How to Write Acknowledgement Email? 8 Common Reply Examples

Acknowledgement emails are used to confirm receipt of a specific document, payment, request, or other actions.

Knowing how to write accurate acknowledgment emails is your ticket to success – it helps you save time, be efficient, become a magnet, or even get a promotion. You get the idea.

In this post, we will cover when to send an acknowledgement email and provide tips and examples for writing effective acknowledgement emails.

Why should you write acknowledgement email replies?

Acknowledgement emails are important in both the business world as well as personal interactions. It let the sender know that you received their email successfully. It can also help support better communication, not to mention it bears a very low cost – next to nothing.

In case you don’t know, here are the most obvious reasons why you should write acknowledgement emails:

  1. Care: If there’s one thing that’s always right to do, it would be acknowledging others’ actions and feelings. By sending acknowledging emails, you show to the sender that you care about what they’ve sent you can let them know you’ve taken the time and care to get things going.
  2. Appreciation: Acknowledging emails is a way to show gratitude and appreciation, which helps to build positive relationships with colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders.
  3. Clarity: Acknowledging emails helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that there is no confusion about what has been received or agreed upon.
  4. Efficiency: Acknowledging emails helps to streamline communication and prevent misunderstandings, which can save time and improve efficiency.
  5. Customer service: Acknowledging emails is an important part of good customer service, as it helps to ensure that customer inquiries and complaints are addressed promptly and effectively.
  6. Professionalism: Acknowledging emails shows that you are organized and responsive, which helps to build trust and establish a sense of professionalism.

When to write an acknowledgement receipt email?

Believe it or not, you can acknowledge almost anything. To make it less overwhelming, we have collected eight of the most common acknowledgement email replies you are more likely to come across:

  • Acknowledging the receipt of documents
  • Acknowledging the receipt of payment
  • Acknowledging an order
  • Acknowledging a request
  • Acknowledging a donation
  • Acknowledging a job application
  • Acknowledging the invitation for an interview
  • Acknowledging a complaint

Email acknowledging the receipt of documents

To confirm receipt of documents sent to you helps to ensure that the sender knows their action was successful and what to expect of you next.

Here are the different types of documents you can acknowledge may include:

  1. Government documents: You might acknowledge receipt of documents from a government agency, such as a passport, driver’s license, or social security card.
  2. Legal documents – contract, settlement agreement, or court order.
  3. Business documents – invoices, purchase orders, or delivery receipts.
  4. Employment documents – letter of employment, employee handbook, letter of appraisal.
  5. Personal documents – letters or photographs.
  6. Financial documents –  bank statements or tax returns.
  7. Educational documents – transcripts or diplomas.
  8. Medical documents – medical records or insurance documents.

Acknowledgement receipt of documents should be brief and to the point. It should clearly state that the documents have been received, and provide any necessary details such as the date of receipt and the specific documents that were received.

An email reply for receipt of documents may follow the below style:

Subject: Acknowledgement receipt of documents

I, [Your name], hereby acknowledge receipt of the following documents:

[List the documents]

Date: [Date of receipt]
[Your signature]
[Your name]

Email acknowledging the receipt of payment

Acknowledgement receipts of payment are commonly used in business transactions to provide a record of the payment and to ensure that both parties are clear on the terms of the transaction.

Here are several different types acknowledgement email replies when it comes to the receipt of payment:

  1. Payment acknowledgment email
  2. Donation acknowledgment email
  3. Membership acknowledgment email
  4. Rental payment acknowledgment email
  5. Tuition acknowledgment email

It’s a common practice to include contact information for customer support. This will let customers know exactly how to get in touch with the right person on your team. Here’s an example:

Subject: Acknowledgement receipt of payment

Date: [Date of Payment]
To: [Name of Payer]
From: [Name of Payee]

Thank you for your payment of [Amount of Payment] for the purchase of [Product or Service]. The payment was received on [Date of Payment] and was made via [Method of Payment (e.g. credit card, PayPal)].

If you have any questions or about this transaction, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [Contact Information].

Thank you for choosing our service.

Sincerely,
[Name of payee], [Your title]
[Contact information, and may also include the name and logo of your company]

Email acknowledging an order

Acknowledgement of order is meant to be sweet and simple. It is unlikely that you won’t receive an automatic email reply once you’ve placed an order online.

By doing so, the merchant is giving their customer peace of mind and what to expect (e.g. the delivery date or tracking number, if any).

Moreover, it also promptly notifies clients that your business cares about their order and it helps to build trust and prevent misunderstandings.

For example, if you run an online store and someone places an order, you could send an acknowledgement email that goes like this:

Subject: Acknowledgement of your order [Order Number]

Dear [Customer],

Thank you for placing an order with us online. We are pleased to confirm that we have received your order and it is being processed.

Your order confirmation number is [Order Number]. Please refer to this number for any future communication about your order.

We will send you a notification when your order has shipped.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about your order or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for choosing our company. We look forward to serving you.

