[Pct] Notification/reporting correspondence to clients - PDF vs. email body

[Carl Oppedahl]

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Hi listmates,

We are currently reconsidering the manner in which we send notifications 
/ reporting correspondence to our clients. I’m referring to 
correspondence such as

  * Reporting filing of a patent application
  * Reporting official communication from a patent office
  * Reporting an action taken at a patent office, such as responding to
    an Office Action or filing an IDS
  * Notification of upcoming 1-year Paris Convention deadline
  * Notification of upcoming 30-month PCT national phase deadline

The factors currently affecting our decision include:

  * A PDF letter at least seems more fixed/permanent, and is a discrete
    “document”.
  * A PDF letter is more aesthetically pleasing, and can give an
    impression of formality and/or professionalism.
  * A PDF letter makes it frustrating for the recipient who is required
    to take the extra step of opening an attachment in order to read the
    correspondence.
  * An email-body letter conveniently remains available below
    replies/reminders sent in response to the original correspondence.
  * When accompanying the correspondence with a bill for services
    rendered, sending the correspondence as an email-body letter avoids
    potential confusion from multiple/mixture of attachments.

I’d be very interested to hear your thoughts on whether it is preferable 
to send such correspondence in the body of an email, or as a PDF 
attachment to an email. Perhaps you even have different preferences for 
different types of correspondence. I’d also be interested to know what 
you do in reality!
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