FCPS Department of Education Technology

Email Guidelines (updated August, 2005)

In an effort to help users of the FCPS electronic mail (email) system make the best use of this tool, we offer the following helpful "Do's and Don'ts" for the use of email. Please address any questions about this list or issues of inappropriate use of email to Mike Burke.

DO:

• Regularly sort your inbox, sent items and other folders you have created by email size so you can clean out large emails.
• Regularly sort your inbox, sent items and other folders you have created by email date so you can clean out old emails.
• Regularly clean out your deleted items folder if you don't have your client do so automatically when you exit.
• Regularly clean up your personal address book (PAB) or contacts to remove old and unneeded entries. (You should only keep addresses in your PAB or contacts list that can NOT be found on one of the big lists like the Global Address List or Fayette/Recipients. Your PAB or contacts list should only have internet address and personal distribution lists in them.)
• Check with your STC or building technical support person about using "Personal Folders" to free up space in your mailbox.
• Turn off "save copy of sent items" if it is on as your default and only save copies of sent items that you really need. This makes the above tasks much easier.
• Turn off "request read receipt" if it is on as your default and only request a read receipt for critical items. This will overall make the email system more efficient.
• Move large file attachments that you want to save to your local PC drive so they are not stored on the email server.
• Remember that our email system is a resource intended for instructional and administrative uses.
• Familiarize yourself with the AUP for electronic media
• Encourage family and friends to send "personal" emails like jokes, pictures, inspirations, etc. to your home email account and not your work email account.

DON'T

• Participate in spam, hoaxes, chain mail, joke emails, etc.  If you receive anything like that hit delete...don't forward.
• Use the email system for "personal gain" by offering personal items for sale.
• Use the stationery/background pictures feature of Outlook. This adds unnecessary bulk and size to emails.
• Use graphics in your signature block. This adds unnecessary bulk and size to emails.
• Use unnecessary graphics in documents you attach to email. This adds unnecessary bulk and size to emails.

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Last update: 8/24/2005 8:33:51 AM     Printer friendly view