Requirements:

  • Outlook

Overview:


Using a consistent communication format is useful to help recipients be able to quickly identify the email, capture the data, and act on the communication. It is also helpful when teaching them to look for phishing emails. To that end, our departments communication format is below. It is not intended to be fully inclusive but to layout the general design language.


  • Messaging From/BCC/Sending
  • Subject Lines
  • Use of Formatting


Messaging From/BCC/Sending:

  • In general all emails should be FROM you/ your account, and we always use BCC to send to any group larger than 10 people. It is important to set the REPLY TO email address to be the Help Desk so that questions/ issues are opened as Help Desk tickets. Setting the TO line as the Help Desk helps to identify the email for our users and allows them to see that IT knows about this email so it is most likely not phishing. Finally use the CC line sparingly and usually only when notify individuals outside of the normal path.



Subject Lines:

  •  These are intended to be examples. For some of these you can copy them direct and use them with small changes. Overall this show the structure of our Subject lines and how they are to be laid out and formatted. 


Urgent Notice

 

(Department)| URGENT <Security/Safety/Warning> | <Issue>

 

General Updates

 

(Department)| <Planned, Notice, Info> | <Topic> | <Detail>

The detail above is optional


Use of Formatting:

 


All emails should have the following structure, keeping in mind brevity is the key. In general the email should be no longer than 1/2 page in Outlook, using the following font/ point size:


Font: Arial

Size:  12 - Body

    14 - headlines

    16 - Key date or info bullet points, never more than 1 sentence that is no longer than 1 line when printed to standard paper


  • RED - use this to highlight information that is a warning or area of concern
  • GREEN - use this to highlight something they need to do or action they should take
  • BLUE - important information  in steps that can allow someone to skip through them without reading in detail
  • BOLD - use to call attention
  • ITALICS - use to warn or provide notice
  • UNDERLINE - topic headings
  • HIGHLIGHT - use to call out changes or updates that are different from previous notices or standard policy/ practice





Should you run into any issues or need assistance, please contact the help desk. You can submit a ticket HERE , by emailing the help desk at [email protected], or by calling 404.879.3434/ x3434.