Format

Timelines, attachments, and formats:

• Reply to e-mails quickly. Ideally, one should reply to an e-mail within one business day or 24 hours of receiving it. An e-mail is a means of fast communication, and it is understood that a person sending an e-mail requires a quick response. Stick to this rule to avoid misunderstandings.


• Use discretion. Do not clog someone's mailbox by sending forwards and jokes. If there is an officewide mail system and you have to reply, please do not press "reply all." Doing so will send your response to everyone on the list, which can be frustrating. Instead, reply just to the sender.


• Do not use all CAPITAL letters. Capital letters are the Internet equivalent to shouting. Do not write e-mails in all caps, unless you want to emphasize something. E-mails in all caps are considered rude and can be quite irritating to read.


• Keep away from flowery backgrounds. They look unprofessional and non-serious. Keep the backgrounds sober and standard.


• Do not encourage chain mails. They are inappropriate, unprofessional, and inconsiderate. In addition, most of the chain mails are untrue; avoid spreading rumors and superstition.


• Avoid sending very large files They clog e-mail servers and are slow to download. Some servers do not allow files beyond a certain size to be downloaded. Instead, break your attachment into smaller sizes, or zip it using a file compression program. If you want to send an attachment to someone that is not expecting one or outside of your office, you may want to let the person know that first. Some people get very cautious about getting attachments in e-mails and may delete it. Internet viruses are commonly spread through e-mails as attachments. Because of this, it has prompted many companies to tighten their rules about receiving e-mails, especially those with something attached.


• Use the right salutation. Address your e-mails using the person's right name, designation, etc. End your mail with the right closing; e.g., "Thank you," "Best Regards," etc. Usually you will have the opportunity to set up what is called a signature file in your e-mail system. In doing so, it would be wise to have it show your contact information, which will be added to the bottom of each e-mail that you send out.


• Wrap text. In order to make your e-mail look well formatted, use the wrap text option. If your e-mail package does not have wrap text, then press enter after every 80 words. However, most e-mail programs can be automatically set up to wrap text, so this should not be a concern.


• Use CC and BCC options when copying the message to others. The carbon copy (CC) field basically is used to keep a larger group of people who know each other in the loop for a particular thing. The recipients may or may not reply to a mail sent to them, as CCs are essentially "For Your Information (FYI)" messages. The blind carbon copy (BCC) field is used for a group of people who do not know one another, yet need to be informed about something, without encroaching upon their privacy. It also is used if you are copying someone on an e-mail and do not want others to know about it.


• Avoid using the high priority option too often. Decide which e-mails require urgent action and then apply the correct priority option. If you mark every mail as "high priority," you will not be taken seriously.