Been sent something and need to confirm in a reply? You’re describing an acknowledgment email. If you’re like us and work in an office, you'll regularly find yourself writing confirmation receipt emails, but are you doing it right?
Think of acknowledgment emails as nods of the head. You’ve received the email, read it, and are acting on it. Job done. See, we told you it was easy.
To help you avoid acknowledgment embarrassment, we strip things back to the email basics, showing you the correct acknowledgment email format. Of course, we also provide some super subject lines, provide a suitable template, and outline some fundamental principles.
In this article, you'll also be able to review 5 acknowledgment email samples, including:
- Acknowledge receipt of an email
- Acknowledge receipt of a job application
- Acknowledge receipt of an invoice
- Acknowledge that a document/report is late
- Acknowledge leave request email
Get ready to write better confirmation receipt emails with HIX.AI.
Acknowledge Emails like a Pro
Not certain on how to acknowledge and confirm receipt of an email? Use our AI email generator for a smooth email acknowledgement process!
What is an acknowledgment email?
If someone sends you something, it's polite to write back (right?). That's a confirmation receipt email, also named an acknowledgment email. Simply put, acknowledgment messages are sent to confirm you've received something.
That could be an application, a document, an invoice, or a leave request. It’s usually something important that they want to confirm you have received and are acting upon.
Acknowledging a receipt is about putting the other person at ease. They know you've received it and (crucially) will act on that. So acknowledging receipt of an email is effectively saying: "I've got this and will reply soon".
If this is confusing or doesn’t make much sense at this point, then take a look at the samples here. They’ll help bring things to life.
5 confirmation receipt email samples
OK, let's start building up some examples to show you how it's done. Here are 5 acknowledgment email samples to get you started:
Confirm receipt of an email
This is a pretty basic and generic email you can use to acknowledge receipt of any email. In the email, you say thanks, acknowledge receipt, and set out the next steps.
The great thing about this email acknowledgment template is that it applies to (almost) all situations.
Dear [Recipient's Name],
Thank you for your email. I confirm that I have received it and will review the contents as soon as possible.
Next, I will be discussing the matter with my team in order to provide you with a comprehensive response. If there are any urgent matters that require immediate attention, please let me know.
Thank you for your attention.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Read also: How to create confirmation emails (5 templates)
Confirm receipt of a job application
People spend hours (days, or even weeks!) sweating over job applications, so acknowledging receipt in an email is only polite. This email acknowledgment sample states what the job is, the deadline for responses, and the next steps in the process.
It's a good idea to have a template ready to go if you're involved in a recruitment process!
Dear [Recipient's Name],
Thank you for submitting your application for the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. We appreciate your interest in joining our team.
The deadline for application responses is [Deadline Date]. We will carefully review your application and contact you if your qualifications match our requirements.
During the evaluation process, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further information. We will do our best to respond promptly.
Thank you again for your time and interest in [Company Name]. We will be in touch soon.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Read also: How to write a job application email (5 samples & templates)
Acknowledge receipt of an invoice
Getting paid is a priority for every business, so they'll want confirmation that their invoice has arrived. This email acknowledgment sample states that the invoice has been received, giving the sender confidence it will be paid.
If there are any issues in the invoice, you can raise them in this sample and get them sorted before you pay any money!
Dear [Recipient's Name],
This email is to acknowledge that we have received your invoice [Invoice Number] dated [Invoice Date] for the amount of [Invoice Amount].
We appreciate your promptness in sending the invoice and assure you that we will process it in a timely manner. We strive to handle all payments promptly to maintain a good business relationship.
If there are any discrepancies or if you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact our accounts payable department at [Contact Email/Phone Number].
Thank you for your attention and cooperation. We look forward to continuing our collaboration.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
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Read also: How to write invoice emails (5 templates & samples)
Acknowledge that a document/report is late
Sometimes you'll have to acknowledge that something is wrong. In this acknowledgment email sample, we say sorry that something is late. Acknowledging an error is the first stage in the process of sorting it out – so do it quickly, politely, and professionally.
How? By checking out our acknowledgment email sample (of course).
Dear [Recipient's Name],
I apologize for the delay in submitting the document/report. I understand the importance of timeliness and take full responsibility for this oversight. Rest assured, I am working diligently to rectify the situation and will have the document/report completed as soon as possible.
Once again, I apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Acknowledge leave request email
Team members are likely to be sweating over their leave requests, so acknowledging them as soon as possible is important. While you may not be able to provide an answer straight away, this acknowledgment email sample confirms that it has been received and that you're going to act on it. This is how to acknowledge a leave request!
