hermes-skills/skills/email/email-sender-formatting/references/business-email-tables.md

Business / Operational Email Data Tables

When sending operational summary emails (registration lists, inventory, status reports) from business addresses like contact@apextrackexperience.com — NOT Sho'Nuff's personal GMB email — use this format.

Core Rules

1. HTML tables are mandatory. Plain text columns get called out as wrong. Every operational summary uses an HTML table.
2. Zebra striping — alternate white (#fff) and light gray (#f9f9f9) row backgrounds.
3. Green checkmark ✓ for positive status, red X ✗ for negative — visual, scannable, consistent.
4. Normalize ALL names — proper case (.title()). Never send all-lowercase names from a database.
5. Simplify labels — convert raw DB values to human-readable. "NASA Registration w/ Upgraded Photo/Video Package - $2,332.00" → "Upgraded Photo/Video"
6. Hide individual pricing unless requested — Germaine prefers total revenue only.
7. Preview first — always send a preview to Germaine for approval before sending to the team.

HTML Template

<h2 style="font-size:16px;margin:0 0 2px 0;">[TITLE]</h2>
<hr style="border:none;border-top:2px solid #000;margin:2px 0 16px;">

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:13px;">
<thead><tr style="background:#f0f0f0;">
  <th style="padding:8px 12px;text-align:left;border-bottom:1px solid #ddd;">[Column]</th>
  ...
</tr></thead>
<tbody>
  <!-- zebra rows: #fff / #f9f9f9 -->
  <tr style="background:#fff;">
    <td style="padding:8px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #eee;">[Data]</td>
  </tr>
</tbody></table>

<!-- Summary -->
<p style="margin-top:16px;font-size:13px;color:#555;">
  Totals<br>
  <strong>Total Revenue: $X.00</strong>
</p>

<!-- Outstanding items -->
<ul style="font-size:12px;color:#444;">
  <li>Item 1</li>
</ul>

Status indicators

check = '<span style="display:inline-block;background:#22c55e;color:#fff;border-radius:4px;width:22px;height:22px;line-height:22px;text-align:center;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;">✓</span>'
cross = '<span style="display:inline-block;color:#dc2626;font-size:18px;font-weight:bold;">✗</span>'

Pitfalls

• NEVER use plain-text column alignment for operational summaries. The user called this out twice and sent screenshots comparing the correct HTML version to the wrong plain-text version.
• Don't send from shonuff@germainebrown.com unless it's a Sho'Nuff email. Business emails use their own FROM (e.g., contact@apextrackexperience.com, info@itpropartner.com).
• Always strip test transactions unless the user explicitly asks for them.
• Case matters. The user sent screenshots showing the first (correct) HTML table format vs subsequent (wrong) plain text versions.
• Verify subagent email claims. Subagents frequently fabricate email sends. Check the Sent folder via IMAP before reporting delivery to Germaine. No Sent copy = no proof.
• Different SMTP relays per business. Apex uses SiteGround SMTP (c1113726.sgvps.net:2525), not the Core relay (mail.germainebrown.com:2525). Always verify the correct relay for the sending address.