9742C: Use and Maintain Personal E-Mail
Sending and responding to emails ................................................................................ 1
Introduction.................................................................................................................... 1
Writing emails ............................................................................................................... 1
Sending emails ............................................................................................................. 7
Sending and responding to emails
Introduction
In this section you will learn how to write a message following net etiquette. You will
also learn the importance of completing the required fields in an outgoing message and
how to send a message.
Email is an accepted form of communication in the business world today. You need to be
able to send emails to be able to communicate effectively with other email users.
It is expected that this topic may take around three hours to work through the reading
notes, supporting online resources and assessment events. However, this will vary
depending on the conditions for the learner. If you have any problems, discuss them with
your facilitator.
Writing emails
Writing emails can be as simple as typing a note or compiling a message with a graphic
and an attachment. In this section you will learn how to compile an email following
organisational protocols. You will enter data into Outlook fields, compose a message
following email etiquette and check the message for accuracy.
Sending emails is slightly different from paper-based communication because:
• it is very fast
• you can send the one message to many people at the one time
• turnaround time for a reply can be very fast
• it is usually more conversational in its structure.
When writing your email, think of the message as lying somewhere between the
formality of a letter and the openness of a telephone call.
Emails do not give any clues about body language or gestures, tone of voice, mood, or the
environment.
When you communicate electronically, all you see is a computer screen. You don't have
the opportunity to use facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice to communicate
your meaning. In addition recipients can interpret the tone of your email and your
message however they like. They may have difficulty understanding if you are serious or
joking, happy or sad, irritated or elated.
When writing your emails keep the following in mind:
• take your time when composing your email so there is no possibility of
interpretation which may lead to misunderstanding
• the diversity of backgrounds, cultures, opinions, and writing abilities of others
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use terminology that is familiar to you and the recipient
take time to read and fully comprehend what has been written before you reply,
especially if the message has provoked a strong emotional response. Ask the
sender for clarification rather than replying to a possibly incorrect assumption.
think about the style or tone of your message. Humour and sarcasm do not
communicate well by computer and you may be misunderstood.
Net etiquette
Net etiquette refers to the rules that should be followed when using the internet. There are
no set rules to follow but you should consider the following:
• anyone may see your email – think about what you are putting in it! Remember
email is admissible in court as evidence.
• always have an appropriate and relevant subject title. This is the first part of the
message anyone sees when they open their email program. Many people choose
whether or not to read the message on the basis of the subject line.
• a full screen of text is not easy to read. Try to break your message up into short
paragraphs.
• don’t reply to an email when you are in a bad mood - wait, reflect, then send
• respect the privacy of others. Make an effort to keep email addresses confidential.
This can be done by deleting addresses on emails forwarded to others.
• indicate that you have received a message. If the sender has gone to the trouble of
sending you an email, then to respond is mere courtesy.
• refer to the receiver by their name. This may help the receiver sort the genuine
emails from spam or virus emails.
• think about the size of the attachments you are sending. Your email will be
received by a variety of methods. If the recipient is on a network system, the
actual size of the email/attachment will be insignificant. If the recipient is using a
laptop and mobile phone which has a very low transfer rate, the transfer time can
be quite lengthy. This will obviously incur much larger connection costs and large
attachments will most likely not be received favourably by the recipient.
• be courteous and considerate. Your email will be read by a person, not a piece of
software. Use the same standards of courtesy that you would when talking to a
person face-to-face. Avoid excessive bluntness (which will usually be interpreted
as coldness or anger), and expressions or words that you would not use when
talking directly to a person.
• don't use capitals for whole sentences because this is considered to be shouting.
Save capitals for headings.
• don't include irrelevant text in your message
• be careful when sending jokes. A joke that is funny to you could really offend or
upset someone else.
• before you send an email always check it is going to the right person
• always include your name and email address at the bottom of your message.
Writing emails - tone, language, format
It is important when writing emails to consider the tone, language and format of the
email.
Writing an email does not give the reader any clues about body language or gestures, tone
of voice or mood.
When you communicate electronically, all you see is a computer screen. You don't have
the opportunity to use facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice to communicate
your meaning.
When writing emails consider the following tone, language and formatting tips:
• don't rush writing your email
• be aware of the diversity of backgrounds, cultures, opinions, and writing abilities
• remember that you may be sending mail to recipients of varying reading levels.
