In article ,
=?Utf-8?B?TkQ=?= wrote:
a) how to alter the content of the message in design mode

You make the content changes before you go into design mode.

b) how to create the form so that it mirrors the functionality of a Word
form -- i.e. the whole thing is protected except for the gray input fields
that you can tab between.

You probably can't do that with Outlook forms, even if you use Word as the
editor. Outlook forms are designed to be easily modified by any and all
comers.

C) images that are set up in the word doc to display in the email as
embedded rather than as attachments. Thanks

You just plop them into the Message Body before going into design mode.

You really want to understand the difference between Outlook forms and Word
Forms. Word is a document-centric application, and Outlook is an application
centric. When you send a Word document, you send everything that it needs to
display itself. When you send a message, you just send the data in the
fields, and the basic structure that makes up an Internet message, and
Outlook pulls the form design from the Exchange Organizational Forms Library.
The two objects are married and displayed on the work-station screen.

Thinking an Outlook message is a mobile Word document is a train wreck
waiting to happen.

--
Hollis Paul
Mukilteo, WA USA