When to Use CC vs BCC in an Email

You’ve just finished drafting your email and suddenly come across the CC and BCC fields.

Then, a question pops up in your head: “Who should I put in CC in this email?”🤔

We’ve all been there.

Knowing when to use CC or BCC can have a big impact on how your emails are received.

One wrong move, and you could end up sharing sensitive information with the wrong people or, worse—excluding someone who should be included (like your boss!).

In this blog, we’re going to get to the bottom of the CC vs. BCC confusion and explain when you should use either of the terms.

As a bonus, you can expect some handy tools and resources to help you hone your emailing skills.

When to Use CC vs BCC in an Email

Understanding Email Fields: The “To” Field

The “To” field in an email is where you put the primary recipients.

These are folks you want to communicate with directly. They’re the main recipients of your message and they’re typically the ones expected to respond to and act on the email. When you send an email, these email addresses are visible to everyone who receives it.

The “To” field is a great way to keep your emails polite and professional. To avoid spamming inboxes, limit your “To” address list to only those directly involved.

But what if you want to include others without making them the primary focus?

Here’s where the CC (carbon copy) and BCC (blind carbon copy) fields come in. They let you discreetly send the email to additional recipients. By using a specific field, you can also manage responses and ongoing threads better.

What is CC in an Email?

CC stands for carbon copy. It’s used to send a copy of an email to other recipients. These aren’t your primary recipients but people on the periphery who still need to see the email and email responses.

For instance, if you’re responding to a client you’re managing directly, you may still want to keep your manager in CC for important conversations related to the cost of services or any escalations.

When you use “CC,” all email addresses in this field are visible to everyone receiving the email. This transparency is useful for maintaining clear communication.

When is CC used?

You use the CC email field when they want to keep other “interested parties” in the loop.

CC is also really helpful when sending a message to a team. It allows you to add multiple people without making them the main focus.

Knowing when to use CC helps keep email threads organized and on track.

💡Pro Tip: Use shared inboxes for better team communication. This allows for better collaboration and knowledge sharing as team members can easily access and contribute to ongoing conversations and projects.

What is BCC in an Email?

BCC stands for blind carbon copy. You use the BCC email field to communicate with more than one recipient without them seeing each other’s addresses.

This field helps keep email addresses private and secure. When sending an email using “BCC,” recipients cannot see the other recipients’ addresses.

When is BCC used?

You use BCC for one of two things: to keep email addresses private (like you’d want while sending out mass emails) or to mark people on emails without letting other recipients know.

BCC is also handy in professional communication. Suppose you’re emailing multiple job applicants, inviting them to attend the first round of interviews. You can use “BCC.” It keeps things tidy and lets you keep the email professional and personal at the same time.

Read Also: How to create email templates in Gmail.

CC vs. BCC: How Do You Know Which One to Use?

Both CC and BCC have different purposes.

Here’s what you should keep in mind when deciding which field to use.

1. Importance of the recipient’s preference

It’s wise to always think about how recipients prefer to receive emails. Some may want transparency, while others value privacy.

Use CC for those who should be visibly included. They’re important to the conversation. Last but not least, you should check that the people added to CC are relevant to the conversation to avoid unnecessary emails.

However, as a thumb rule, if you’re unsure of their preference, lean toward BCC to avoid any misunderstandings.

💡Pro Tip: Using BCC also helps reduce the risk of unexpected “Reply All” responses, which often lead to email spam and confusion.

2. Respect for privacy

Privacy is crucial, especially when sending to multiple recipients who do not know each other.
CC shows all addresses, making it clear who is included. BCC keeps addresses hidden, ensuring privacy.

When dealing with sensitive information, BCC should be your go-to. It protects the identities and contact details of all recipients.

3. Number of recipients

CC works well for emails to a small, known group as it fosters open communication. Meanwhile, the opposite is true for BCC, where it’s very useful when emailing a list of people.

We recommend using the BCC field if you’re sending out an email newsletter or running a mass email marketing campaign. The idea is to avoid exposing a long list of email addresses to other recipients.

💈Bonus: Take a look at 2024’s top email management software to turn your messy inbox into a productive workspace.

