Work & meetings
Professional email checklist
Use this checklist to write a professional email that gets read and answered. Work through it top to bottom while drafting, then run the final review before you click send. Your progress is saved on this device.
Before you write
Subject and opening
The body
Before you send
Why this email checklist works
Most workplace email fails for a simple reason: the reader cannot quickly tell what it is about or what they are being asked to do. A specific subject line and a front-loaded request fix that, because people skim rather than read and often decide from the preview pane alone whether to act now or later. Putting the ask first is not blunt; it is a courtesy to a busy inbox.
Tone matters because email strips out voice and facial expression, so neutral wording reads as colder than you intend and a stray joke can misfire. Keeping messages short, concrete and free of sarcasm lowers the chance of a reply-all misunderstanding that costs far more time than the original note. The final proofread is the cheapest quality step you have: a misspelled name or a missing attachment undercuts an otherwise careful message, and both take seconds to catch. Run the review every time until it becomes automatic, and your email will be clearer, faster to answer and less likely to come back with questions.
Frequently asked questions
How formal should a work email be?
Match the relationship and your organisation's norm. A first email to someone senior or external leans formal ('Dear', full sentences); an ongoing thread with a colleague can be lighter. When unsure, start slightly more formal and relax as they do.
What makes a good subject line?
Name the specific topic and any action or deadline, so the reader knows what the email is and what it needs. 'Quick question' or 'Follow up' tells them nothing; 'Approval needed: Q3 budget by Thu' tells them everything.
Should I use Reply All?
Only when every person on the thread genuinely needs your reply. Defaulting to Reply All clutters inboxes and buries real actions. If your answer is for one person, reply to that person alone.