Sad to send out a copy. Business Correspondence Rules

04.11.2019 Interesting

Most email clients, including gmail, Yahoo, Mail.ru, Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, provide the ability to send a single email to a large number of recipients. You can usually do this with the function Copy(in English, the abbreviation is adopted for its designation SS), or Hidden copy (CCB). When sending a message to Copies recipients can see the email addresses of other people who have also received this email. In the second case, the identity of additional recipients is hidden.

Adding a recipient address

To specify the recipient(s) of the email, enter their email address in the field To whom (That):

Some email clients allow you to simply enter a username in a field that is then automatically populated by the program.

If you use this field to send email to multiple people, each of them will be able to see the full list of other recipients.

How to copy an email

Field CC or Copy used to exchange electronic messages in a more indirect way than the field To whom. If you are not directly addressing a person in your email, but would like that person to follow the discussion in the email thread or just be aware of this topic, the field Copy would be a great option. Addressee located in Copies letters, receives an unread letter in his mailbox, just like the one who was placed in the box To whom; the difference is only in who you address the letter first in the body of your e-mail. In the professional world, mailing to Copies is used very widely and serves to keep colleagues informed about different events and topics.

You can list email recipients by simply entering a list of addresses in the field Copy, which is usually located immediately below the field To whom. Everyone in this chain of recipients will be able to see the names and email addresses of all other recipients:

How to Bcc an Email

Every email client (Gmail, Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Yahoo, etc.) allows the sender of an email to reach out to a large number of people without exposing their details to other users in the email chain. This function is called BCC or Hidden copy. You can hide recipients by entering their addresses in the field Hidden copy instead of using fields To whom and Copy:

You can use this feature for both individual and group emails. This is especially useful if you want to keep your contacts private, protect them from spam and spam, or simply don't want your recipients to know who received the same message.

Field Hidden copy not always available by default for all email clients. For example, in Outlook You will need to go to Options to access the setting; in Thunderbird you will need to select this function from the drop-down menu; in gmail you have to press the button Copy and Hidden copy; in Windows Live Mail You will need to simultaneously press the keys alt + B.

Image: © Ruslan Nesterenko - 123RF.com

Tamara Vorotyntseva - Development Director of the training company "BUSINESS PARTNER" (Moscow). Practicing business coach, author of the book “Building a personnel training system” and publications in business publications in Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. The creator of the Internet mailing list: "E-mail correspondence in business" on the subscribe.ru server! The book is a practical guide for business people who actively correspond with clients and partners. It presents tools that will help make electronic communication efficient, optimal in terms of time and result, and as much as possible in line with the rules and regulations adopted in the modern business community. The author gives practical advice, illustrates his observations with real life cases, and draws reasoned conclusions. The text of the book is rich in recognizable examples of real business correspondence. The author shares his observations, techniques, "tricks" that can significantly affect the efficiency and effectiveness of a business email. If you are a business person and it is important for you to write quickly, concisely, competently, in accordance with the rules of good business tone, this book will become your reliable assistant.

Book:

When working with the fields "To" ("To"), "Copy" ("CC"), "Bcc" ("BC"), remember that this is an important part of the email that affects the further actions of the participants in the correspondence.

"To whom" ("That"). This field contains the address of the recipient to whom the letter is directly addressed and the information contained in it. From the main recipient, the author of the letter is waiting for a response. If two recipients are placed in this field, then the author of the letter is waiting for a response from each or one of them (keep this in mind if your name is on the list of recipients). At the same time (if you are the sender), keep in mind that it is not very advisable to include more than one recipient in the “To” (“To”) field. A letter sent to several recipients may not receive a single answer, since everyone will think that the other will answer.

If the letter is addressed to you, but contains other recipients in the copy, be sure to use the "Reply ALL" button when answering! This will save the circle of addressees indicated by the initiator of the correspondence.

"Copy" ("Ss"). AT put in this field the addresses of recipients who, in your opinion, should be aware of the correspondence on this issue. These recipients receive information only "for information". The recipient in the copy usually does not have to respond to the letter, but may do so if necessary.

NOTE. IT IS IMPORTANT!

