What is the BCC feature used for?

Wondering what the difference between CC and BCC are? See the complete breakdown below And keep in mind there’s much more to these email functions that at first meets the eye. So to help you get your email etiquette up to par, we explore how to use them correctly!

CC and BCC in Emails

CC and BCC are two fields that sit next to or below the “To” field at the top of any new message you compose in your inbox. CC stands for “Carbon Copy” and BCC stands for “Blind Carbon Copy”. All are used to add the email addresses of the people you wish to send your message to. However, they differ significantly in their usage.

What is the Difference Between CC and BCC?

Today, when asking what BCC in email is, we can think of it as a way to send a single message to multiple contacts—giving you a purely electronic way of copying your emails. However, where BCC differs from standard CC is that, whenever you enter email addresses into the BCC field, those email addresses will not be shared with the recipients of your email. The “blind” part of BCC essentially hides any email addresses you enter into that field from the contacts you send your message to.
But what are CC and BCC in email? The early days of email were based on letter writing (electronic mail), and in the same way, you would produce two copies of a letter using carbon paper, you could now send an email to two people using the CC protocol. Put simply, by using the CC field within your email, you can easily send copies of your email to multiple email addresses.

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The BCC field is, in essence, an enhanced version of CC and fulfils its specific purpose. BCC stands for Blind Carbon Copy, allowing you to send copies of your email to multiple contacts without revealing the respective email addresses to your recipients. This function is designed to ensure you don’t share personal email addresses when sending email newsletters or other blanket emails to numerous contacts.

The meaning of CC and BCC is straightforward, and both terms reference an old method used to duplicate documents. Here’s what CC and BCC stand for:

CC ➡️ Carbon Copy

BCC ➡️ Blind Carbon Copy

Before the development of photocopiers, a sheet of carbon paper was used between an original document and a blank sheet of paper. As the document was written or typed on, the carbon paper transferred the content onto the blank sheet of paper.

BCC can be traced all the way back to the invention of email itself and is one of the earliest features that we still recognize today. BCC is an extension of CC (Carbon Copy), taking its name from the practice of using carbon paper to transfer original letters onto separate sheets of paper—therefore creating a quick and simple copy. The blind part of BCC, however, is unique to email.

Now that we understand what CC and BCC mean in email, it’s a good idea to learn about when you should use them. Again, it’s pretty simple to ascertain which of the fields to use when sending out emails, however, you should always double-check you have used them correctly, particularly when you are dealing with a large number of email addresses.

When to Use BCC — BCC Email Examples

USE BCC WHEN ➡️ You want to send multiple copies of your email to contacts that don’t necessarily know each other or who wouldn’t want their email addresses shared. BCC is often used when sending out newsletters, brand updates or offers, or marketing emails.

• Mass Emails — These can include marketing emails, brand updates, sales emails or any other type of message that is sent to multiple recipients who share no association with each other.
• Introductions —Sometimes, it can be useful to use BCC in an email introduction that neither recipient has requested or is expecting. Using BCC, you can connect people without revealing their email addresses, making an initial introduction that either recipient can choose to either accept or reject.
• External Emails — BCC can be useful when sending external emails to clients, customers, or even colleagues in other locations. If you need your boss to be part of the thread without revealing a specific email address, then BCC is what you need.

There may be other occasions when you need to use BCC in an email, however, you should always be careful not to use BCC where CC would be better. Remember, BCC should only be used when your priority is protecting the email address of at least one of your recipients.

When to Use CC

USE CC WHEN ➡️ You want to send multiple copies of your email to contacts who are happy to have their email addresses shared. CC is often used to send emails to team members, staff in other departments, or anyone working on the same project. In most cases, all contacts will be familiar with each other or will be expecting an introduction from you.

In most email clients, you’ll find the CC and BCC fields next to or below the “To” field whenever you compose a new message. Using either CC or BCC is simply a matter of adding your recipients’ email addresses into the respective fields.

How to Use CC

Add in the email addresses to the CC field for all recipients.

How to Use BCC

Use BCC simply by adding in the emails addresses into the relevant field.

How Important is it to Use CC and BCC Correctly?

In many cases, using CC and BCC correctly is a matter of email etiquette and professionalism. However, there are occasions when using the incorrect protocol may have legal implications. Therefore, it is important to ensure you are familiar with the correct uses of both. Always remember that:

• BCC must be used when sending out marketing emails, newsletters, or other unsolicited emails. If you share personal data (email addresses) in these cases, there may be legal implications.

• BCC is not used when sharing sensitive information with superiors regarding the performance of coworkers, clients, partners, or anyone else. In a worst-case scenario, the person you are discussing (and who is part of the thread) could hit “reply all” and the secret nature of your message will be shared with all participants. This may also have legal implications.

CC and BCC — Do’s and Don’ts

There are a few things to remember when using CC and BCC. Here we look at the most important points to think about before hitting send on that all-important email:

Alternatives for CC and BCC in email

CC and BCC in email are some of the oldest technologies still being used on a daily basis. While they serve their purpose in some ways, it’s important to be extremely careful that you accomplish the goals you set out for when using the tools. If you intend to BCC, take a moment to confirm you’re using BCC over CC as making a mistake can cause unneeded drama in the workplace.

It’s better to use a tool like Spike Groups with your frequent contacts as a way to use a business chat tool that is easier to use. If you need to loop someone else in on the conversation, you can forward an email directly to that person so you have less of a chance to make a mistake. Spike Groups is just one part of Spike’s communications system that turns your email into a chat-like instant messenger tool.

Check out the rest of our resource section for more great tips and tricks on email etiquette and much more. Additionally, head over to the Spike blog for more information or check out how to make your inbox your centralized workspace with Notes and Tasks.