Expectations When Cc'd in an Email

Three questions that are asked about the Cc (Courtesy Copy) feature of emails:

Who should you Cc on an email? Only those that need to know the contents within.
What should you expect from those you Cc on an email? If they have something to contribute, they will respond. If you want a confirmation of receipt alone, ask for one.
When you are Cc’d on an email, what must you do? If you have information the Sender needs to know, then reply to the Sender only. A Cc is basically an F.Y.I.

When you Cc: folks, you are F.Y.I.’ing them. Cc’ing is a way of informing others on a topic or issue they must be aware of, which may require their attention or action.

If you are the one who is Cc’d, you don’t need to respond. You are only expected to respond when you have something to add or to inform the Sender about something important to the topic at hand.

Do Not Reply to All When Cc’d

Notice I typed “to inform the Sender?” Being Cc’d does not mean automatically hitting Reply to All and typing your reply. You often only need to reply to the Sender who Cc’d you.

Some need to confirm that they’ve received the communication; however, that is not required. That is generally only when the Sender asks, especially for a confirmation of receipt or response. Also, refrain from using Reply to All for one-word responses like “noted” or “okay.”

When do you use Reply to All? When your response directly impacts the others noted in the Cc field because, you are confident that they must be aware of it.

Replying to everyone who is Cc’d will generate unnecessary emails that, in most cases, do not apply to “all.” By being selective when generating additional email activity, we avoid contributing to even more irrelevant email volume. This reflects that you are an organized and efficient communicator, and your contacts will appreciate that effort.

Reply to All is the exception — not the rule.

C.Y.A. Backfires

Using the Cc field to C.Y.A. or to make points that are best made in person is never prudent. In most cases, you’ll end up looking trivial if you do.

When you are noted in the Cc field, reply only if you are contributing valuable “need-to-know” information to the conversation. Going off-topic or adding comments that are not relevant to those involved only serves to reflect on you negatively.

Discretion and the Bottom Line…

Like all the other topics we discuss, Cc’ing requires discretion to determine what is best in any situation. Take the time to review whether those you Cc need the information contained within.

When you are the person who is Cc’d, review the Cc: field before replying. Down-edit only those your reply will apply before hitting Reply to All.