If your name is in the "Copy" ("CC") field, then when entering into correspondence, remember that there are situations when it is extremely important to be polite. Use the phrases: "Let me join the discussion", or "Let me join your dialogue", or "Let me express my opinion."

"Bcc" ("Bcc"). This field in some companies is prohibited for use, as it is a tool that is contrary to the ethical standards of communication. The purpose of this field is to invite the addressee to become a "secret witness".

If it is customary in your business practice to use this field at work, consider the following. The recipient in the "blind copy" remains invisible to the main recipient and to the recipients in the copy. Sometimes it is useful for the sender and the "secret recipient" to have a preliminary agreement (or subsequent awareness) about the reason and purpose of such a method of informing.

NOTE. IT IS IMPORTANT!

A "hidden" recipient should absolutely not enter into correspondence from this field.

Question: Who, according to Islam, is considered a wicked (fasiq)?

Answer: Fasik (wicked) is one who acts contrary to the commands of Allah Almighty, for whom the commission of sins and all that is bad is a habit.

In the terminology of the Shariah, the term "fasik" means a departure from obedience to Allah and a manifestation of disobedience to Him.

In a broader sense, a fasiq is one who commits major sins or persists in small ones, as well as one who neglects all religious precepts or some of them (Fakhruddin ar-Razi, Tafsirul-Kabir, II, 91; Ragib al-Isfahani, al-Mufredat, 572). Fisk can be divided into three categories:

1. Rarely committing sins, considering them disgusting.

2. Persistently committing the same sin.

3. Committing sins, considering them permissible. In this case, a person no longer has any connection with faith and religion.

In the Qur'an, the term fisk is mainly used in the meaning of "kufr" (unbelief). However, in some verses the term fisk is mentioned in its absolute meaning (in the meaning of wickedness). For example: fisk during hajj (al-Baqarah 2/197), or eating the meat of animals over which the name of Allah has not been uttered (al-Anam 6/121), or fisk slander on a muslim (an-Nur 24/4).

In all other verses, the term fisk is used in the sense of unbelief:

(al-Baqarah 2/99).

“Let the people of the Injil (Gospel) judge according to what Allah has sent down in it. Those who do not make decisions in accordance with what Allah has sent down are the wicked.”(al-Maida 5/47).

“Thus the Word of your Lord was confirmed that the wicked (fasiks) would not believe”(Yunus 10/33).

“If they had believed in Allah, the prophet and what was sent down to him, they would not have taken them as their helpers and friends. But many of them are wicked."(al-Maida 5/81).

According to the Mu'tazilites, a Fasiq is neither a believer nor an unbeliever, but something in between. This view of theirs is at the same time one of the five fundamental principles of beliefs and is called “Manzilu Beynal-Manzilyatein”. In their opinion, if the Fasiq repents, he will return to the faith, and if he dies without repentance, he will end up in Hell forever. According to the Kharijites, who believed that actions are one of the foundations of faith, any of the three above-mentioned manifestations of fisk is kufr (unbelief), and fisk will go to Hell forever.

Fisk is a very dangerous position and every person should try to avoid it. All sins, both great and small, must be avoided, and persistence in committing small sins must also be avoided. Perseverance in committing minor sins is one of the degrees of fisk, as mentioned above.

It is necessary to pay attention to one very important point: no one can call another person a fasik. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: “No one has the right to call another person a fasiq or a kafir. If someone calls another person a fasik or a kafir, and he is not such, then these words will return to the one who uttered them, and he himself will become a fasik or a kafir.(Mukhtasar Tajridus-Sarich, XII, 137). At the same time, this hadeeth establishes a very important moral principle. Revealing a person's shortcomings, and even more so condemning a person, attributing fisk or unbelief to him, is immoral, and if these qualities are not really inherent in that person, then they return to the person who said them.

All the elementary rules set out below relate primarily to business correspondence with your partners, colleagues, customers and performers. Their use in personal correspondence is a private matter for everyone. However, following these rules in personal correspondence will only create a good impression about you.