Sincerely,
[Your name], [Your title]
[Contact information, and may also include the name and logo of your company]

Email acknowledging a request

If you have received a request for further information or action, it is polite to send an email acknowledgement. This lets the sender know that you have received their request and will take care of it.

For example, if an employer asks you for a school transcript, you could send an acknowledgement email saying:

Subject: Acknowledgement of request for my school transcripts

Dear [Employer],

Thank you for your request for my school transcripts. I am happy to provide them to you.

I am attaching my transcripts to this email. Please let me know if you have any further questions or if there is anything else I can provide.

Thank you for considering me for this opportunity.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

Email acknowledging a donation

If your organization received a donation from someone, it is very common to send an acknowledgement mail or email together with an official receipt (for tax purpose).

This is to show appreciation and build a positive relationship with the donor. On top of that, it also signals that your organization is legit and take donations very seriously.

For example, if you are a charity and someone makes a donation, you could send an acknowledgement email saying:

Subject: Acknowledgement of Donation

Dear [Donor’s Name],

On behalf of [Organization], I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your generous donation. Your support is invaluable to us and will help us to make a positive impact in our community.

We will be sending you an official receipt for your donation within the next month. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about your donation or the work we do.

Thank you again for your support. We truly appreciate your generosity.

Best regards,
[Your name]

Email acknowledging a job application

Acknowledeging a job application is more than a nice-to-have. An email acknowledgment from a potential employer can be a great relief because you know at least your application did not land on their junk box – aka you have a chance

It also shows that, as an employer, you care about others. This will let applicants thinks they will also be treated with such respect in the company.

Here’s an example of such an email acknowledgement:

Subject: We’ve received your application

Dear [Applicant’s name],

Thank you for applying for the [Position] role at [Company]. We have received your application and resume and will review them carefully.

If we think you may be a good fit for the role, we will reach out to schedule an interview. In the meantime, if you have any additional information or materials that you would like to share with us, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Thank you again for your interest in working with us. We appreciate the time and effort you have put into your application.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your company name]

Email acknowledging the invitation for an interview

This one of hard to miss because usually you’ll usuualy see a reminder like: “Please acknowledge receipt of this message” in the invitation email.

Not only is it appropriate to confirm receipt, but it is also important to indicate whether you will attend or not. This helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and prevents misunderstandings.

If you are a job candidate and receive an interview invitation, you could send an acknowledgement email saying:

Subject: Confirmation on attending the interview

Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],

Thank you for considering me for the [Position] role at [Company]. I am excited to have the opportunity to interview for the position and am available to attend on the suggested date and time.

Thank you for the invitation. I am looking forward to the opportunity to learn more about the role and the company, and to share my qualifications and experience with you.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your contact information]

Email acknowledging a complaint

A complaint acknowledgement email is a bare minimum in business. This lets the sender know that you have received their complaint and what action you will take accordingly. To some extent, it may help calm the complainant to let them know their case is being looked after – there’s no need to escalate at least for the time being.

For example, if you are a customer service representative and someone complains about a product or service, you could send an acknowledgement email saying: “Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced. I have received your complaint and will work to resolve it as soon as possible.”

A more detailed and formal email acknowledgement may look like this:

Subject: Acknowledgment of complaint

Dear [Complainant Name],

Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced.

I have received your complaint and want to assure you that we take all feedback seriously. We are committed to providing the best possible service to our customers, and your input helps us to identify areas for improvement.

We will be launching an investigation into the matter and will work to resolve the issue as soon as possible. We will keep you updated on the progress of the investigation and any steps we are taking to address the issue.

Thank you again for your feedback. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Best regards,
[Your name], [your title]

How to write the subject line for acknowledgement emails?

While the email body for your acknowledgement emails needs to speak for itself, the subject line is just as important to get your message opened by the recipient.

Admit it, no one’s mailbox is not flooded with new emails every single day, writing a clear and concise subject line for your email acknowledgement is the best way to get your message across.

Following these best practices will make your life easier:

  1. Be specific: Clearly state the purpose of the email in the subject line. This helps the recipient to understand the content of the email and prioritize it appropriately.
  2. Keep it short: Aim for a subject line that is no more than 50 characters long. This helps to ensure that the entire subject line is visible in most email clients.
  3. Use keywords: Include keywords that accurately describe the content of the email in the subject line. This helps the recipient to quickly understand the purpose of the email and find it more easily in their inbox.
  4. Avoid using all caps or exclamation points: These can come across as aggressive or spammy, and may cause the email to be flagged as junk mail.
  5. Use a professional tone: Avoid using slang or overly casual language in the subject line. It is important to maintain a professional tone in all business communication.

Over to you

With the ability to craft the perfect acknowledgement email, you’ll become the superstar in your professional and personal network – leaving a trail of satisfied clients and colleagues in your wake. So there you have it – start learning how to write sweet acknowledgement emails today and start walking on clouds!