Rules to Better Email

• Do you keep your inbox as a task list only?
• Do you send emails for tasks only?
• Dones - Do you reply 'Done' and delete the original email?
• Dones - Do you send yourself emails?
• Do you send "As Per Our Conversation" emails?
• Do you number tasks/questions?
• Do you include abbreviated weekdays to dates?
• Do you know not to bury your headline?
• Do you know the four standard email types?
• Do you ask for small content changes using from X to Y?
• Do you include the "before" and "after" when you make a content change?
• Do you know when and how to send a v2 of an email?
• Do you CC relevant people and reply to all as a standard procedure?
• Do you know how to handle duplicate requests?
• Do you know how to reduce noise on a thread by using a survey?
• Do you follow up tasks effectively?
• Do you use 'Checked by xxx'?
• Do you link emails to the rule/template they follow?
• Do you know who to put in the "To:" field?
• Do you know replying is better late than never?
• Do you give your emails a Business Value?
• Do you include addressed names in emails as headings?
• Do you assign tasks to individuals?
• Explaining - Do you add context/reasoning to emails?
• Do you seek clarification via the Teams/telephone first?
• Do you include URLs in tasks and "Done" emails?
• Dones - Do you reply 'Done' using Team Companion when using Azure DevOps?
• Do you include URLs, screenshots, and code snippets in emails?
• Do you keep the history of an email?
• Do you avoid attaching emails to emails?
• Dones - Do you include relevant info from attachments in the body of the email?
• Do you include clients' email attachments in your replies?
• Do you avoid huge images or attachments in emails?
• Dones - Do you know how to do a perfect 'Done' (replying to a bug)?
• Do you avoid replying to all when you are only BCC'd?
• Do you know how to add or remove someone from the conversation?
• Do you always reply to tasks/questions in the same medium?
• Do you know how to follow up an unanswered email?
• Do you keep your writing short and concise?
• Do you know what to do when you get an email that you don’t understand?
• Do you realize the importance of a good email/appointment subject?
• Do you know when to change the email subject (or appointment subject)?
• Do you link similar threads with similar subjects?
• Do you split emails by topic?
• Do you know how to duplicate an entire email draft?
• Do you know when to NOT send an email?
• Do you prepare, then confirm conversations/decisions?
• Do you respond to each email individually?
• Do you use indentation for readability?
• Do you use icons/emojis to enforce the text meaning?
• Do you avoid using inline when replying to an email?
• Do you know to always be careful with your spelling, grammar, and punctuation?
• Do you avoid emailing sensitive information?
• Do you avoid sending unnecessary emails?
• Do you know when to send a group email over an IM group message?
• Do you avoid sending your emails immediately?
• Do you avoid using images in your email signatures?
• Do you use great email signatures?
• Do you avoid using words that make your email like junk mail?
• Do you know how to hand over email tasks or responsibilities to others?
• Do you know how to reduce spam?
• Do you know when to send links or attachments in emails?
• Office365 - Do you avoid using 'Share' functionality with tasks/questions?
• Do you use +1 when you agree?
• Do you CC your work email account if you are unable to use it?
• Manage multiple email accounts - personal and shared company emails
• Do you remember that emails aren't your property?
• Do you reference which email template you are using?
• Do you resist the urge to SPAM to an email alias?
• Do you send bulk email via 'Bcc' field if all parties are not contacts of each other?
• Do you avoid using "Request a Receipt"?
• Do you use active language in your emails?
• Do you know that people misunderstand sarcasm in text?
• Do you use Autocorrect in Outlook to insert links?
• Do you use Dictate for emails?
• Do you use screenshots instead of a 'Wall of Text'?
• Do you add branding to screenshots?
• Bounces - Do you know what to do with bounced email?
• Do you know how to correct an email bounce?
• Efficiency - Do you know the quickest way to fix small web errors?
• Do you know the best software for email templates?
• Do you add a Bot signature to make it clear when an email is automated?
• Do you use email signatures for external emails?
• Dones - Do you show quality control with "Checked by xxx"?
• Do you always remember your attachment?
• Do you know NEVER to concatenate words in an email?
• Do you know to keep URLs clean?
• Do you know where to store your contacts?
• Do you choose which Microsoft 365 Groups you follow?
• Do you add a description to the group?
• Do you highlight text which is different from the template?
• Do you enhance readability with line breaks and spacing?
• Do you know how to automatically move emails into specific folders?