Business email ethics

If you suddenly do not want to read further, limit yourself to at least the following basic rules:

Please use the "Reply All" button when replying. This will keep copies of the recipients of the initial email so that your reply doesn't get past them. I strongly recommend that you hide the "Reply" button in the interface settings. If necessary, you can delete unwanted recipients "by hand".
Do not leave the "Subject" field empty. The people you correspond with may receive hundreds of emails a day, and they use this field to quickly assess the importance and content of an email.
Quote letters. Don't start your reply with a new email, click "Reply All" on a received email, and don't turn off the quote feature when replying and forwarding in your email client settings.
When quoted in full(if your answer is to the whole letter) write the text of the answer at the BEGINNING of the letter, and not at the end, at the bottom.

WILL WE CONTINUE?

Receiving letters

Letters received must be read. If you received a letter, it means that someone sent it for some reason (of course, spam is not considered here). If a person has letters marked as unread, and they are older than one day, he does not know how to work with mail. However, it is forgivable if:
- the person died or fell ill unexpectedly;
- working with mail is not part of his official duties (then he does not need a service e-mail).
If you are not a manager, check your mail at least 2 times a day: in the morning and in the afternoon. Failure to answer a production question from you can stall other people's work and delay the resolution of issues.
If you are a manager, your working day should start by launching an email client that stays up all day and automatically checks for mail. Set up automatic mail delivery/receipt at least every 10 minutes (preferably 1-3 minutes).
You have received a letter. If you are very busy, immediately evaluate who it is from, the subject and skim through it - this will help you quickly decide whether the letter requires an urgent response or can wait a bit.
If you can, please respond immediately. This is the easiest and most efficient way to get things moving and not pile up mail.
If you understand that you won’t be able to answer within a day, it’s better to immediately write “I will answer within a couple of days” or at least “I will answer a little later.”

To, Cc, Bcc fields

It should be remembered that there are "To" ("To"), "CC" ("Copy") and "BCC" ("Bcc") fields. Your further actions (and the actions of correspondence partners) upon receipt of a letter depend on them:
- "To" ("To") - the letter and the information or questions contained in it are addressed to the recipient directly. If you send a question, you are waiting for a response from the addressee specified in the "To" field. If you are the recipient, then you must answer.
- "SS" ("Copy") - recipients standing in copies receive a letter "for information", for information, or are "invited to witness". The recipient in copies should not generally reply to the letter; moreover, it is considered polite if, if necessary, you begin with the phrase "I'm sorry to interfere."
- "BCC" ("Blind Copy") - a field for "palace intrigues". By specifying a recipient in this field, you “secretly” send this letter to him: the main recipient or those in the copies will not know about the fact of sending the letter to this person. It is also used for bulk mailing so that all recipients do not know your address book.
Please use the "Reply All" button when replying. This will keep copies of the recipients of the initial email and your reply will not miss them.
DO NOT delete from copies of the letter people added there by your correspondent. If you want to answer something personal so that other correspondents do not receive your answer, then delete everyone from the copies, except for the one who wrote the letter (yes, we never use the “Reply” button).
If there are more than two recipients in the received letter in the “To” field, this means that both of these correspondents or any of them must answer. Consider that BOTH should answer - if the letter is addressed to you and someone else, answer it too (even if it is an answer like “This question is definitely not for me, let such and such answer”).
In turn, it is strongly recommended NOT to include more than one recipient in the "To" field. On a letter sent to two, you will not receive an answer from either, since each will think that the other will answer. Not everyone has read this article.
Forwarding private correspondence to a mailing list without the consent of the participants in the correspondence is unethical!

Subject field

Don't leave it empty.
The subject of the letter should be short, but reflecting the main content, the subject of the letter. Headlines like "Question", "Hello!" or empty headlines betray you as a beginner who lacks basic business writing skills.
When you reply to one of several emails with different subjects, respond to the correct ones. Respond to the letter with the subject "Meeting on Tuesday, 18.04" about the meeting and the letter "Printing Materials" about the printing materials. This is due to the citation of previous correspondence (see the Letter Writing section below).
If you need to periodically send e-mail such as weekly reports, try to keep the header constant, or at least part of it should be constant so that the recipient can set up automatic rules (rules) for sorting such mail.

