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4. Sending an email is as binding as a signed letter. Therefore do not express personal views or information by email
as the company can be held vicariously liable for the opinions and views expressed. Do not use your Company
email address to post comments on public discussion boards. Email is 'discoverable', meaning it can be used in
legal disputes if there is a dispute with a client or supplier. Email records are often the first thing requested in legal
situations. Keep this in mind when putting something in writing. Email is not confidential and it lasts forever. Email
is not always secure therefore do not send highly personal, sensitive or confidential information over email.
5. The size of your email does matter. Generally speaking you will have difficulty delivering a message to certain
systems if your email is over 5MB. Therefore, it is prudent to limit the size of your email wherever possible. Keep
in mind that if you send an email that is 1MB to ten people you have just sent 10MB. This bogs any system down
so please be considerate with what you send.

When to send emails - Email should be used to communicate information that needs to be documented, where you would
like to start a history regarding a topic or if several people need the information in the same format at the same time.

One should consider not sending an email when a response is needed immediately. People structure their days and work
patterns differently. Some people may be able to answer their email immediately while others may spend large parts of
their day in the field or in meetings. If an immediate response is needed, a phone call may be a more efficient tool.

Do not send an email when you are upset. Wait until you have calmed down to ensure your response is more measured.

How to use email - Email is a very effective tool when used correctly. When users differ in how they use, respond and
structure their emails it can create frustrations. Following the below guidelines will help.

• Respond promptly. If you are not able to provide a full answer within a reasonable timeframe send an
acknowledgement email identifying when you will provide a full answer. The ball stays in your court to provide
the answer. An acknowledgement email is not a response to action requested. Utilize tools within Outlook to
"Flag" emails that still need to be addressed.
• Be clear and concise in your emails. Your message should be easy to read and understood using plain English. Do
not go into more detail than necessary.
• When attaching documents, refer to them in the body of the email, so as to draw attention to them. Name your
attachments so they are easily identified. Identify any action or response that is required by the recipient.
• The tone of your email should follow the tone of the email received. For example; if you receive a formal external
email from a client you should respond formally. However, an internal email from a colleague can be answered
more informally. Avoid sarcasm and jokes. Email does not provide any physical or verbal cues to the meaning of
words. Sarcasm and jokes can be easily misunderstood and misconstrued.
• Be thorough. If you are able to respond to the email and deal with the entire matter at that time, answer all the
questions. Proofread and spellcheck your email before sending it out. Your emails are a reflection on you and the
company. Correct spelling and grammar are important. If you need to correspond in writing and are struggling to
put a proper response together, the Administrative Services Team can help you write a response that is
grammatically and professionally toned.
• If several people were copied on the email assume they also need to hear the response and 'reply all'. Do not
break the information chain by simply hitting reply to the single sender. If you forget to respond to something do
not just send out a new email with the answer. Maintain the integrity of the history of the matter by replying to
the email chain again.
• Use the subject line to concisely describe what the email is about. Do not use the subject line as the body of your
email.
• Your company email account was set up with the appropriate signature block. Please do not edit your signature
block; National EWP maintains uniformity throughout the company this way.

Out of Office and Auto Reply - Out of Office and auto responses are acceptable if done properly and with the right attitude.
Out of office auto replies are appropriate if you provide the right information to the person emailing you. Your out of
office reply should contain the following:

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