Carbon Copy (email)

Description

Understanding Carbon Copy (CC) in Email: A Quick Guide

Email is probably the most common mode of communication in our daily life, be it work, school, or personal communication. If you have ever sent an email, you would have surely seen a field marked “CC.”

But what does CC mean, and how should you use it? Fine. Let’s make this very simple and quite businesslike – the meaning of Carbon Copy (CC) in email.

CC stands for “Carbon Copy.”

This goes back to the ancient practice of using carbon paper to make a copy of a handwritten or typed letter. In email, CC lets you send a copy of your message to others besides the main addressee.

If you put someone’s email address in the CC field, they’ll get an email just like the main addressee does, except that obviously they’re not the one being referred to primarily.

For instance, if you write an email to your boss but CC your colleague, your boss is who the message is intended for, while your colleague is merely for information.

What does CC do?

When you create an email, you’ll find a number of input fields:

• To: This is for the primary individual or individuals to whom the communication is directed.
• CC: It is for everybody else who should also receive the content.
• BCC: It stands for “Blind Carbon Copy,” as we’ll talk about briefly later.

All people listed in the “To” and “CC” fields will receive the email. Plus, they’ll know who else got the message since all email addresses in these fields are visible to each recipient.

When to Use CC?

The CC field comes in handy in many situations, particularly in professional settings.

Here are some common reasons to use CC:

Communication Technology: One of the best uses of CC is when you want someone to be in the know regarding a conversation but do not require them to answer.

For example, you can CC your manager on an email to a client so that your manager stays abreast.

Visibility: It is visibility for all to understand who are the participants in the conversation, which comes handy at times of teamwork, reporting, or when more than one person is to be served with the same information.

CD02 Politeness: Sometimes, it’s good to let someone notify that the email has been sent, especially when responding to a customer’s query by CC’ing a colleague.

In such a case, this covers the situation as she says there maybe legal action: in case the company denies ever receiving those emails.

Keeping Official Records: Sometimes, materials are sent out and the records have to be kept, though not all the time and this depends on the group dynamic or who the information is directed to.

Correct Ways of Using CC

Although CC is a handy feature, it must be used with caution. Here are a few:

• Do Not Overuse: ‘CC’ only those who really need to see the mail. More ‘CC’s may clutter your inbox and create confusion.
• Keep Privacy in Mind: Everyone knows that all recipients in the “To” and “CC” fields can see each other’s email addresses. Do not CC people who may not want their contact details going out.
• If you’re included in an email as just a recipient, then think twice before reverting to everyone. Just hit “Reply All” if what you have to say is necessary for everybody to know.

CC vs. BCC?

While CC can be viewed by all recipients of the email, BCC keeps them hidden from one another. Consider having people blind-copied if you want to give someone a copy of an email without fellow recipients knowing who else received it, or if you send an email to a big group but want to keep the others’ identities a secret:

For example, if you send an email newsletter to a large group of people, put their addresses in the BCC so nobody can scroll down the page and see everybody’s email address.

Examples of CC

• At Work: You email a customer regarding their order and CC your supervisor so that they’re in the loop.
• In School: A student submits an assignment to the teacher, CC’ing their group partner for reference.
• For Events: Email to the organizer with your friend CC’d so both of them would get the same information.

Why CC is Important:

Proper use of CC makes communication transparent and unfettered. Nobody is left ignorant as far as information is concerned, hence no room for misunderstandings. Firstly, it is used in a workplace setting to memorialize discussions and resolutions.

Conclusion

CC stands for carbon copy, a humble and powerful email function for spreading information among people. If you know when and how to use CC, you’re able to speak more quickly, keep everybody in the loop, and be professional in your emails. When you write your next email, remember why CC is there and use it judiciously to make your communication clear and efficient.