Have you ever been in a situation where you are supposed to attend a meeting but need to reschedule it due to unexpected issues?
This could be a conflict with another meeting, a change in the company's schedule, or a sudden illness. Rescheduling often means lost productivity – so it's important to handle the situation professionally.
Sending an email to postpone the meeting with ample notice is the most courteous way to let colleagues/clients know you won’t be able to make it.
In this article, we’ll clarify how to write an excellent rescheduled meeting email with 5 ready-to-use email samples.
Let’s dive in!
Common reasons to reschedule a meeting
A rescheduled meeting email is a polite message sent to notify attendees of a change in the date, time, or location of a previously scheduled meeting invitation. Sending a rescheduled team meeting email as soon as possible is a vital workplace etiquette to ensure that all attendees have the most up-to-date information.
Common reasons for rescheduling the meeting to another day include:
A prior engagement with another meeting.
With bad weather forecasts for the day of the meeting, it may be safer to delay it until the weather clears.
A power outage or other emergency in the workplace makes it difficult to hold the meeting as planned.
The agenda for the meeting has changed and requires more time than initially planned.
You have an urgent issue at home that needs your attention.
You are feeling ill or have a doctor's appointment.
How to craft a proper meeting reschedule email?
A well-written email to reschedule a meeting will help you convey your regret for any inconveniences caused and encourage colleagues to respond fast to agree on a new meeting time.
To get these results, follow along to write an effective postponed meeting email.
1. Start with a clear subject line
The subject line is arguably the most important part of the email, as it will determine whether or not the receiver opens it.
A good subject line should be clear and concise while still conveying its importance. For example, "Rescheduling our Meeting" is much better than "I'm so sorry, but can we reschedule?"
If it’s a meeting with someone you are not familiar with or outside of your company, be sure to include your name and your organization. This helps the receiver immediately place who you are with no added confusion.
Some meeting rescheduled email subject line examples:
2. Provide an apology and a credible reason
Begin with a simple greeting, apologize sincerely for the inconvenience, and explain why you requested to reschedule the meeting. If there is a specific reason for the requested change (e.g., you have another meeting scheduled at that time), be sure to mention it to show credibility.
Again, be as concise as possible – no need to go into excessive detail.
3. Propose an alternative meeting date and time
Be sure to propose alternative dates and times for the rescheduled meeting in the body of the email. This will show that you're still committed to making the meeting happen, despite the inconvenience.
If there are multiple options and a meeting agenda, include them all in the email so that the recipient can choose the best option for them. Also, show your willingness to adjust according to their schedule.
4. Notify everyone as soon as possible
Once you realize you are not able to attend the meeting and need to reschedule it, notify all the attendees as soon as possible. There is nothing quite as disrespectful as waiting until the eleventh hour to tell your team or clients that the meeting will not take place.
If you can, send out the meeting reschedule request several days before the meeting. You can also start by sending an instant message and then a formal email. This will give other attendees time to adjust their schedules accordingly.
5. Find the right balance in tone
You don't want to appear flippant, but you also don't want to sound overly formal. The goal is to sound respectful and apologetic while still maintaining a level of professionalism.
Thank the recipient for their understanding and flexibility, and ask if the new meeting time will work better for everyone involved.
6. Personalize the email
Personalization helps to build rapport and maintain a positive relationship, even when you’re rescheduling. As a bonus, it demonstrates that you are organized and detail-oriented.
For example, you cannot send a rescheduled meeting email to a client without addressing them personally. The odds are that the client will be offended to receive an email that says “Dear All” or “To whom it may concern”– like they’re just another person on an email blast for you.
7. Show appreciation
Remember your team has made time and even much preparation for this meeting and is now changing their calendars again to accommodate you. Showing appreciation for your team members when meetings are rescheduled sets a great precedent for the future.
8. Call the recipient if needed
If you've sent a rescheduled meeting email and haven't received a response, or if the meeting is going to start soon, it's probably best to call the recipient instead. Emails can sometimes feel impersonal, and this is especially true when it comes to scheduling.
If you call, you'll be able to tell them as soon as possible and get a sense of whether or not they're available on the new date/time.
Plus, it'll be one less email for them to respond to. If you're unsure how your meeting reschedule email will be received, pick up the phone instead.
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3 sample emails to reschedule a meeting politely
Want a ready-to-use meeting reschedule email sample? We’ve got you.
In the next part, We’ll provide three templates for both formal and informal meeting reschedule emails. Each email has an apology, reason, and alternate dates and times for the next meeting, helping you make a meeting reschedule politely.
Formal meeting reschedule email
A formal email template for rescheduling a business meeting will show your professionalism and better suit the following situations:
The meeting is with a client or prospect.
The meeting is with a senior executive.
The meeting is with a different business.
Subject Line: Rescheduling Request for [Meeting Name]
Dear [Name],
I’m [Name] from [Company/Department Name]. We had a meeting booked on [Date and time] to discuss [Topic].
While I was looking forward to the meeting, I’m afraid I can’t attend it due to [mention your reason], really sorry about this. Might it be possible for us to reschedule the meeting?
The following are my available time for the postponed meeting:
[New Date] and [New time]
[New Date] and [New time]
[New Date] and [New time]
Please let me know if any of these options work for you or if you require a different time.
I apologize sincerely for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to connecting with you soon.
Thank you,
[Signature]
[Company and contact information]
Informal reschedule meeting email
In general, you might use an informal email template for any meeting that is not time-sensitive or the result of a formal request (such as a job interview). This includes:
Sample one
Dear [name]/ Hi Team,
I regret to inform you I am not able to attend [the meeting] scheduled on [date] and need to reschedule it. [Reason for rescheduling]. I apologize for any inconvenience and hope we can reschedule for another date.
Can we meet on either [date 1] or [date 2] instead? Please let me know what time would work best for you.
Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Sample two
Dear [name],
I'm afraid that we have to reschedule our meeting at [time] on [date] due to unforeseen circumstances.
Please accept my apology for any inconvenience caused, and hope we can postpone the meeting to another date.
Would you be available on [alternative time] or [alternative time]? If not, please let me know what works best for you, and I'll try to fit it into my schedule.
Again sorry for the trouble, and thanks for your understanding.
All the best,
[Your signature]
How to auto-join meetings scheduled on your calendar?
Imagine this situation: you have received multiple online meeting invitations and suddenly found they conflict with each other. You decide to absent yourself from some unimportant meetings instead of rescheduling them. However, you are worried that you may miss essential information.
What if there is an assistant that can attend the meeting and record everything for you even without your presence?
This is totally realistic with the help of Notta!
Notta is an AI-powered transcription software that can record and transcribe your online meetings in real-time. What's more, it offers an AI assistant to replace you and automatically join meetings (Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams) scheduled in your calendar.
The steps are simple:
Connect Notta to your Google or Outlook Calendar.
Paste the meeting link in the Calendar.
Set the Notta bot to join the meeting at the start time.
The best part is you can review the meeting recording at any time and rest assured that you are in the loop.
Reschedule better and faster
Knowing how to politely reschedule a meeting plays a significant role in building work relationships. Here's a little recap of what is most important in your rescheduled meeting email:
The email content should be apologetic and polite, explaining the situation as briefly as possible.
Timing is vital – send the email as soon as you know there will be a conflict.
Keep your tone respectful and understanding.
