Regardless of thousands of communications apps available on the web today, email is the oldest, most popular, and most preferred way to communicate through the web. The method is used by both individuals and for business communications.
Communication through emails is effortless and straightforward and takes place in real-time. Like any other communication app available out there, it also has some communication rules, which makes it easier to organize your communications, and many of us don’t fully understand them till now. One such rule includes CC and BCC.
Today, we will discuss what CC and BCC are, their uses, and when we should use them. So, let’s start!
What is the Meaning of CC and BCC?
If you are one of those who prefer to communicate with others through emails either for business purposes or for personal communication, you might have come across two such fields known as CC and BCC. These fields can be located next to the TO section while composing an email. So what does it mean by CC and BCC?
Well, while you compose an email and want to send them, CC is the short form of Carbon Copy. It is a similar process that we were used to before the existence of the internet and email when writing a letter. To make a copy of the letter, there was a carbon paper that we had placed between the paper we were writing a letter on and the paper that we kept for ourselves.
CC does precisely the same and send emails to others but in a digital way. While getting a CC email from others, you will see that there are other people as well in the CC who have also been addressed.
On the other hand, BCC is short of Blind Carbon Copy. Both the CC and BCC work similarly to sending emails to others. The thing that differentiates both the CC and BBC from each other is that in CC emails, you are able to see who else has received the email, while when the BCC is used, this is not the case. Other recipients will not be able to see who else is in the email, and that is why it is called Blind Carbon Copy or BCC.
Using the CC function in an Email?
Since not many use either the CC or BCC feature when sending emails, it doesn’t mean they don’t have any purpose. It might be interesting to know when to use them. Using the CC when sending an email to multiple people is a lengthy discussion, so let’s talk about why it is so special?
Using the CC option is a good habit. The standard rule when sending an email is that the TO field is only for the recipient you are directly communicating to. In the CC section, you add those people whom you want to send a copy of the email you think they are interested in participating in your communication. Moreover, using the CC option makes it clear that all the parties have got the email.
Using the BCC function in an Email?
You can use the BCC function for two main reasons that are briefly explained below;
Hide the BCCs from the primary recipient
Adding a person in BCC means you don’t want the person you are sending the email to know about who else got the email. For instance, if you are discussing issues with your fellow employee over an email, and you want to add your HR department in that email without letting your fellow employee know about it. In this scenario, you have the option to add the HR department in BCC and your fellow employee in the TO section.
Sending an Email to various people
Another use of BCC is that you can send an email to a long list of people. For instance, you want to send an email to all the employees of your company but also want to give your email a look as you are explicitly communicating with one employee at once. For this purpose, you can use add all the employees in BCC, and nobody will be able to see who else is in the email.
Using the BCC function also makes your email clean as you don’t have a long list of recipients, as well as you can hide other recipients of the email from everyone receiving the email.
Now that we have explained both the CC and BCC, how they work, and when to use them, we sincerely hope that you will now use both of these functions efficiently and make your emails look more organized and clean.
Conclusion
Regardless of whether you are want to communicate personally or for business purposes, communication through emails is the best way not because it is straightforward, but it also takes place in real-time. We have explained almost everything regarding CC and BCC and their uses. If you require any assistance regarding CC and BCC functions, feel free to write us a comment below.
FAQs
Q: What does CC stand for?
Ans: CC is the abbreviation of Carbon Copy.
Q: What does BCC stand for?
Ans: BCC means Blind Carbon Copy.
Q: What is the use of CC when sending an email?
Ans: CC is used to send a Carbon Copy of the email to the people added in the CC along with the primary recipient. While replying to a CC‘d email, it makes sure that the reply can be seen by both the primary recipient and the people added in the CC.
Q: Is it an ill-manner to add people to BCC?
Ans: The BCC section of an email is used to hide people added in the BCC from the primary and CC recipients. It is the best practice to send an email to multiple people at once without revealing the recipients of the email.
Q: Can I send an email using only the BCC section?
Ans: Yes, you can leave the TO and CC sections blank and only use the BCC section to send emails.