Making a formal request sound polite can be challenging. You might want to write “please provide,” but is it really the best phrase to use professionally?
This article will explore another way to say “please provide.”
Is It Professional to Say “Please Provide”?
It is professional to say “please provide.” It’s a great way to make a request in most business emails to show that you’d like the recipient to send you something.
It’s certainly worth using it formally to show that you’d like a piece of information or a document from someone.
Here is a great example to show you how it works:
Please provide the assignment file. I would like to review the work you have done so far.
Pros
- It’s a polite way to ask for information.
- It’s very professional.
Cons
- It’s a generic way to start an email.
- It sounds a bit bossy.
In most formal emails, you should use “please provide” to keep things polite. We do recommend having a few synonyms ready to go, just to give you a chance to mix things up, though.
Read on to find out how to say “please provide” professionally. There are some great alternatives available.
What to Say Instead of “Please Provide”
- Please attach
- Please indicate
- Please let us know
- Could you please share
- Could you please send
- Could I please see
- I would like to see
- Can I please have
- If it’s not too much to ask, please share
1. Please Attach
Let’s start with a simple alternative to “please provide.” You can use “please attach” when you need a specific file.
“Please attach” allows you to ask an employee for a file. It shows that you expect them to attach the file to the next email they send to allow you to review it.
It works well when you’ve previously set a task for an employee. After all, it’s a good way to show that you now expect them to hand the task in (or at least review what they’ve currently done).
Check out this email example to see how it works:
Dear Suzie,
Please attach the file that I requested last week. I would like to see where you’re at with the project.
All the best,
Mr. Murphy
2. Please Indicate
A professional variation of “please provide” is “please indicate.” It works well at the start of an email to show that you’d like to learn what someone plans to do next.
It’s a good way to find out what ideas someone might have at work. We recommend it when emailing employees and asking if there’s anything specific they had in mind.
Generally, you’ll use it when setting up a project for someone. It shows that you’d like to learn their intentions.
Here’s a great email sample to help you with it:
Dear Scott,
Please indicate your intentions with this project. I do not want to waste any more resources on it without good reason.
Kind regards,
Kim Amber
3. Please Let Us Know
Another way to say “please provide” is “please let us know.” It’s a formal alternative allowing you to represent your company using “us” instead of “me.”
You should use it when emailing contractors working on something for your business. It shows that you’d like an update on their progress to see when it will be impactful for your workplace.
Also, using “please” keeps things polite. It shows that you’re happy to remain friendly with the recipient while asking them for an update.
Why not review the following sample email as well:
Dear Abigail,
Please let us know your progress on the system updates. We’d like to know when we’re going to roll it out.
All the best,
Georgia Smith-Ball
4. Could You Please Share
Perhaps a more polite alternative like “could you please share” will work well for you here. It shows that you’re interested in receiving information from the recipient.
Starting your email with “could you please” is a polite way to ask for information. We certainly recommend it if you’d like someone to provide something without sounding too bossy.
Since it’s such a polite phrase, you can use it when emailing employees. It shows that you’re a more reasonable and friendly boss, which are great traits to possess in the workplace.
This email example will also help you:
Dear Katherine,
Could you please share your reports for the last quarter? I’m keen to start working on them as soon as possible.
All the best,
Maria Shireen
5. Could You Please Send
Another great formal alternative to start an email is “could you please send.” You can use this as a question to show that you’d like someone to provide information.
Usually, including the word “send” implies that you’d like to receive something specific from the recipient.
For instance, you can say:
- Could you please send the file?
- Could you please send the attachment?
You can be as specific as you need to ensure the recipient understands your request.
Here’s a useful example to show you how it works:
Dear Hazel,
Could you please send the documents you’ve completed for this assignment? We need to start moving to the next stages.
Best regards,
Timothy Small
6. Could I Please See
Another great question to start your email with is “could I please see.” It’s a polite way to ask for something from the recipient.
Perhaps you can use it when emailing employees to ask if they’ve completed a task for you. It’s a great way to find out where they’ve gotten to.
If they’ve finished the task, great. You can give them a new one to try.
If they haven’t, you can see where they’re currently at. From there, you can decide what you want to do with them next.
It’s a great way to communicate with your employees to see what information they can provide.
Also, review this sample email if you need more assistance:
Dear Nathan,
Could I please see the files? I know you have them ready, but I’m not sure where you’ve got to with them.
Yours,
Duncan Firth
7. I Would Like to See
You may want to write “I would like to see” instead of “please provide.” It’s a polite phrase that allows you to request a document or attachment from the recipient.
We recommend using it when asking for an update on a project. You might use it when emailing employees to find out where they’re up to.
For instance, you might have set them a specific deadline that’s fast approaching. It’s worth asking for an update before the deadline to see if they’re going to complete the task in good time.
Check out this example email as well:
Dear Adam,
I would like to see what you’ve completed so far. Then, I’ll make a decision based on where we can go from here.
Kind regards,
Benjamin Tayler
8. Can I Please Have
It’s always worth using polite questions instead of making demands like “please provide.” So, you can ask “can I please have” to see if someone is willing to provide you with information.
You may use it to email clients. It shows you want to hear from them and see if they have any information that might help you understand the situation you’re in.
This sample email should clear things up too:
Dear Kylie,
Can I please have all the relevant information from the inquest? I want to ensure I know what to expect.
Yours,
Rochelle Maria
9. If It’s Not Too Much to Ask, Please Share
This last phrase is a two-parter, but it works well.
The first part is “if it’s not too much to ask.” This is a really respectful way to talk to someone in an email. It shows that you appreciate they might be too busy, but you’d still like to ask them for information.
Then, you can use the second part, which is the simpler part of the phrase. You can say “please share” to ask someone for information or an update.
This phrase is great when emailing your boss. It’s very respectful, so it works really well if you need to remain polite and professional over email.
Here’s an example to show you how it works:
Dear Kingston,
If it’s not too much to ask, please share the following information regarding the system changes.
Thank you so much,
Andrew Young