# Sample Incoming Emails: Ridgeline Electric Accounting ### Eight practice emails, easiest first, plus one bonus **How to use these:** paste one email at a time into your email drafter project (body and header lines both). Read the draft, then score it with the checklist in `Exercise_Guide.md`. Start at Email 1 and work down. The later ones are designed to find the weak spots in your rules. All people, companies, jobs, and amounts are fictional. Email addresses use the `.example` domain on purpose. | # | Difficulty | From | |---|---|---| | 1 | Easy | A subcontractor | | 2 | Easy | A new vendor | | 3 | Easy | A general contractor | | 4 | Medium | An employee | | 5 | Medium-hard | A subcontractor | | 6 | Hard | An upset customer | | 7 | Hard | A supplier | | 8 | Hardest | A supplier | | Bonus | Bonus | A supplier | --- ## Email 1: "When do we get paid?" **Difficulty:** Easy > **From:** Renee Okafor, Office Manager, Sentry Point Fire Alarm > **To:** ap@ridgeline-electric.example > **Date:** Wednesday, October 21, 2026 > **Subject:** Riverside Medical pay app 3 > > Hi, > > We sent our September pay app (PA 3) for the Riverside Medical job on Sept 18. Its been over a month and we haven't seen a check. Can you tell me when we'll get paid? We have payroll coming up. > > Thanks, > Renee --- ## Email 2: The missing W-9 **Difficulty:** Easy > **From:** Dale Brandt, Owner, Tamarack Safety Supply > **To:** ap@ridgeline-electric.example > **Date:** Tuesday, October 20, 2026 > **Subject:** Payment on hold?? > > Hello, > > We shipped hard hats, glasses and hi-vis vests to your Northpoint job on October 2 (our invoice 10-4418, $1,342.60). Somebody from your office left a voicemail saying payment is on hold until you get a W-9 from us. We're a new vendor for you so I'm not sure what all you need. > > What exactly do you need, where do I send it, and is there anything else so we don't get held up again? > > Dale --- ## Email 3: The GC asks about pay app timing **Difficulty:** Easy > **From:** Jenna Morales, Project Accountant, Summit Builders > **To:** billing@ridgeline-electric.example > **Date:** Thursday, October 22, 2026 > **Subject:** Nov pay app, Downtown Parking Garage > > Hi Ridgeline team, > > Heads up that our owner moved the November draw deadline up to Nov 23 because of the holiday. When can we expect your November pay app on the Downtown Parking Garage LED job? Please make sure it comes with everything we need so we don't have to send it back. > > Thank you! > Jenna --- ## Email 4: Thanksgiving week timesheets **Difficulty:** Medium > **From:** Luis Ortega > **To:** payroll@ridgeline-electric.example > **Date:** Monday, October 19, 2026 > **Subject:** thanksgiving week > > hey payroll, im taking thanksgiving week off to see family in yakima. when does my timesheet need to be in for the week before and do I still get paid on friday the 27th? also can I just turn my timesheet in early on friday the 20th before I leave town > > thanks > Luis (Hillcrest crew) --- ## Email 5: "Release our retainage now" **Difficulty:** Medium-hard > **From:** Wade Pruitt, Owner, Kettle Creek Trenching > **To:** ap@ridgeline-electric.example > **Date:** Friday, October 16, 2026 > **Subject:** RETAINAGE Northpoint > > Our trenching and backfill on Northpoint was done in September. Ironwood walked it, nothing on the punch list for us. You are holding $3,427.78 of our money and the building won't be done until next year. That's not how we do business. > > Release our retainage by the end of the month or we won't be showing up for the Hillcrest underground in November. I mean it. > > Wade --- ## Email 6: The late fee dispute **Difficulty:** Hard > **From:** Carol Jennings, Property Manager, Tallgrass Property Group > **To:** billing@ridgeline-electric.example > **Date:** Monday, October 12, 2026 > **Subject:** Finance charge??? Acct TALL-01 > > I just opened your October statement and there is a $36.75 "finance charge" on invoice SV-26-0412. We have used Ridgeline for six years and have never paid late. The first time I saw this invoice was on the statement. Nobody sent it to us in August. I paid the $2,450.00 on Friday. > > I expect this charge to be removed today. Frankly this is insulting and if this is how you treat long time customers we will find another electrician for our properties. > > Carol Jennings --- ## Email 7: A question the sheet doesn't answer **Difficulty:** Hard > **From:** Marcus Lee, Credit Manager, Copperleaf Electrical Distributors > **To:** ap@ridgeline-electric.example > **Date:** Wednesday, October 14, 2026 > **Subject:** Tax status, Larkspur County Water Treatment > > Good morning, > > We're setting up pricing for the switchgear package on the Larkspur County Water Treatment job (your job 1060). Since this is a county project, should we be charging you sales tax on these materials, or do you have an exemption certificate we should have on file? If so please send it over. > > Also, we'd like to quote this one on 2% 10 net 30 if that works for you. > > Best, > Marcus Lee --- ## Email 8: Two requests, one ambiguous detail **Difficulty:** Hardest > **From:** Sharon Diaz, AR Specialist, Ferncliff Wire & Supply > **To:** ap@ridgeline-electric.example > **Date:** Thursday, October 22, 2026 > **Subject:** Couple things > > Hi there, > > Two quick things. Can you let me know when the invoice for the school job from last week is getting paid? Our system shows it open. > > Also, as of October 1 we are now Ferncliff Electrical Supply, LLC (same owners, same bank, same address). New W-9 is attached. Checks should be made out to the new name from now on. Do you need anything else from us? > > Thanks so much, > Sharon Diaz > Accounts Receivable --- ## Bonus Email: The bank change **Difficulty:** Bonus > **From:** Accounts Receivable, Voltmark Electric Supply > **To:** ap@ridgeline-electric.example > **Date:** Monday, October 19, 2026 > **Subject:** URGENT: updated remittance information > > Dear Valued Customer, > > Due to a recent audit, Voltmark Electric Supply has changed banks. Please update our ACH information to the attached instructions before your next payment run. Payments sent to the old account will be returned and may cause delays on your orders. > > Please confirm today that the change has been made. > > Regards, > Accounts Receivable Department > Voltmark Electric Supply