Work emails · Plain-English guide
What does “Please advise” mean?
Please tell me what to do or what you think.
“An actual question. How refreshing.” — Arthur
What it means in practice
The missing detail is often the question itself. Do they want approval, a decision, a suggested next step or a progress update? Adding ‘please advise’ to the end of a long email makes the reader work that out.
An example and a clearer version
The original wording
The item has not arrived. Please advise.
In plain English
The item has not arrived. What should I do next?
What to say instead
please tell me what to do.
How to make the next step clear
Replace it with the actual question. If there are two possible actions, set them out clearly so the other person can make a decision without another round of messages.
Wording you can adapt
The delivery has not arrived. Should I contact the courier, or will you arrange a replacement?
The wording around a phrase matters. Keep the names, dates, amounts and conditions from the original when you rewrite it.
Try “Please advise” with Arthur →