically, this issue is caused when an iOS device (Apple iPhone or iPad) is used to reply to an email. The mail client is designed to remove embedded images from the email and replace them with tags, such as '<image001.png>'.

The tag implies that the image has been removed from the email.

Mail clients such as Gmail cause embedded images to be sent as attachments and include them within the email signature.

You can stop this issue from occurring by using web-hosted images.

Why do images in my signature appear large after a reply or forward message?

Some email clients ignore the Width and Height values set on the image(s) in the signature template and revert the image(s) back to the native image size. See how you can resolve this issue.

Why are there two dashes above my signature?

This behaviour is the default behaviour for Google Workspace and is caused when the option Insert this signature before quoted text in replies and remove the “—“ line that precedes it is disabled. See how you can resolve this issue.

What is the difference between background image and background colour?

When designing your signature template, it is essential to understand the pros and cons of using a background image vs background colour - for the differences, please see this page.

What is the difference between tables and group?

As tables and groups are very similar, it is essential to understand their differences - please see this page.

What is the difference between custom fonts and font stacks?

When designing your signature template, it is essential to understand the pros and cons of using custom fonts and font stacks for the differences, please see this page.

Signature Rules Tester

Why does the signature in the Signature Rules Tester look different to the signature in my emails?

The signature which is added to the email is formatted as HTML, as is the signature shown in the Signature Rules Tester. However, different email clients treat HTML differently - some will force extra spacing, whilst others ignore extra spaces.

Exclaimer Cloud uses the most compatible formats to create signatures, but occasionally there may be slight variations in layout. If you have any issues with the layout, please raise a support ticket with our Template Design team who will be happy to assist.

Subscription

Where can I find my subscription ID?

From the Overview tab (in the dashboard), click Manage against the required subscription. Under Subscription details is your subscription ID.

Can I add another login to my Exclaimer Cloud subscription?

Only the subscription owner or the subscription admin can add other users who can log into the Exclaimer portal.

Can I update the number of users on my Exclaimer Cloud subscription?

Only the Exclaimer Cloud subscription owner can update the number of users on their subscription.

Synchronizing User Contacts

Why can't I see a specific group (group implies members from the Microsoft 365/Azure AD or G Suite/Google directory) when defining which groups will be included to use the selected signature?

Only the group's contact details synced with Exclaimer Cloud are available for you to select from.

See Signature Senders for more information on how to define specific senders (which includes groups, email addresses or domains) from within your organization who will be included to use the selected signature.

Does Exclaimer Cloud work with groups that are hidden from the Global Address List?

Yes, groups that are hidden from the Global Address list are still synchronized by Exclaimer Cloud and can be selected as a condition when configuring signatures.

User Details Editor

If the details uploaded via the User Details Editor do not update the Azure AD, where is that information stored?

All data uploaded to the User Details Editor feature via the CSV Upload option or other user options are stored in Exclaimer's own load-balanced data centers.

User Photos

Are user photos embedded or web-hosted?

All user photos uploaded into our system will be embedded into the message when the signature is applied.

Can I upload images for multiple users at once?

Yes, of course! For more information, please see how you can upload multiple user photos at once.

What happens if the user photo field is defined in the signature, but no image has been uploaded?

By default, the User Photo element is hidden in the signature for users who do not have an uploaded photo.