A system and method of distributing a file by email is described: receiving a first email in a server, wherein the first email includes a first attachment; storing the first attachment on the server; converting the first attachment to create a converted attachment; outputting the first email to an addressee, wherein the first email includes the converted attachment and further wherein the first email is received in a client comprising the addressee; receiving a forward email message in the server from the addressee, the forward email message containing the converted attachment and a forward addressee; identifying the first attachment in response to receiving the forward email message, wherein identifying the first attachment comprises using an attachment identifier to identify the first attachment from a plurality of stored attachments, wherein the attachment identifier includes the converted attachment; attaching the first attachment to the forward email message; and forwarding the forward email with the first attachment to the forward addressee.