Maybe you’re sending your timesheet to your boss for approval or you simply want to remind them to approve it so HR can approve and processes your payment.
If you aren’t sure the best way to structure this email to your boss, we’ve got you covered. This article will provide readily available templates for you to modify for the purpose.
Additionally, we’ve also included some general tips to help you write emails to your boss now and in the future.
Tips For Emailing Your Boss
While tools like Slack and Teams are leveraged for easier communication across organizations worldwide, emails continue to be used in these organizations, especially when communicating with a supervisor over formal correspondence.
But unlike sending emails to coworkers where you can be informal and not worry about mistakes, you should be careful when writing to your Boss. Let’s look at a few things to keep in mind.
Clear Reasons
Don’t waste their time by beating around the bush. Your boss is busy and doesn’t have time to read long emails.
If you’re sending the email because they forgot to approve your timesheet, get to the point. Simplify the email as much as possible.
Clear Subject Line
While you would not be able to include all relevant information in the subject line of the email, it should present the general purpose of the email within a few words.
This helps your boss or supervisor locate the email, understand the possible content even before reading the full message and finally ascertain the importance and urgency of the email.
After all, your boss would most likely have a busy schedule. A clear subject line would help them identify the urgency of the email especially when they have a boatload of work to get done.
Examples:
Timesheet Approval Request
Use Proper Name
Coming down to the body of the email, you should identify the name your boss wishes for you or the general employee body to call them.
If they prefer to be addressed by their first names, you should address them as such. On the other hand, if you aren’t sure how they want to be addressed, you can either ask your colleagues or simply use your boss’ surname.
Keep in mind your workplace culture at this point. Some workplaces encourage informal communication between all members of the organization.
For informal workplaces, you start with:
Good {{morning/afternoon/evening}} {{Boss’ firstname}}
Hi {{Boss’ firstname}}
In the case of a very formal workplace where you aren’t sure of the best way to address your boss, you can simply start with:
Dear {{Mr. /Mrs /Ms. Surname}}
Hello {{Mr. /Mrs /Ms. Surname}}
Set Tone
Maybe something happened at the workplace that you didn’t like or there’s something you find annoying. You should always mind your tone in your professional emails.
It doesn’t matter whether the company’s doing something you’re unhappy with, you should always mind the tone of your communication. If you sound angry, your Boss is less likely to mind your request or even finish reading your email.
Use Work Email
Refrain from contacting your boss through your personal email. Most organizations implement some form of spam filter that may flag personal emails as spam.
The last thing anyone wants is to send an urgent message to their boss only to find out days later that they never got the email. Emails that come through the company emails are whitelisted ensuring that your boss receives them inside their inbox.
This is why most organizations provide their employees with company emails for communication within the company as well as correspondence with external companies.
Keep It Concise
Your boss probably receives loads of emails daily. The last thing they want to do is to spend precious time reading through a long email to determine its content.
No matter how important your email may be, your boss is not likely to spend 30 minutes trying to understand its content. It’s advisable to use short and clear wording to easily convey the content of your message.
Proofread
No one likes reading terrible grammar, especially in a professional setting. It’s advisable to proofread your email to identify any grammatical errors before sending it to your boss.
Tools like Grammarly are readily available to help identify errors in your writing. Keep in mind that these tools aren’t perfect. So manually proofreading your email can further enhance your message.
On the other hand, poor grammar could give your boss some laughs. But keep in mind that others are bound to join in.
Easy To Understand
Your boss most likely receives tens or even hundreds of emails daily, especially in the case of larger organizations. Ensure that your email is easy to understand within the shortest amount of time.
To determine this, you can ask a colleague or friend to skim through the email to test whether it’s easy to understand and adequately presents the necessary information.
End Formally
At this point, you can thank your boss for taking the time to review your request and then reiterate any relevant information before signing off.
Example:
Thanks for your time and consideration
Signature
Official emails to your boss should be signed off with your official signature which includes your full name, job title, department if applicable, and contact details when available.
This can be easy if you’ve already created your signature template for your company email. The system would automatically include your signature in every email.
If you haven’t created a signature template for your email, you should manually include this in your email to your boss.
It can be something like this:
Sincerely,
{{Fullname}}
{{Department if applicable}}
{{Job role/title}}
{{Contact details (optional)}}
Sample Email To Boss To Request Timesheet Approval
Template 1: Sending Timesheet To Boss For Approval
Email Subject
Timesheet Approval Request
Body
Dear {{Surname}},
I hope this finds you well. Please find attached my completed timesheet for the pay period ending on {{Date}}. I’ve double-checked the figures to confirm accuracy.
I would appreciate it if you could review and approve it at your earliest convenience. Please let me know if you have any questions or need me to clarify anything.
Thank you.
Best regards,
{{Full name}}
{{Department name if applicable}}
{{Job tile}}Template 2: Delayed Timesheet Approval – Attention
Email Subject
Request for Timesheet Approval
Body
Dear {{Surname}},
I hope this finds you well. I wanted to follow up on the timesheet I submitted for the {{Dates}} period. I haven’t received approval yet so I wanted to bring this to your attention.
I would greatly appreciate it if you could review and approve it at your earliest convenience. I’ve attached a copy of the timesheet and would be happy to provide any additional information.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you.
Best regards,
{{Full name}}
{{Department name if applicable}}
{{Job tile}}Template 3: Delayed Approval Reminder – Requesting Timesheet Approval
Email Subject
Request for Timesheet Approval
Body
Dear {{Surname}},
I hope this finds you well. I am writing to remind you of my timesheet approval for the {{Dates}} period. I submitted it on the {{Date submitted}} but have not yet received approval.
I would greatly appreciate it if you could review my timesheet and provide approval at your earliest convenience. Please let me know if you need me to clarify anything.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you.
Best regards,
{{Full name}}
{{Department name if applicable}}
{{Job tile}}
