25 Rules of Outlook Email Etiquette

1) KEEP EMAILS SHORT Dont write a novel. Keep the email to one or two pages of text. Any
longer, consider using an attachment.
2) REPLY QUICKLY Respond within 24 hours. Send a quick email if it will take you longer to reply.
3) CHOOSE A MEANINGFUL SUBJECT LINE: Be clear, not cleaver or cute. Dont be vague (i.e. Hi
there) Use something relevant to clarify the emails content. This also allows them to locate your
email in the future.
4) VERIFY YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES This is still a common mistake: sending an email to the
wrong person, or overlooking an email address in a list of people. This can be embarrassing and
disastrous, so double-check!
5) USE BCC: TO HIDE RECIPIENTS NAMES Not only is a long list of recipients unsightly, but
most people do not feel comfortable with their email address displayed to strangers. Use BCC: to
hide peoples email address when sending to a group of people.
To enable BCC:
1.

From the email's toolbar, click on the Options down arrow

2.

Select BCC

6) USE DISTRIBUTION GROUPS If you frequently send to the same group of people create a
distribution list containing all of their email addresses.
How to Create a Distribution List:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

From the File pull-down menu, select New, followed by Distribution List.
In the Name box, type a name.
Click Select Members.
In the Show names from the list, click the address book that contains the e-mail
addresses you want in your distribution list.
Double-click on the email addresses you want to include, then click OK.
If you wish to add any other email addresses not in your contacts, click Add New and enter
those addresses manually.
Click Save and Close.

The distribution list is now in your Contacts list, and can be used when sending an email to that
group.
7) CHECK SPELLING, GRAMMAR & PUNCTUATION Your writing reflects you and your company.
Reread your documents before sending. If youre not a strong writer, read your email aloud before
clicking send.
Use WORD to Create/Edit Your Emails & Turn-On Auto Spell Correct:
1.

From Outlooks Tools pull-down menu, select Options

2.

Click Mail Format tab

3.

Select Use Microsoft Word to edit e-mail messages check box

4.

Click Spelling tab

5.

Select Always suggest replacements for misspelled words

6.

Select Always check spelling before sending

7.

Click OK

8) DON'T MISUSE REPLY ALL Be careful when replying to an entire mailing list. Its rare that the
entire mailing list needs to see your reply.
9) DON'T TYPE IN ALL CAPS Why this still needs to be a rule is beyond me. Mankind invented
lowercase letters because theyre easier to read. STOP SHOUTING!
10) ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS BY QUOTING (AND REEDITING) THE ORIGINAL EMAIL
MESSAGE When answering questions from an email, quote the original email along with your
reply. Email responses of Sure, sounds great. . . are not useful. Many topics will require reediting
the original text to answer all questions separately.
11) AVOID JOKES, HUMOR & SARCASM Use your own humor and sarcasm sparingly; your wit
will probably be misunderstood in print anyway.
Dont forward jokes. But if you do: run spell-check, remove all of the >> forward marks, use BCC:
when sending to many people, and be aware that your friends may viewing your joke at work . . . so
warn them if it is not G-Rated!
If you forward MANY jokes, people may no longer respond to your emails quickly or ignore them
completely.
12) DONT ARGUE OR SEND EMAILS WHEN ANGRY Since youve learned that your humor and
sarcasm will be misunderstood, so shall your anger. Attempting to argue in an email is futile. Its
best to wait before writing your email, or even better give them a phone call.
How to: Configure Outlook to delay sending your emails.
13) AVOID TEXT FORMATTING If your email is more complicated than a few paragraphs of text
(i.e. tables, graphs, graphics) it will probably be reformatted (incorrectly) when read by the recipient.
Reading colored stationary and special & colored fonts dont look correct on non Outlook programs,
and look even worse on a mobile device. If you need to preserve the special formatting of your
document; send it as a Word or PDF attachment.
14) AVOID ATTACHMENT MISTAKES The most common mistakes when attaching files are:
1.

Forgetting to actually attach the file

2.

Sending too large of an attachment (under 2MB for some systems, 1MB for others)

3.

Not telling the recipient to expect an attachment

4.

Not telling the recipient what type of file is attached

5.

Sending to a company that removes all attachments due to potential viruses

15) CREATE A SIGNATURE Include a brief signature (i.e. name, address, phone number, email
address, company name, disclaimer, website) on your email messages. Avoid scanned images.
1.

From Outlooks Tools pull-down menu, select Options

2.

On the Mail Format tab, click Signatures

3.

In the Create Signature dialog box, click New

4.

In the Enter a name for your new signature box, type a name for your new reply
signature, click Next

5.

In the Signature text box, type your signature, click Finish

6.

Click OK (closing the Create Signature dialog box)

7.

Change the Signature for new messages box to the reply signature you created in Step
5

8.

Change the Signature for replies and forwards box to the reply signature you created in
Step 5

9.

Click OK (closing the Options dialog box)

NOTE: Do not use vCards while sounding like a nice method for signatures; they appear as an
attached file and are not recognized by all email programs, as well as ignored by most people.
16) WHEN TO FORWARD EMAILS You should tell the original author that youre forwarding
their email. Since this is rarely done, remember that your own emails may too be forwarded without
your knowledge! (See #22)
17) COMPANY EMAIL RULE If you send an email from your company, it came from your
company. Dont use your companys email for anything personal period.
18) REMEMBER EMAILS ARE READ AT SOMEONES WORKPLACE Don't send anything
inappropriate for public viewing; if you do, give the recipient a warning!
19) DONT FLAG EMAIL AS URGENT Unless required by your company; dont use this feature
because it doesnt work with all email programs, and theyre typically ignored by most people.
20) DONT USE REQUEST A DELIVERY RECEIPT Unless required by your company; dont use
this feature because it can only be enforced within your company. It doesnt work with all email
programs, and people feel theyre untrustworthy.
To use Request a delivery receipt:
1.

From the email's toolbar, click Options

2.

Under Voting and Tracking options, select Request a delivery receipt for this
message

3.

Click Close

21) DONT USE RECALL/REPLACE A MESSAGE This feature simply does NOT work outside a
companys Exchange Server. Besides, you usually look unprofessional because your email had
already been read. (Support Document: How message recall works.)
22) EMAIL IS INDEED ETCHED IN STONE Your email is not anonymous. And while you may have
intended for only one person to read your email, it can (and may) be read by others.
NOTE1: If your company needs to protect your emails, please watch this Microsofts
Digital Rights Management demonstration.
NOTE2: Support Document How To Send An Anonymous Email.
23) SETUP MULTIPLE EMAIL ACCOUNTS Keep your work life separate from your personal life.
Create email accounts for: work, personal, online gaming & shopping.
NOTE1: Setup a free Hotmail email account.
NOTE2: Support Documents: How to use multiple e-mail accounts in Outlook & Outlook
Express.
24) INSTANT MESSAGING should be used for quick conversations and is beginning to overtake
email for this exact purpose. Email should be used to document a conversation.
Download MSN Messenger for Windows or Macintosh.
25) DONT ALWAYS USE OUTLOOK Just because email is easier, pick up the phone or meet in
person. Dont hide behind your computer monitor!