Email Templates for Project Managers

Sending emails is one of the most routine tasks any project manager has to do on a daily basis. During the life cycle of a project a project manager may have to send various types of emails. In this article I will focus on different types of emails I usually send/get and some tips around making them effective.

Sharing project plan or schedule with project kick off email

Typically the first email a project manager will send to the team when starting the project. Includes a copy of the detailed project plan. A few tips and a template to make your email effective -

Email Template for Sharing Project Plan

Includes information on the key milestones coming up.
Snapshots of the key tasks or a high level timeline of the project.
Send a PDF copy of the project plan so that everyone can see on all the devices. Many people do not have Microsoft Project installed.
Make sure you have had at least one review with the managers or technical leaders before sending the plan.
End with a comment asking everyone to confirm they are comfortable with the delivery dates.

Seek a project decision or approval

Very often a project manager has to seek approval or a decision from the management regarding a project matter. A few tips and a template to make your email effective -

Email Template for Seeking a Decision

Clearly state in the subject that you are looking for an approval by using words like "Approval Required" or "Urgent".
Give a brief description about why you are seeking the approval or decision.
If possible always try to give a heads up to the key decision makers.
Always time bound your emails for a response so that you can follow up and people know that you need a response by a certain time.

Always provide options so that the decision makers are aware of the pros and cons of each option.
Always make a recommendation from one of the options.
Use tables to document the options so that it is for decision makers to understand the options.
In this example email I have used 4 columns - Options, Pros, Cons and Comments. You can add your own columns.
Document any assumptions or additional information in the comments section.