You’ve come here because you’re worried that “please proceed” doesn’t work in an email, right?
After all, “please proceed” works in spoken English, but can it work in written English?
Fret not!
This article has gathered some alternatives to help you. We’ll teach you how to say “please proceed” in an email to sound more formal.
- Kindly proceed
- Please continue
- Feel free to move forward
- You may proceed
- Please go ahead
- You should continue
- Keep going
- Feel free to continue
- I look forward to your progress
- I’m eager to see the next phase
Keep reading to learn another way to say “please proceed.” There are plenty of great choices, and we recommend reviewing the examples under each heading to help you.
1. Kindly Proceed
To sound as polite and respectful as possible, try “kindly proceed.”
It’s great to include in formal emails because it shows you’re giving someone permission to move forward.
Of course, the only real difference here is replacing “please” with “kindly.” But that goes a long way to making the phrase more professional and sincere.
For instance, you can use it when emailing a client. It shows they’re on the right track, and you’d like them to proceed with what they’re working on.
After all, communication is key in the workplace. You should let someone know when they’re on the right track, and you should do everything you can to keep them moving in the right direction.
You can also refer to this email sample:
Dear Mr. Mitchell,
Thanks for reaching out to share your update. Kindly proceed as originally planned because I’d like to see where it goes.
Best regards,
Jesse Cutler
2. Please Continue
Next up, you can use “please continue” as another way to say “please proceed.” Again, not much changes from the original, but this helps to spice up your writing.
This time, we’re swapping “proceed” with “continue.” It’s a great way to show that you’d like someone to keep working.
We recommend using it when emailing an employee. You can remind them to continue with their work if they’ve recently sent you an update regarding a project.
It’s formal and polite. It also shows you’re happy with the current situation and would like someone to keep working the same way.
Here’s a great email example to help you with it:
Dear Greta,
I like where this is heading, so please continue. And feel free to send me updates as you progress.
Yours,
Paul Wallace
3. Feel Free to Move Forward
For a slightly more friendly alternative, you can say “feel free to move forward.”
It’s a good way to appear more conversational and open to ideas that someone might have.
We recommend using it when encouraging coworkers to move forward with a project. It shows you trust their judgment and appreciate the ideas they’re bringing to the table.
Overall, it’s a great way to showcase your teamwork or leadership skills. It shows you’re happy for someone to keep working on their ideas.
Also, you can check out this example:
Dear Joanna,
Feel free to move forward with this project. I’m sure you have plenty of good ideas to help it advance.
All the best,
Soph Simpson
4. You May Proceed
Next, we want to touch on “you may proceed.” Again, not much has changed from the original phrase here. However, it’s just enough to keep things formal and engaging.
This time, you can write “you may” instead of “please.” It’s more confident and direct. It also tends to work best when you’re writing from a position of power.
For instance, you can use it when ordering a client to continue. It shows you’re in charge and would like someone to keep working on a project as originally established.
Generally, this is a great way to hold someone accountable. After all, it lets them know you’ve given them the go-ahead and you expect results.
Here’s a great email sample to show you how it works:
Dear Miss Stocking,
Okay, you may proceed. I have discussed it with the board, and they seem happy for you to continue.
Best wishes,
Craig Stacey
5. Please Go Ahead
“Please go ahead” is a great phrase to include in a formal email. It shows you’d like someone to continue with what they’re already doing.
This is a great way to inspire confidence in the recipient. Generally, the phrase shows you value their work and want them to keep going with it.
We recommend using it when emailing an employee. If you’re looking for them to be as effective as possible, this is one of the best ways to do it.
If you’re still unsure, you can review this example:
Dear Hillary,
This is great! Please go ahead with your original plans. I can certainly trust you more than most to get this done.
All the best,
Lewis Sutton
6. You Should Continue
Feel free to write “you should continue” instead of “please proceed.” It’s another great formal synonym that helps to keep things slightly more interesting.
You should try it when emailing a coworker. It shows you appreciate the work they’ve put in and would like to see what else they come up with.
Generally, this is a great way to show you believe in your team. We recommend it because it inspires confidence and encourages people to keep working hard on the projects they’re involved with.
Here’s a great email sample to help you understand it better:
Dear Patricia,
I like the direction you’ve taken. You should continue to see what you can produce in the final version.
Yours,
Benjamin Walker
7. Keep Going
While it might seem simpler than the rest, there’s nothing wrong with “keep going.”
It’s a simple yet effective synonym for “please proceed” that’ll help to mix things up.
You should use it when giving a direct command. It shows you don’t want to overcomplicate things or confuse the recipient.
Instead, it lets the recipient know that you like where their work is heading and would love to see them continue. Generally, that’ll make them feel better and keep their work rate high.
Check out this sample email if you’re still confused:
Dear Charlotte,
Keep going, as I think you’re on to something here. This is a great start to the assignment, and I think you have what it takes.
Kind regards,
Tommy Redmond
8. Feel Free to Continue
Any time that “feel free” comes up in an email, you’re bound to sound more friendly.
It’s a great way to bridge the gap between you and the recipient if you don’t want to sound too professional.
Therefore, “feel free to continue” is a great one to include in an email.
It shows you’d like someone to keep going. It also gives them a choice, as “feel free” allows someone to decide as and when they should continue with a project.
We recommend including this when emailing a client. If you don’t have the authority to ask them to do something, this might be the best way to encourage them to keep going.
You should also review this email example:
Dear Ms. Damsel,
This is a good start, so feel free to continue. Let me know when you’ve made more progress, please.
Kind regards,
Martina Dragonfire
9. I Look Forward to Your Progress
Rather than directly asking for someone to proceed, you can mix things up with “I look forward to your progress.”
Now, “please proceed” is a command. It shows that you’d like someone to keep working on a project.
However, “I look forward to your progress” is an open-ended statement. It shows you’re interested in hearing more but doesn’t directly tell someone to keep working.
This works when emailing a coworker. It shows you have no power over them, but you’d like to stay in the loop when they progress with a project and have more information.
Here’s a great email sample to help you:
Dear Simon,
Thanks for the update, and I like where this is going. I look forward to your progress, so please email me again.
All the best,
Melissa Felony
10. I’m Eager to See the Next Phase
For a more exciting alternative, try “I’m eager to see the next phase.” It shows you another way to say “please proceed” that keeps things quite interesting for the recipient.
We recommend using this when emailing a client. It shows you’re happy with the current progress.
Generally, this phrase allows you to encourage a client to continue working hard. It shows you’re already happy with their workload and would love to see what else they can do.
So, if you’re interested in keeping a client happy, go for this one. It’ll work wonders in most formal emails when you’d like to know what else someone can do.
We also recommend reviewing the following example:
Dear Mr. Pepper,
This is a really good start to the project. I’m eager to see the next phase, so please get to work immediately.
Yours,
Duncan Churchley