Importance of writing

If the letter contains information about urgent changes, the text of the contract or other information that you need to pay attention to first of all - use the "high" importance, this will highlight the letter in the Inbox folder.
Do not use "high" importance in vain - "noisy" people are annoying, be more modest.
Mark a personal letter to a business correspondent or a letter with a funny picture or link as low.

Writing letters (answers)

Start with a greeting, it's polite. "Hey gria!" says that you are too lazy to write the name of a person. Even just "Andrey!" or "Good afternoon!" quite polite and sufficient.
Speak the same language with the person. This applies not only to the Russian/English language, but also to the form of the text. If you received a formal letter, an informal response to it will be disrespectful to the respondent and a demonstration of your own low culture. A formal response to an informal appeal is either a call to comply with the regulations, or it is simply required by corporate rules.
Try to always respond to the last letter in the chain of correspondence, and not to some intermediate one.
Do not use translit except when sending letters from conditions in which it is difficult to type text differently (for example, from a mobile phone or from a computer without a Russian keyboard layout).
If your mail client does not support Russian or corrupts encodings, then attach the reply text as an attachment.
A business letter should be precise, concise and specific:
- Accuracy - Specify the exact data you are referring to (date and subject of another email, meeting date, meeting agenda item, file name, link to a document on the web, etc.).
- Conciseness - some state on three pages what could be written in three sentences. He who thinks clearly, he clearly states, and your correspondent sees this.
- Concreteness - it should be clear from the letter exactly WHAT EXACTLY is required from the recipient, what actions they want from him.
Business correspondence is not a place for epistolary exercises and not a place for expressing emotions. For this, there are forums, chat rooms and other means of electronic interpersonal communication. A concise business text is not dryness, but time saving and thought accuracy.
If the letter contains several questions, topics or tasks, structure them and separate them with paragraphs with or without numbering. A continuous "stream of thought" is difficult to read, while it is easy to miss the main point of the letter. Moreover, some people tend to immediately send a poorly structured letter to the wastebasket (although this is probably extremism).
Keep in mind that the answer to a request or task is "Let's do it!" incomplete “We will do it by such and such a date”, “in so many days”, “after such and such an event” - these are more specific and accurate answers.
If the letter is worded in such a way that it can be answered simply with “ok”, then the answer is likely to be received much faster. For example, if there are several options for what to do, suggest some default option.
The text must not contain errors. Ochepyatki not scary, but if you write and write the word incorrectly in every letter, it becomes noticeable very quickly, and your “troika” with a minus in Russian becomes obvious (as well as speculative further conclusions about your general level of education and culture).
Try not to use html formatting of the email. Unfortunately, this format for writing letters is the default in Outlook, but when using it, especially when quoting (replies and forwarding), a lot of questions arise.
If you received a letter in html format, DO NOT change it to plain-text, this breaks the perception of information by the sender when receiving your response. The more important your correspondent is to you, the more important it is to maintain an adequate perception of him. You can cope with highlighting your answers in html quoting with color, or you can use the “Decrease indent” button on the html formatting panel (although there are capricious nuances).
Quote the text of the original letter. What do you think that would mean? I don't know either: To: AIST is a creative bird Subject: Re: Re: Re: Question Ok! Vasya
Never correct in quoting the text of another person! This is a kind of forged letter.
When quoting in full (if your answer is to the whole letter), write the text of the answer at the BEGINNING of the letter, and not at the end.
If you are replying point by point using a quotation, separate the quotation with blank lines ABOVE AND BOTTOM and use Capital Letters at the beginning of sentences. Try to find answers here: > we suggest replacing the logo with the attached one, > since this very colorful one on the background did not find the logo in the attachment > correct the inscription - instead of "fish" you need to write "slave"! > otherwise we will be misunderstood, the inscription has been corrected, sorry > and the last...
I recently got this working, so although I would share:

Sending all outgoing mail to Sent folders with postfix and cyrus imap.

Make postfix send copy copies of all outgoing emails to a special "sent" mail account. Use the sieve on this special account to redirect all emails to the Sent Items folder associated with the account.