“Please find attached” in Email Writing and 19 Alternatives

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The electronic mailing system has become one of the most favored communication channels for business correspondence within the last decade.

It somehow bodes well because huge chunks of data need not occupy any physical space anymore, let alone require high transaction fees.

And, it meanwhile provides an avenue for attaching, tracking, reviewing, and keeping pieces of information with remarkable convenience.

Our post today caters to one of the most widely recognized message prompts used in e-mail writing, the expression “please find attached.”

 

What is the meaning of “please find attached”?

“Please find attached” is a message used to prompt a reader to look for any electronic file attachment contained in the e-mail. It’s a functional expression in e-mail writing that serves the same function as “please see attached.” Verbs like “check,” and “refer” may also be used instead of “find.”

 

Using “please find attached” in e-mails

“Please find attached” is an expression that informs and prompts the reader that a collection of data can be found together in an e-mail apart from the message.

This data can be in a form of audio, video, image, text, graph, chart, or even just a hyperlink that allows the reader to jump into another virtual location with ease.

Using “please find attached” serves its function best by prompting the recipient to look for the file or files being referred to by the sender.

This is so because some attachments can be pretty hard to find, especially after a series of e-mail exchanges when using an un-updated browser or because of some other technical issues.

Since “please find attached” occurs massively in e-mails, it can also be described as a trite remark or expression.

Its rather frequent usage implies that it is one of the most functional expressions used by people who are corresponding via e-mail.

Sometimes though, we get bored repeating the same, roundabout expression over and over, and it makes us feel like we can’t come up with anything else.

So, it is essential that we have a go-to vocabulary bank to supplement this monotonous phrase.

With that said, let us have a look at some great “Please see attached synonyms.”

 

19 alternative expressions to “please find attached”

Here are other simple and easy-to-remember alternatives to “please find attached” that you can use at your convenience.

 

Please find the attached file

This verbiage is the more complete version of “please find attached,” in which the definite article “the” and the pre-modified noun “file” are present.

It is best to use this when there is only one file attached to the e-mail because of the emphasis caused by “the” to the singular noun “file” that comes afterward.

Example:

For instance, you can use this expression when you want to indicate in your email that you have attached one audio file that should be transcribed by the recipient.

 

Please see attached

When using “please see attached,” we typically need additional information after the last word to eliminate any obscurities and chances of misinformation.

However, we can conveniently stop at “attached” when the sole purpose of the e-mail is to send the attachment, as well as when the recipient already expects what’s coming.

The recipient would already know what’s coming when you have stated the background details either in the previous e-mail, verbal conversation, or within the body of the email message to be sent.

In most cases, though, the default decision is to add further information for clarity and proper guidance.

We can use “please see attached (…)” when sending one or more files to the recipient, as long as we apply the singularization and pluralization rules properly.

This is an essential grammatical guideline that we have to be keen on because missing out on this rule could make the reader get caught in the weeds, wondering about how many attachments are included.

Example:

Let’s just say you want to send an expense report already elaborated and discussed with the recipient previously. You can simply state the following:

 

Please see attached file

Another structure that we can use is “please see attached file,” which is best preceded by background details in order to be fully understood.

Here, the singular term “file” is being used, so we had better be careful not to refer to more than one attachment.

If you accidentally add the letter “s” when you’re only referring to one file, the reader can be led astray, thinking that some data are missing.

Example:

For instance, you want to send your expense report to your department head for your recent business trip. Here’s how you can use “please see attached file.” 

 
In the e-mail message above, it is apparent that only one document is being referred to by the sender.

We can confirm this by looking at the usage of the singular demonstrative pronoun “this” followed by the linking verb “is.”

 

Please find the attachment

Instead of using the verb “see” and adjective form “attached,” we may also use “find” as a verb and transpose the latter’s part of speech by turning it into a noun.

Albeit generally acceptable, using “find” instead of “see” may indicate a bossier attempt, so it is less likely used in situations where a subordinate sends the e-mail to a superior.

But, this prompt actually works well in situations where attachments could not be easily found because of the e-mail interface or how the informational tools are structured and displayed on the screen.

The noun form of “attached” is “attachment,” and thus, we can also say “please find the attachment,” which denotes a similar meaning.

Take note of the use of the definitive article “the” which contains a particularizing function and the singularity of the word “attachment.”

