Double dashes are replaced with – in Email Notifications

When an approver takes action via email (using MS Outlook) and uses a special character (in this case an en dash symbol) the en dash is converted to its html number value (which is –) and that is recorded in the Requisition action history instead of the actual en dash symbol.

Double dashes are replaced with – in Email Notifications

Steps:

The issue can be reproduced at will with the following steps,

1. User submits Requisition for approval

2. Approver responds with response action and in Note field enters text with an en dash special character

Requisition Action History records html number for the en dash instead of the actual en dash symbol

Reason:

Auto formatting feature in MS Outlook is enabled by default and it is replacing some of the character sequences in outlook.
 
This is the original text:
approve via email -- do you see this comment?

This is how it is replaced:
approve via email – do you see this comment?

Solution:

Change the MS Outlook settings to stop replacing the dashes.

Navigation: Outlook → File → Options → Mail

Under compose messages click on 'Editor Options' → 'Auto Correct Options'

Under 'Auto Correct' tab unselect the check box 'Replace text as you type' or you can remove only the rows that replaces '...' to '¿', '--' to `¿` and the quotes which you don't want

Retest the issue.

Note: You can also unselect the check box’s which you don't need that are under each tab of 'AutoFormat As You Type', 'Auto Format' and 'Auto Correct' etc

---X---