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CC and CCO: what are they, what are they used for and how are they used

Email has been in use for many years. However, some people do not know the functions such as CC and BCC . Therefore, this guide explains what they are, what they are used for and how they are used . Although they are hidden by default in platforms such as Outlook or Gmail, you may see an icon to display and use them when adding the subject and recipient of a message.

While instant messaging is certainly more frequently used, email remains a major issue. important means of formal communication . For this reason, it is necessary to improve your skills and knowledge to use this tool. Then you will learn how to use CC and Bcc, so that you can take advantage of these features while sending an email.


What are they and what is their meaning

When sending a message from your email you will find different fields to fill in for sending, mainly the subject and the recipient but also CC and Bcc . Then the meaning of these terms:

  • CC is an acronym formed by the initials of the expression " Copy of Carbon ».
  • CCO is made up of the acronym of " Hidden Carbon Copy ».

Both functions are named this way, in reference to a time when carbon paper was used for make a copy of documents . Several times the recipient received the original and the sender kept a backup copy.

What are they for

When you compose a new message from your email, you will be given the option to indicate the subject and recipients of the message . When you do the latter, you will see that this section is marked as "To" and the "CC" and "BCC" options are also found here.

Thus, these three options allow add recipient , but it will be necessary to differentiate the use of each one. It is well known that the recipient principal or recipient of the mail must be registered in the main field " A ». While " CC " and " BCC Are options used in the same way as the old carbon copies.

CC or carbon copy

Le CC or Carbon Copy , is used to send a copy of the message to secondary recipients. Although the email is not addressed to them, it is considered that these users must have a copy of the message , whether for reasons of security, efficiency in the communication of a company or for any other reason.

These same users will receive a copy of the response if the sender uses the " Répondre à tous ». In addition, all recipients will have access to the list of addresses to which the copy of the message was sent via this medium.

Bcc or hidden carbon copy

Function Bcc or Hidden Carbon Copy is used to share a private copy with certain users without the rest of the recipients knowing or has access to your e-mail address. These people will not be able to receive the response when it is sent.

How they are used

The steps to use CC and Bcc functions while sending an email are extremely simple, once you have composed the message and placed the subject, you can use the following step-by-step guide:

  1. Hover over the bar » Addressees And click to add the address of the people to whom the message is addressed.
  2. Then click on the " CC " and " Bcc »To make visible the space where you must enter the email addresses of the users to whom you wish to send the copy and / or the hidden copy of the message.
  3. At the end, you just have to press » Send And the message will be sent to the corresponding recipients.

It will not be necessary to activate both options , because in some cases you may want to send only masked copies using " Bcc ", While in others you will prefer that all recipients are informed of the person who received the message and you will use" CC ".

What are the most common uses

Savoir in which cases CC and CCO would normally be used can help you figure out how to use them correctly. Here is a brief explanation of examples using these options:

  • The CC is normally used to promote transparent communication between members of a working group or collaborators of a project . It is used when sending a message that somehow belongs to all included recipients, but by not requiring any response, it performs an informational function.
  • On the other hand, the CCO is commonly required when the recipients are unknown and is used to prevent their contact details from being exposed . It can also be used in cases where users are not required to know the reply to the first message.

Know the meaning of CC and CCO, what are their features and how to use them can be very useful in the workplace, as it facilitates formal and effective communication between team members. With all the information in this guide, you will be able to improve your skills even if you already have the basic knowledge to use email.

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