What Does CC Mean on an Email and When to Use It

Introduction

CC on an email stands for "carbon copy." It is a feature of electronic mail that allows the sender to send a copy of their message to one or more other recipients at the same time. Knowing how and when to use CC can be a valuable tool for staying organized and keeping track of conversations.

Understand the Definition of CC in Emailing.

• The literal definition of CC, or carbon copy, refers back to the days of typewriters when a physical copy was made in order to send the same message to multiple people.
• Nowadays, CC is used for convenience and efficiency whenan email message needs to be sent to more than one person. By including recipients in the CC field, they’ll receive a copy of the information in the email so they can be informed without having been party to any kind of response.

Understand Proper Etiquette For Email CC Usage.

• Before using the CC field on an email, it’s important to understand proper etiquette. You should only include people who must receive or be aware of the email, and avoid overusing this function.
• Additionally, if you plan on maintaining an ongoing dialogue with those included in the CC field, let them know that this will be the case beforehand. In other words, always make sure all parties are aware of their roles and what participation is expected of them before sending out a message with CC recipients included.

Learn When To Place Yourself On the "CC" Line Of An Email.

• You should only place yourself on the CC line if it is necessary to ensure transparency or if you want to track the conversation.
• Additionally, should you be managing a project and need to be aware of how the other people in the CC line interact with one another or what decisions are being made, having yourself in the CC field can prove useful.
• Finally, if there’s a chance you may not receive an individual response to your email but still want to be kept in the loop, it’s recommended adding yourself in the CC line of all emails sent out.

Use CC As Part Of Your Automated Email Tracking System

• To maximize efficiency, consider using CC as part of your automated email tracking system.
• When you send out emails, CC yourself and track the number of responses received from the “To” line recipients.
• Additionally, use the CC field to keep a record of all communication sent between all members involved in various projects. This way, everybody stays on the same page while avoiding any miscommunication among team members.