Guidelines for content of automatic email messages

• Overview
• Message specifics
  • Sender address
  • Subject line
  • Message body
  • Call to action
• Example messages
  • Request opened
  • Completed request
  • Message submitted

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Overview

For consistency and simplicity, UITS recommends following the guidelines here for sender address, subject line, and message content for automated email messages from various services.

Also, be sure to refer to Security guidance for senders of mass email and workflow email.

Message specifics

Sender address

• Who the message is from
• Email address

Subject line

• Provides a compelling reason to open
• Five to seven words, 40 to 50 characters or less including spaces
• Should be quick to scan and understand
• Most important keywords or ideas at the beginning
• Don’t repeat "your name"; let the address provide that information

Message body

• Concise and clear
• State why recipients are getting the email
• State information they need to know
• Keep to fewer than 200 words, if possible, with short paragraphs
• Use bullets where possible
• Limit jargon and difficult words
• Do not include Critical or Restricted data anywhere in the email message. IU Exchange is generally approved only for data classified as university internal.
• Do not request, either directly or indirectly, that users provide Critical or Restricted data in the content of the message; use IU Verify for these types of requests
• Include the IU trusted footer when possible

Call to action

• If applicable, state what recipients need to do with the information in the email
• Focus on one primary call to action, or next step, if possible
• Write in a way that will encourage recipients want to take action
• Provide a link to take action, when applicable, using descriptive but succinct language in the link text
• Limit buttons to three to four words where possible

Example messages

Request opened

Sender address: IU ServiceNow (Do Not Reply)
Subject: Request opened [issue #]
Message: Your request has been opened.
Request details:

• Date requested: [Month, day, year, time]
• Description: [Details of the request]

Call to action: You should receive a response to your request by [time frame]. No further action is required at this time.

Additional links: View [request #] | Manage preferences

Completed request

Sender address: IU ServiceNow (Do Not Reply)
Subject: Completed request [issue #]
Message: Your request has been completed.
   Request details:

• Date requested: [Month, day, year, time]
• Description: [Details of the request]

Call to action: No further action is required at this time.

Additional links: View [request #] | Manage preferences

Message submitted

Sender address: IU ServiceNow (Do Not Reply)
Subject: Message submitted to [name of service]
Message: Thank you for contacting [name of service]. Your message has been received and we will address your issue as soon as possible.
Call to action: No further action is required at this time.

Additional links: View submission details | Manage preferences