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Possible Duplicate:
How should “please find enclosed” be used?

When I'm attaching files in a mail, what should I write?

1. Please find attached

or

2. Please find the attached

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Why not just "The file is attached". Or "I have attached the file". – David Schwartz May 29 '12 at 9:22

marked as duplicate by Mehper C. Palavuzlar, Hugo, Shyam, Andrew Leach, cornbread ninja 麵包忍者 May 29 '12 at 15:48

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4 Answers

I think the most common convention is to write "Attached please find ..." or similar phrases, followed by a description of what is attached. As in:

Attached please find the completed plan on how to conquer the world.

Or

I am attaching the completed plans on how to conquer the world.

Etc.

If you have just finished describing the thing that you are attaching, you can just add the word "attached". Like:

As you requested, I have completed the plan on how to conquer the world. Attached.

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Please look at the attached file(s) at the bottom of my email.

or

You can find the files we were talking about as attachments to that email. They are at the bottom of my email.

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attachments (plural) might be better in the second example – Henry May 29 '12 at 7:52
Maybe you are right @Henry. Although some email clients make zip file of all your attachments.P.S. I have edited my answer. – speedyGonzales May 29 '12 at 7:59
@speedyGonzales Just a note that some emails server shows attachments above of the message as our company's email server shows. As for the sentences you are right :) – AbdulAziz May 29 '12 at 8:06
Then just switch bottom with top mate. Thanks for the support @AbdulAziz. – speedyGonzales May 29 '12 at 8:10
1  
There's no sure way of knowing if the recipient's email client shows attachments above or below the messages. It could be their regular desktop email application shows them at the top, and their webmail interface shows them at the bottom. – Hugo May 29 '12 at 8:25
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I can't see what is wrong with the first form. Please find attached the files I promised.

Or

Please find attached the files relating to last week's meeting.

Both forms seem acceptable.

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Please find the attached

is the correct way to write.

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Yes, formally, and especially if it is clear what attachment is what. It might be better to say "Please find attached 6 emails from my client" if there needs to be clarification of what is what. – Schroedingers Cat May 29 '12 at 7:57

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