Reply to All - use it wisely.

I was clearing through my outlook emails - organizing and deleting and it hit me.
People reply to all for a myriad of reasons when not needed. So I thought I better remind myself when is a good time to do it and when it isn't. I don't want to make the same mistakes.

It is good to Reply to All when:

• Your reply will be necessary to know for the original sender and all people in the original email's To: and Cc: field.
• Such as interoffice banter, joke threads, and conversations.

Sounds simple, right? Then why do some Reply to All when only the original sender needs to know your reply. Simple as that. Some examples?

• I'm talking about the replies to group invites letting everyone know you are going or not. "I be there", the replies state. Oh good, I'm in now if Peggy Sue is going.
• The ongoing conversation between to people in reply to all emails. Yeah, that's right - I currently have one that is comprised of 7 back and forth emails. Nothing to do with me, but by the grace of God I was blessed to be listed on the first send.

and while I am at it....
The Bcc: field should only be used to distribute emails while keeping the recipients' addresses confidential or to copy somebody internally, as proof, when delivering an email to the outside, for example.
If you reply to all as a Bcc: recipient, you reveal yourself as a recipient.

Lastly for more email etiquette (which I certainly need) check this out.