Email is the preferred method for business communication internally as well as externally. It’s easy, simply secure, and can be done in real-time. However, like any other form of communication, there are rules to follow in ensuring that the exchange between you and the recipient is organized and civilized. The terms Cc and Bcc are utilized in Email to securely exchange, send and receive information through Email.
CC and BCC are two of the fields that are found in an e-mail. It is essential to be aware of the full range of these fields. Although they both relate to a great extent, they can be difficult to understand at times as only a few people understand the distinctions that exist between them. Being aware of the correct way to use email and avoiding embarrassing mistakes in email is vital. In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about these two methods of sending an email. Let’s look at what they mean and when it is appropriate to make use of these methods.
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What Does CC Mean?
Cc stands for “Carbon Copy” or “Courtesy Copy” however, in terms of email, it could refer to the digital carbon copies of the email. Similar to physically carbon copies Cc is a means to provide extra copies of emails to different people. This is the case when an email is sent to someone who is the primary recipient but the sender wants to forward it to others as well.
When you look at its position, it is on the third line inside the email body. It is next to the ‘to’ line and is then followed by the ‘BCC address. CC works exactly like that of the “To” field. However, email etiquette requires that only the primary recipients of an email appear within the “To” field. Primary recipients are the ones who are more directly affected by an email and are generally required to respond or take action.
The most important characteristic of this line of address that is different from other lines is that every recipient is able to look up the list of other recipients. The recipient that is primary, or the one with the status of the tertiary receiver is able to see this particular line of the address.
For example, If you CC [email protected] and [email protected] on the email. Tom and Natasha know that other and get the same email from the person who sent it.
If you’ve ever been received an email with CC, you’ve probably noticed that the email will be addressed to you as well as the list of others who were also received CC.
What Does BCC Mean?
“Bcc” stands for “Blind Carbon Copy.” As the titles suggest, those who are added to this list also receive an exact copy of the email that was addressed to them in the “To” list, however, others aren’t able to view BCC recipients. This means that this BCC list is kept secret to everyone except the sender.
BCC is the most popular method used for mass emailing as well as messages sent to email subscribers. It helps protect the privacy of the recipient by hiding the email address from other recipients that they don’t know. For example, if an email is delivered to a person that is the primary recipient, however, the sender would like to share it with others as well. In this scenario, the sender doesn’t want to disclose the details of the other recipients who are receiving the BCC.
For example, if you BCC [email protected] and [email protected] via email, Neither Tom nor Natasha will know that other recipients receive the same email from the sender.
As for position, it’s the third and the last line of the address. It is intended for those who are the tertiary recipients of the email. However, take note that if the BCC person “replies to all,” their recipient status will be disclosed to all recipients.
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When should you use the “Cc” field?
Here are some examples of the main uses of the “Cc” field are as follows:
- Use CC to keep the management and other stakeholders informed on the progress of projects.
- Use Cc when you want to email someone, but not directly address them.
- Use Cc if you recipients of the message get to know other people who have been delivered the message.
- Use Cc when you want for group communication.
- If you want to notify other recipients about the email.
- Use only when there aren’t privacy issues with recipients viewing the email addresses of each other.
- Use Cc if you want to receive responses from the recipient of your email.
- If you are doing work that is normally performed by someone else, inform them of their work’s status through Cc
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When should you use the “BCC” field?
BCC has more solid uses. Here are some examples of the uses of “BCC” are as follows:
- Use BCC when you want to send an email to a number of recipients simultaneously.
- Use BCC in situations where the individual sending the message sender doesn’t want to let others people know that a different participant is involved.
- Use BCC to protect your email lists in the event of a sharing of your newsletter’s ideas into the form of a newsletter for your company.
- Use BCC If the address of a person is confidential and not intended to be disclosed to others.
- Use BCC to send unrelated emails that don’t warrant responses.
- Use Bccc if you want to send an email to a huge mailing list. If the recipients don’t know each other. No one will be able to view the email addresses of anyone else.
- Use BCC when you want to keep a third-party (like managers) secretly informed of an email.
- BCC can be helpful in an email introduction that neither recipient has requested for or expected. You can make connections with individuals without revealing their email addresses, which the person can decide to accept or decline.
- Use BCC to send an impersonal email, such as website promotion, business announcements, or even updated contact details.
Note: Note that BCC recipients will not be included in future messages on the mail thread. If you want to include them forward mail to them, you need to forward each mail in a separate manner.
CC vs BCC: Difference between CC and BCC (Comparison Chart)
Click here to complete details of the comparison chart
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Conclusion:
Now that you have understood the differences between CC and BCC (CC vs BCC) in these fields, it’s the most essential type of communication today and has taken on the form of letters today. Both are closely related to each other, but they have several distinctions due to their basic nature and use. This is why it is crucial to be aware of when and how to use an email to the fullest extent. You can now compose emails with care, respect, and appropriate etiquette. It will make sure that your emails look professional while respecting the privacy of recipients and their boundaries.
Originally published at https://gliteg.com on November 13, 2021.