Hence, one file should be referred to when using this verbiage.

Example:

You might want to send some notes of your monthly meeting to your close colleague who wasn’t able to attend it for some reason.

 

Please see the attached file

Perhaps you want to sound more polite and less domineering because you’re relatively new in the company you’re working for.

You can shift the connotation of your message by using “see” instead, which is quite useful if you want to be perceived as the “accommodating” type of employee.

Again, the use of a definite article here signals the necessity of particularizing or specifying the content of the attachment, as well as the singular form “file.”

Example:

Let’s say you want to share the graph of your monthly sales report with your colleague for reference. Here’s how you can use “please see the attached file.”

 

Attached please find

Another expression used quite often in less formal correspondence is “attached please find,” which is generally frowned upon by devotees of formal language.

Although it is always ideal to speak or write in the most formal way possible at all times, this may be challenging in real-life situations when you’re being chased by time.

If you are in a hurry and as long as you’re communicating with someone within the same level of position or at least anyone who won’t feel offended with shortened messages, you may conveniently use “attached please find.”

Of course, you want to avoid using this tonality when you’re doing your initial correspondence with a prospective client who is a reputable lawyer or CEO.

Example:

You’re about to attend a meeting, and your co-worker who sits one desk away verbally asks you to resend a copy of a cover letter template for personal reference.

Most of the time, this situation would not even entail any other background information, so using “attached please find” would even come across as a rather polite act.

 

See attached

Another expression that is even less formal than the previous one is structured as shortly as “see attached.”

Example:

In the hallway, you bumped into your best friend, who also works for the same company, is asking for the URL of another person’s Linkedin profile. Using “see attached” only should suffice in this kind of situation.

 

Please find the attached

“Please find the attached” is something that requires further information to make sense, particularly a noun or noun phrase positioned after “attached.”

Whatever the attachment is, it is most ideal to specify its name in the e-mail message for easier and clearer referencing, e.g., the attached video, the attached table, or the attached link.

But then again, if the overall context allows you to conveniently drop the succeeding information, please feel free to do so.

Example:

Now, you maybe want to send an instructional video attachment to your colleague who is on a business trip.

 

Please check the attachment

If you simply want to prompt your reader to read through an announcement or any piece of relevant information embedded in the attachment, using “please check the attachment” works well.

In particular, this is applicable when giving informational updates or sending out invitation posters to business associates.

The main goal of the writer in these cases is simply to inform the reader of the content of an attachment rather than prompt a message response.

Example:

 

Please see the attached document

When sending out text-based files for informative and referential purposes, we can use the term “document” instead.

Here, you do not want to attach a video nor an audio file because “document,” at least in the realm of computer language, refers to an electronic copy of a text-based file that should contain readable written language.

Example:

You probably want to share a product manual with your customer who needs detailed assistance with a certain technical issue.

 

Kindly find the attached file

As it is common and natural for some websites to be glitchy at times, then it could also be hard to see the attachment right away in such cases.

If you are aware that this could happen quite frequently to the e-mail tool you’re using, then you can replace “see” with “find.”

This means that you can use “kindly find the attached file” instead, in which the formality level of “please” meanwhile increases by replacing it with “kindly.”

Apparently, you want to appease the reader ahead for the inconvenience he or she might experience when using the e-mail system, especially if you are aware that the person may not be much of a technophile.

Example:

Let’s just say that your client did not find your instructional video on “how to use the advanced search tool” that helpful, so you may have to send the SOPs instead.

 

Please see the attached file for your review

In cases where you want any initial work file to be reviewed by someone, you can simply add “for your review” to “please see attached file.”

This may happen, for example, when it’s your first time doing a task or the file contains some sensitive information such as financial documents.

Sending files for another person’s review suggests an intent to leave no room for any mistakes and, thus, it can be generally viewed as a positive work etiquette.

Example:

You’ve just completed your first compensation and benefits report as an HR personnel, so you want your direct superior to have a look at your work.

 

Please see attached file as requested

This time, you may also use “please see attached file as requested” specifically if someone asks you to give him or her a copy of any file of your possession or at least you have access to.

When you do not have a copy of a file being requested for, but you know where or from whom to obtain it, it is unprofessional not to provide the request or endorse it properly.

Especially if it the request comes from a valued client, and as long as you know that the file being asked for is non-confidential, it is part of your responsibilities to provide as such.