Think about the terminology you use. It may not be understood by some of your
readers.
• take time to read and fully comprehend what has been written before you reply,
especially if the message provokes a strong emotional response
• think about the style or tone of your message. Humour and sarcasm do not
communicate well by computer and you may be misunderstood.
• add a human touch by using some emoticons. Emoticons are facial expressions
made by a certain series of keystrokes, often producing an image of a face
sideways. These symbols are also called smileys. The most popular are:
Smiley
Meaning
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:-)
Happy, smiling, pleased
;-)
Wink, humour,
:-(>
Sad, unhappy
:-o>
Surprise, shock
use a ‘Subject:’ field to indicate a specific topic for your email. This makes
finding the email at a later date much easier.
keep your message focused. If a new topic is introduced it should be under a
separate email with a new subject heading.
be concise: brief messages are more likely to be read. Too much information in
one message is a burden for people reading on the screen. Remember, for many
people screens are harder to read than words on paper.
when formatting use bullet points or numbered lists. Indentation and colour can
make your points stand out clearly, however, before you send email to a colleague
outside of your company, be aware of special fonts and styles like bold and italics
that may not transmit very well to someone who uses a different email system. If
you need to make your mail look professional, attach it as a word-processed
document A good rule to follow is: if it's a message, send it as email; if it's a
formal document, send it as an attached file.
don’t label messages as urgent unless they are
never mail anything you wouldn't say to your reader's face
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cite your information clearly and correctly, even if you are paraphrasing. If you
are sending information from another source, pay attention to whether the material
is copyright.
copyright laws apply to email as well as to print media
sign your email by typing your name at the end of the message. If it's a message
going to outside internet users, make sure you put contact details underneath your
name.
check all emails for grammar and spelling errors before sending them
don't use email to express annoyance, sarcasm or other ill feelings. If such
communication is considered necessary, this is best done in person or by phone. It
is best not to use email as a way of avoiding potentially unpleasant and difficult
encounters as such communications are likely to inflame rather than resolve the
situation.
Organisation protocol
Organisation protocol is the rules, standards and regulations that the organisation puts
into place for all employees to follow.
A 'protocol' is a formal description of the electronic message formats and rules that
employees must follow when they exchange information. These can include rules and
standards for:
• net etiquette
• net ethics
• forms of address
• the language, tone and structure of an email
• the length of an email
• use of a subject line and wording to use
• use of carbon and blind carbon copies
• replying to email messages received – e.g. time frame
• preparation and use of attachments
• formatting the sender’s name and address
• using an electronic signature
• filing of electronic mail
• archiving of electronic mail.
For example, an organisation protocol may be that all employees must state in their
signature:
• their name
• their title
• the department they are in
• their telephone number
• their fax number
• their email address
and it must be in the above order and in Arial 12 point font.
It is important that you find out what the organisation’s protocols are and follow them.
Entering data in Outlook fields - Cc and Bcc
When sending an email it is important that you enter all data into the relevant outlook
fields.
Cc is an abbreviation for ‘carbon copy’ or, more recently, ‘courtesy copy’. If you add a
recipient’s name to this box in a message, a copy of the message is sent to that recipient,
and the recipient’s name is visible to other recipients of the message.
Bcc is an abbreviation for ‘blind carbon copy’ or, more recently, ‘blind courtesy copy’. If
you add a recipient’s name to this box in a message, a copy of the message is sent to that
recipient, and the recipient’s name is not visible to other recipients of the message. If the
Bcc box isn’t visible when you create a new message, you can add it. Click on the down
arrow next to the Options icon, and choose Bcc.
Attachments
Attaching files and documents to email is a convenient way to distribute or communicate
your work.
Sending files and documents electronically requires some thought before hitting that send
button.
Refrain from adding too many attachments to your email. Large, bulky messages tie up
the network (just like peak hour on our roads) and can be difficult to read for some
people. And remember, most companies will not allow the sending of personal
attachments (e.g. games, video or movie clips, IQ tests, jokes, and so on).
Viruses can be easily transmitted in attachments. If you receive an attachment via email
or you download a file from the internet, always check for viruses before opening them.
