require CC or BCC field

[Nick]

My boss has sent me to investigate whether there is a solution for this: He
would like Outlook to require an entry into the CC or BCC field - to make
sure that everyone is staying in the loop (it's a small office).

Now I've found "Auto BCC/CC for Outlook" http://tinyurl.com/2xgmyv and this
may work - by setting rules depending on who it is sent to or email titles.
However this is not exactly what he wants - he wants us to be thinking about
who else would need to know about a certain issue before sending it.

Is there a solution for this?

 

[F. H. Muffman]

My boss has sent me to investigate whether there is a solution for this:
He would like Outlook to require an entry into the CC or BCC field - to
make sure that everyone is staying in the loop (it's a small office).

Now I've found "Auto BCC/CC for Outlook" http://tinyurl.com/2xgmyv and
this may work - by setting rules depending on who it is sent to or email
titles. However this is not exactly what he wants - he wants us to be
thinking about who else would need to know about a certain issue before
sending it.

Is there a solution for this?

Hire and train people to work the way you want them to. I mean, seriously,
if they aren't thinking 'Who else needs to see this', then you should really
reconsider whether they are a good fit for the position.

Not only that, but, requiring an entry is just going to make people put in
something to get around the requirement, even their own address. The
requirement isn't going to make people think 'Who else should know about it'
but will make them think 'Who else can I send this to so I can actually send
the message.'

 

[Nick]

Hire and train people to work the way you want them to. I mean,
seriously, if they aren't thinking 'Who else needs to see this', then you
should really reconsider whether they are a good fit for the position.

Not only that, but, requiring an entry is just going to make people put in
something to get around the requirement, even their own address. The
requirement isn't going to make people think 'Who else should know about
it' but will make them think 'Who else can I send this to so I can
actually send the message.'

Thanks, that was very helpful.

However I was asking a question about how to use a piece of software - I
wasn't neccesarily looking for an analysis of my boss's management or
judgement capabilities. For what it's worth I don't think it's a super idea
myself, but c'est la vie in my wonderful job.

 

[Ben M. Schorr, MVP]

There are seldom good technological solutions to behavioral problems. I
suppose you could create a custom message form that requires a value in the
CC or BCC fields (and then require everybody to use it), but ultimately I
agree with F.H. that this is a training issue primarily.


--
-Ben-
Ben M. Schorr, MVP
Roland Schorr & Tower
http://www.rolandschorr.com
http://www.officeforlawyers.com/outlook.htm

 

[Nick]

There are seldom good technological solutions to behavioral problems. I
suppose you could create a custom message form that requires a value in
the CC or BCC fields (and then require everybody to use it), but
ultimately I agree with F.H. that this is a training issue primarily.


--
-Ben-
Ben M. Schorr, MVP
Roland Schorr & Tower
http://www.rolandschorr.com
http://www.officeforlawyers.com/outlook.htm

I guess you can't always get the answer you want - but you can get the
answer you need.

Thanks guys.