Attaching files to an email

Have you attached files to the email? Here is the one simple phrase that you need to write.  Do you know what it is? We also offer some alternative phrases!

This is a very, very common situation in any office because everyone sends files by email.  When we are sending a file with the email we normally say:

• Please find attached...

For example:

• Please find attached our latest catalogue.

• Please find attached the monthly report.

It may sound strange, but it is the most frequently used phrase among native English speakers.  

We do not need to add commas to the phrase: Please find, attached, the latest presentation.

An example email:

In Business English 23 we always try to write emails which are short and simple, like the following example: 

Alternatives

If you think that 'Please find attached' is too formal you can use the following alternatives:

• I'm attaching...

or

• Attached is...

For example:

Or:

We like short emails, but sometimes a short email can appear rude. It depends on the context.  To make the email a little bit friendlier let's add a sentence at the beginning and another at the end:

A more informal alternative

Another infomal option when we send files with our email is "Here is..." 

If we are sending an email to colleagues we often use 'Here is...', particularly if we just want to send a very short email.

Files

Here are some of the typos of document which we might attach to an email

• document - used for any text file, particularly in Word or PDF format
• spreadsheet - usually an Excel file or Google Sheets document
• file - a generic word for any type of digital asset
• image 
• quote - a formal estimate for the supply of a product or service
• report 
• draft - the 'rough' copy of a document
• schedule - the times for a business trip or conference
• itinerary 
• agenda
• presentation - a Powerpoint document or something similar

The final line

When I send an attachment I normally like to add a final sentence where I ask the other person if they need anything else. We've already seen examples of final lines in our previous emails:

• Please feel free to call me on +44 123 456 78 if you have any questions.
• Please let me know if you have any questions.

Other examples that you might find useful:

• Please contact our Marketing department directly for any additional information that you require.
• If you have any further questions, please ask. 

Don't forget that in this Business Email course we also have additional classes on writing the first line and the final line in an email. 

Please find enclosed

You may have seen the phrase "please find enclosed" if you have been studying Business English for a long time. However, we only use this phrase when we are sending something with a physical (paper) letter.  We do not use this expression when we are sending something via email.