As long as you don't open the file, you'll be fine. Once the file has arrived in your
mailbox or your hard disk, run your virus scanner across it before you double click to
open it. If you are unsure, delete the email.
If your document is short, don't attach it to an email. It'll just annoy people who will have
to download the document and open it up only to see half a dozen lines of text. Only use
attachments for properly formatted documents.
Photographs and images that you imbed into a document greatly increase the size of your
file, making it difficult for some people to download or read, potentially clogging up the
network. Think carefully before attaching large files and sending them to people.
If you have a really big file (e.g. more than 2Mb in size) that you want to send, or you
have multiple files that need to go in the one email message, consider using a
compression tool like WinZip to decrease the overall size of the files. If you decrease the
size, the email will be faster to send, faster to receive and won't congest your company’s
network.
Sending emails
In this section you will learn how to dispatch electronic mail in accordance with
organisational requirements.
Remember when sending emails to follow the organisation’s protocols. The following are
the basic steps to follow when sending a new email.
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Click on New Mail Message button (Standard Toolbar)
The following screen will appear:
Note
If your title bar reads ‘Untitled
Message – Microsoft Word’
If your title bar reads ‘Untitled Message (HTML)’
leave as is (you are using Microsoft Word to edit
your email messages)
Close the New Message window (takes you
back to the Inbox window), click on Tools,
Options, choose the Mail Format tab. Check the
box ‘Use Microsoft Word to edit email
messages’, ensure the Plain Text option is
selected in the ‘Send this message format‘. Click
on Apply, click on OK.
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With the cursor flashing in the To: field
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Key in the recipient’s email address
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Press Tab to move to the Cc: field
Key in the address(es) of the person(s) who will receive a
copy
Press Tab to move to the Subject: field
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Key in an appropriate subject to tell the recipient what
the email is about
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Press Tab to move to the Message area
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Key in the message you wish to send
10 Press Enter twice and key in your details e.g. name, email address.
11 Click on the Spelling and Grammar icon to spell check (or use shortcut - F7 key on
the keyboard).
12 Check all other details are correct.
13 Click on the Send icon
Note: Who the message is from and the Subject of the message is the information
that will appear in the Inbox of the recipient, so be sure to choose a relevant and
descriptive subject.
Additional options when sending emails
Set the importance level
Change the importance level if required BEFORE sending the email:
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To mark as very important click on the High icon (red exclamation mark).
To mark as normal priority click on the Low icon (blue down arrow).
Flagging a message (adding a reminder)
You can mark messages to remind yourself to follow up on points or to make a request
for someone else to do so. Flagging can be used on messages you are sending and on
messages you receive.
When a message is flagged, a symbol appears in the Flag Status column. There are two
types of flagging:
• Follow up (red)
• Flag complete (grey)
When you flag a message, a comment on the purpose of the flag appears at the top of the
message. If a due date is selected this also appears. The recipient also sees these details
when they receive the message.
Add a flag to a message you are creating
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In the message click on the Message Flag icon.
In the Flag to list, click the flag you want, or key in your own.
In the Due by boxes, enter and date and time where required.
Add a flag to an existing message
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Click on the message to be flagged, and either
Right click on the message and select Follow up from the drop down menu,
or click on Actions from the Menu Bar and choose Follow up.
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In the Flag to list, click the flag you want, or key in your own.
In the Due by boxes, enter and date and time where required.
Remove a Flag
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In the message list, right click on the message.
Choose Clear Flag
or in the message, click on Message Flag icon.
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Click Clear Flag.
Note: you can also change the date or time on a flag or mark it as completed. Open
the message, click on the Flag icon, then in the Flag for Follow Up dialogue box,
change the options as required.
Sending attachments
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Create your message.
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Click on the Insert File icon (it looks like a paper clip)
The Insert File dialogue box is shown.
Click on the Look in down-arrow, click on the location of the file to be attached.
To open a folder in the selected location, double-click on the folder.
Double click on the file (document) to be attached, or click on the document name.
Click on Insert.
Details of the attachments (Attach…) are displayed below the Subject.
For multiple attachments, repeat as necessary.
Remove an attachment
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With the mail message displayed, click on the attachment you wish to remove.
Press Delete (or right click on it and choose Clear).
Print emails
10 Select the email you want to print.
11 Click on the Print icon.