Dear [Recipient's Name],
Thank you for submitting your leave request. I acknowledge that I have received it and understand your need for time off. I will review your request and get back to you as soon as possible with a decision.
Please note that while we strive to accommodate all leave requests, there may be instances where we need to prioritize based on business needs. Rest assured that I will consider your request carefully and communicate the outcome to you promptly.
Thank you for your understanding.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
How to acknowledge receipt of an email
Did you notice anything familiar about the acknowledgment email samples above? They all follow the same format with a clear subject line, body copy, and sign-off/next steps at the end.
Following the correct acknowledgment email format makes them easier – and quicker – to write. So let's show you how!
Acknowledgment receipt email subject line
Open your inbox in the morning, and you’ll scan through the emails to see what’s happening. You judge what to open by the subject line, right?
The first thing the person will see is your acknowledgment email subject line as it flashes up in their inbox. You'll want to keep it short, simple, and easy to understand.
It's better to show rather than tell, so here is a selection of acknowledgment email subject line samples:
- I can acknowledge receipt of (whatever it is)
- Thanks for sending me (whatever it is)
- Your email is here!
- Conformation: Your email has been delivered
- I acknowledge receipt of your application
Use words like “acknowledge” and “confirmation” as they’re basic terms in business.
Acknowledgment receipt email body copy
If your subject line is suitable, some people won’t even bother to read your message (sorry). But, let’s trust that they do and show you how to write one.
The main purpose of acknowledgment emails is to confirm that you've received something. Your body copy should follow a simple structure: begin with a cheerful greeting, acknowledge receipt, and provide more details (if required).
That's the core of the message, but it's always worth starting with a positive greeting. We can build our sample, acknowledging the receipt of a proposal.
"Thank you for contacting me and sending your proposal."
Next, you'll want to confirm that you have received it and that everything is in order.
"I can confirm that we have received your proposal. I've briefly reviewed it, and everything we have requested is there.”
At this point, you could end the email. But you can add more details to your acknowledgment emails, including some more information on the project.
"Now I've received your proposal, I wanted to share some details about the project. You can find attached (insert what you've attached!).
We're at the end of this body copy example, but if we were acknowledging a leave request, for example, we could provide an answer:
"I can confirm that your leave request has been agreed."
Or...
"Unfortunately, we can't agree to your leave request at this time."
Let's wrap our acknowledgment emails up with the next steps and a sign-off.
Acknowledgment receipt email sign-off/next steps
You've acknowledged receipt of their proposal, but the recipient will want to know what you expect to do with that information – so let’s get to that now.
"Now we have received your proposal, we will review it in due course."
Tell them when they can expect to hear something. Dates and deadlines are always great.
"We're reviewing all proposals by (insert date). We commit to responding to you by (include date)."
You can add a final thank you for taking the time to message you:
"Once again, thanks for messaging me. It's appreciated."
Finally, add a suitable sign-off (thanks, many thanks, kind regards, etc.). Add your name and drop in your contact detail. You're almost ready to send, but before you do, check out our principles for writing acknowledgment emails!
Acknowledgment emails – say "yes" like a pro!
Acknowledgment emails are boring, basic, and critical in business. That’s the bottom line. It’s hard to get enthusiastic about acknowledgment emails, but that’s no excuse for being lazy, making basic errors, or failing to follow the professional format.
We’re sticklers for the rule and want you to make the best impression on anyone and everyone you email. So here are some acknowledgment email pro tips.
- Stick to the rules and use the format outlines above. Acknowledgment emails aren’t a place to get creative.
- Don’t waste time crafting emails. Instead, stick to the format here, and produce pro messages in seconds.
- Add all details. So many acknowledgment emails come with instructions, requests, and requirements. We love bullet points and use them to list out points and respond to requests.
- Pro emails are proofread, spellchecked, grammar checked, and re-read for clarity. Even in an email as transactional as this, accuracy is essential to keeping your pro reputation.
- If you’re stuck in an email rut, need some email inspiration, or struggling to find the right words try our email generator. It can help you produce pro acknowledgment emails in seconds that are proofread, checked, and ready to go. Sadly (at this stage) it can’t do the rest of your job.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading this far! We acknowledge your commitment to learning and professional improvement.
If you've re-read and understood our words, you should now be an acknowledgment email expert with the skills and confidence to create your own. If you follow our advice and basic principles, you'll be fine with writing effective acknowledgment emails. Keep them short, simple to read, and professional (and always follow our 10 principles!).