Example:

Let’s say your client is in need of a soft copy of the poster that you designed and created for them a month ago because they’ve lost their file. Indubitably, retrieving the file, even if it’s not in your possession isn’t rocket science.

 

Please refer to the attachment

Finally, we may also use the verb “refer” instead of “see” or “find.” “To refer” means to direct the attention to a source in this context.

So, “please refer to the attachment” is closer to “please see the attachment” compared to “please find the attachment.”

Example:

An employee from a subsidiary company is asking for a copy of the training module that was used in a training program organized by your department which they participated in.

 

Please find the attached file for your reference

When something is said to be “for someone’s reference,” it means that the attachment serves as a source of information for the receiver.

The receiver may have previously requested this information, or the sender simply wants to show it as an update or announcement.

Formal and grammatically complete, you can never go wrong with “Please find the attached file for your reference” when you don’t frequently exchange emails with the other party.

Example:

 

Please find the attached file for your perusal

Also belonging to the formal end of the spectrum, “Please find the attached file for your perusal” is something you don’t use with close colleagues.

This one bears a highly polite tone and a slightly difficult choice of words that could slow down an unfamiliar reader.

“For your perusal” means “for your review” or “for your consideration,” which means the information being sent is for someone’s approval.

Feel free to use this one when seeking permission from an authority figure, such as a publisher or an immediate supervisor.

Example:

 

Attached you will find…

Quite flexible in nature, you can also use “Attached you will find…” as a stock expression. Make sure, though, that you add a noun phrase after to make it complete.

The following are a few examples of how this one might play out in the real world:

Example 1: “Attached you will find my resume

 

Example 2: “Attached you will find the signed document”

 

Example 3: “Attached you will find the signed agreement”

 

Please find the attached file as per your request.

When someone requests a file from you, feel free to pick “Please find the attached file as per your request.”

Some would argue, though, that the use of “as per” in the business world is a bit extra or redundant. They would suggest sticking with “per” instead.

However, “as per” has become the more popular choice in recent years. Some common usages of this include “as per our conversation” and “as per your last email.”

“As per” is used as an anaphoric tool to refer back to a certain discussion point or information source. It suggests a similar meaning as “according to.”

 

Example: How to use “Please find the attached file as per your request” in an Email

 

Please find attached herewith…

A bit more like a form of business jargon in the legal context, “Please find attached herewith…” is still a quite widely used expression to date.

This one is then followed by a noun phrase that contains whatever attachment the writer wants to refer to.

For example, you could say “Please find attached herewith a copy of the Swap Confirmation agreement.”

 

Example 1: How to use “Please find attached herewith” in an Email

 

Example 2: “How to use “Please find attached herewith” in an Email

 

Alternatives for “Please find attached” that need to be avoided

 

Attached herewith the document for your perusal

Although this expression looks harmless at a glance, it actually lacks a main verb. This means that it is best to avoid using this unless you insert the verb “is.”

On top of that, “attached herewith” is something you would mostly observe in legal writing contexts rather than daily business emails.

So, unless you work in the legal industry and the like, you don’t really need to use some obsolete adverbs like “herewith” and “hereto.”

This would also slow an unfamiliar reader down, which may affect productivity and efficiency levels on that day.

However, in case you really need to make use of this statement, you had better stick with “Attached herewith is the document for your perusal.”

Example:

 

Frequently Asked Question on “Please Find Attached”

 

Is it correct to use “please find attached file herewith”?

In the 21st century, this expression is considered unnecessarily redundant by supporters of plain language use. “Herewith” is a pronominal adverb which means “with this letter,” and thus, using it in sending e-mails would be incongruous.

 

What does “please find the attached file for your perusal” mean?

“Perusal” is a more technical term for “review” so this statement simply means you are sending the file for the reader’s inspection or analysis.

 

What is the meaning of “please find attached zip file containing…”?

Attaching a zip file format makes viewing the set of attachments less clunky and more organized, for it allows the compression of several files into one folder. This can be done when you are going to send, for example, several excel files at once.

Conclusion

In the modern era, knowledge on e-mail communication and etiquette is integral in any white-collar occupation.

Therefore, filling up our linguistic repertoire with essential and handy expressions is tantamount to work efficiency, which then contributes to the holistic development of an organization.