Email Etiquette and Appropriate Use

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Email Etiquette and Appropriate Use

• November 2005 IP Video
• Melinda Bradbury,
• Ag Information Technology (AgIT) Call Center

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Agenda

• Welcome by David Petritz, Director,
• Purdue Cooperative Extension Service
• Overview of Extension Email Groups
• Useful Outlook Tools
• Email Etiquette
• Legal Issues
• Available Resources
• Questions
• email tctrain_at_agad.purdue.edu during
  presentation.

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Extension Email Groups

• Who can use
• All Extension Staff
• For business announcements, etc
• Reach Extension staff based on physical area,
  program area or project
• Ces.everyone_at_agad.purdue.edu includes campus
  specialists
• Who updates
• Nancy Goodman and Melinda Bradbury

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Extension Email Groups

• When to use
• To transmit information to staff based on
• Extension Appointment ces.everyone_at_agad.purdue.ed
  u
• Program area ex youth_in_mg_at_agad.purdue.edu
• Physical area ex cfs_area6_mg_at_agad.purdue.edu
• Specific project ex new.ventures_at_agad.purdue.ed
  u
• How to use
• Enter full address in TO field in Outlook
• Lookup mailgroup address on CES Intranet
• Use the find feature in Outlooks address book

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Extension Email Groups

• Questions to ask before using an email group.
• Is this message appropriate?
• Is this message business related?
• Does this message apply to the members of this
  group?
• If sending to ces.everyone_at_agad.purdue.edu, does
  the message apply to both campus and field staff?
• Is there a better group to use?

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Useful Outlook Tools

• Contacts
• Add the Extension mailgroups to your contacts to
  save time
• Caution Beware of short-term memory in
  Outlook
• Personal Distribution Lists
• Useful for local clientele mailgroups
• Delegate Access
• Allows one person to create maintain local
  clientele mailgroups in Outlook Contacts and
  share with others in office
• Blind Carbon Copy (bcc)
• Enables users to keep email addresses of
  clientele confidential

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Top 22 Email Etiquette Tips

• Beware of hidden readers
• Write like Mom or the boss will read it
• Remain gender neutral
• Keep harassment and discrimination policies in
  mind
• Dont use email to let off steam
• Control the urge to flame
• Respect others time
• Never reply to spam

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Top 22 Email Etiquette Tips

• Do not email the world
• Copy with care Reply to all with care
• Dont oversell your message
• Ask permission before forwarding
• Be cautious sending attachments
• Always use a salutation and signature
• Beware the exclamation point

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Top 22 Email Etiquette Tips

• Resist the urge to capitalize
• Also applies to all lower case letters
• Use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation
• Think before requesting a receipt
• Keep editorial comments to yourself
• Treat others as you would have them treat you
• Consider e-mails limitations
• Always use a descriptive subject line

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More on Etiquette

• Tone
• Using all caps or all bold letters is considered
  yelling
• A professional, conversational tone is best
• Professionalism
• Email is a business communication
• Avoid temptation to be too casual
• Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
• Outlook has features to check all of the above

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Email Tips

• Be short and to the point when sending email
• Be sure to read the entire message before
  responding
• Be cautious when using Reply to All to respond
• Be judicious with the use of attachments
• Alternatives to attachments are available
• Office Shared folder
• W drive
• Sharepoint collaboration site
• Use the bcc field for personal distribution lists
  of clientele to protect address lists

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Legal Issues

• Employees e-mail is the property of the employer
• Purdue policy for Access and Use of e-mail
  http//www.purdue.edu/policies/pages/information_t
  echnology/email.html
• E-mail is like a postcard anyone can read it
• E-mail is vulnerable while in transit
• E-mail can be subpoenaed
• Not only yours but anyone you communicate with
• E-mail has an indefinite shelf life there is no
  such thing as deleted email.

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Legal Issues

• Protect your email account
• Lock your computer when you walk away
• Dont share your password
• Be cautious assigning delegate rights to your
  inbox
• You are liable for anything sent as you or on
  your behalf
• EEO guidelines extend to email

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Two Quick SPAM and PHISHING Tips

• Dont feel obligated to read and respond to every
  message.
• Never respond to questionable emails
• Use the technology to help protect you and manage
  your incoming e-mail
• Use the University SPAM filter
• Use rules in Outlook to automatically delete some
  questionable messages

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SPAMMERs Favorite Tricks

• Phony Subject Line
• Numeric Address Formats
• Celebrity Subject Headers
• Dictionary Spam
• Doubtful content
• Fake unsubscribe links
• Phony return address
• Forged headers
• Common Categories

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Available Resources

• Mail group search feature on the CES Intranet
• Documentation on AgIT Webpage http//www.agricultu
  re.purdue.edu/agit
• Email Groups FAQs
• Creating Personal Distribution Lists
• Outlook Delegate Access
• AgIT Policies Procedures
• Other Resources
• Purdue Policies http//www.purdue.edu/policies/pa
  ges/information_technology/email.html
• AgIT Call Center

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Email, Mailgroups and You

• Important Questions to ask BEFORE you send that
  message
• Is this the best way to relay this information?
• Alternatives phone call, office visit,
  traditional mail
• Am I addressing this to the correct people?
• Does this need to go outside my program area,
  physical area or project area?
• Do campus staff need this information?
• Is my message clear?
• Have I included a descriptive subject?

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Email, Mailgroups and YOU

• Extension email groups are designed to
• Provide enhanced communication among staff
• Encourage the sharing of information between
  staff
• Assure that all staff in an area (program,
  physical or project) receive the appropriate
  information
• Email and the mailgroups should make your job
  easier, not more difficult. Judicious use of
  email and the email groups helps all Extension
  staff.

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Questions