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CPAs urge
caution in e-mail use
There's no question about it;
e-mail has replaced the interoffice memo as a primary means of business
communication.
Used properly, e-mail is a powerful business tool that can facilitate
communication within your company and improve interactions with outside
vendors and customers.
But e-mail can easily be misused or abused by uninformed users. The Georgia
of CPAs provides the following overview of some of the common customs,
courtesies and safeguards that can help employees make the most of this
medium.
Don't be a novelist. Help the recipients of your e-mail by making e-mail
messages brief and concise. If the reader needs to take some action as
a result of your message, mention that fact up front.
Label messages appropriately. Subject headings that are unique, clear
and purposeful help readers determine the e-mail's content and its urgency.
Avoid subject headings like "my comments," which are too general
to serve any purpose. And do not label messages as urgent unless they
truly are.
Identify yourself. It can sometimes be difficult to identify the originator
of the message, particularly in the case of messages that have been forwarded
several times.
Understand privacy and security standards. Be sure you know your company's
electronic privacy and security standards. It will give you some direction
on the types of information that can and can't be communicated online
and how that information is protected (i.e., through encryption and other
means).
Occasionally, things go wrong and if this happens, you may receive e-mail
meant for another individual or your e-mail may go to the wrong person.
Use the reply feature. When you receive a message that requires a response,
don't start a new e-mail message. This destroys the link or thread between
the original message and your response and may require the reader to search
for his or her original message to you. Also, keep in mind that it's not
necessary that you reply to every e-mail message. Trivial responses like
"thanks" just slow things down. To make e-mail work for you,
periodically clean out your "in" and "out" boxes.
The GSCPA is a professional organization for CPAs in Georgia. With more
than 10,000 members, its purpose is to promote the study of accountancy
and applicable laws. For information, visit www.gscpa.org.
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