Streamline Email Management with ClickUp

We’ve all used different email providers, and most of them are pretty similar in terms of functionality. The problem with most of these tools is that they’re not built for optimal communication and collaboration.

For instance, teams typically use an email app to read and send emails before switching to a completely different tool for instant communication. That can often be unnecessary and lead to fragmented conversations in multiple workspaces.

What if you could send emails, manage your project, check on your tasks, and collaborate with your team—all in one place? With ClickUp, you can.

Email management features in ClickUp

In addition to its project management capabilities, ClickUp lets you send, receive, and manage emails directly within the platform, making it a powerful tool for email management.

You can also use the CC and BCC options to control visibility and privacy, along with many other features that were discussed earlier.

Send and receive emails: You can enable email capability in ClickUp from ClickApps to send emails without switching tabs. The feature allows you to send your messages and replies directly from ClickUp. You can also receive emails and link them to relevant tasks, which keeps your communication organized and actionable

ClickUp's Email Management — *Use ClickUp’s Email Management tools for streamlined and efficient email handling*

Email project management: ClickUp offers its email project management solution with automated inbox management. You can stay on top of your emailing tasks without requiring copy-pasting. It ensures that all relevant information is captured in your tasks
Automate processes: Use ClickUp Automation to automate repetitive email tasks, such as sending reminders, notifications, or follow-ups, freeing up your time for more strategic work. This automation can help streamline workflows and reduce manual effort

ClickUp Automations — *Automate your repetitive tasks and save time using ClickUp Automation*

Attach emails to tasks: Bring entire email conversations into a task. Through optimal email task management, you can easily discuss details with your team and keep all related information in one place
Centralize management: By managing your emails within ClickUp, you can keep your conversations next to related work. The integration saves time and helps your team stay coordinated

Additionally, use resources like ClickUp’s Email Automation Template to automate emails and tasks based on custom fields, form submissions, or task events.

With this template, you can:

Define email automation processes: Identify the emails that need to be automated and outline the specific actions required for each
Establish automation triggers: Set up rules or conditions that will initiate the sending of automated emails based on specific events or criteria
Optimize email automation: Regularly review and adjust your automation processes to ensure they are efficient, effective, and aligned with your goals

Download This Template

💈Bonus: Check out some helpful Gmail hacks to supercharge your email management.

Benefits of using ClickUp for Email Management

Better productivity: With ClickUp Email Integration, you can integrate Gmail with ClickUp to manage your emails and tasks efficiently in one place. It reduces the time spent switching between apps and focuses on getting work done
Easy organization at your fingertips: Link emails to tasks, notify your team and assign tasks based on emails received. It keeps everything organized and ensures everything runs smoothly
Enhanced collaboration: Tag your team in emails, assign comments, and manage responses without leaving ClickUp. This feature enhances teamwork and keeps everyone on the same page
Seamless communication with templates: Use relevant templates and signatures to streamline communication. It is especially useful for customer support and applicant tracking
Secure and compliant: ClickUp offers robust security features to ensure your email communication is safe and compliant with industry standards
Email scheduling: Schedule all future communication and ensure every personal email

When to use CC and BCC in ClickUp

CC for transparency: Use the CC field to keep other interested parties informed. Such email management strategies are ideal for communication with more than one recipient
BCC for privacy: The BCC field protects recipients’ privacy. Use it when sending emails to people who do not know each other or when running a mass email campaign (where you’d want to protect contact details in your email list)

Read More: Explore alternatives to Google Workspace for your email and project management needs.

Think Better, Write Smarter Emails in ClickUp

Three out of five professionals prefer to use email for communication.

But here’s the thing—most people mess up their CC and BCC fields because they’re unsure of the roles of the recipients. If only we could keep track of our projects, manage tasks, and email people on a single platform.

The good news is that ClickUp does just that and more!

For example, if you hate an overflowing email inbox, you can keep things organized by using ClickUp. The tool helps you prioritize important emails and reduces response time, leading to an inbox-zero approach.

ClickUp also supports Gmail integrations, so you are always sent notifications on pending tasks and follow-ups. Additionally, ClickUp has its own AI that helps draft emails, convert those emails into actionable tasks, and provide you with information whenever you search for a keyword.