>>but I have not worked with Outlook express.
>
>Like Jeff said, OE is not an Automation server. You can use the MAPI activeX controls to do email using OE as your simple MAPI client though. I'd start there.

Mike,
The client has Outlook so I told them that they had to use it. They had no problem with that. They get a buch of orders each day eMailed from their web page and expect it to become their major source of business so I want to keep it as simple and reliable as possible. Thanks for the reply.