What does ‘thanks for sending this over, i'll take a look’ actually mean?

This phrase is the professional equivalent of "seen" on a messaging app. It acknowledges receipt. It does not promise engagement. When someone writes "thanks for sending this over, I'll take a look," they are telling you that your document, proposal, or information has landed in their inbox and that they are aware of its existence. Whether they actually look at it — and how carefully — depends entirely on their priorities and your position relative to them.

From a client, this phrase is extremely common and almost always means "I've received it, and I will eventually review it, but I have other things ahead of it." The "I'll take a look" is a courtesy, not a commitment. If you need actual feedback by a certain date, you should follow up with a specific ask: "Would it be helpful if I flagged the two sections that need your input?"

From a manager, the phrase can mean anything from "I'll read it tonight" to "I'll never look at this unless you remind me." Managers receive an enormous volume of documents and requests. Your attachment may be important to you, but it's one of forty things in their queue. If you need a response, put a deadline on it when you send the document, not after the fact.

From a colleague, "I'll take a look" is usually more genuine. Colleagues tend to be direct about what they will and won't do because the social stakes of ignoring a peer's work are different from ignoring a subordinate's. That said, "take a look" still means a skim, not a deep review, unless they explicitly say otherwise.

The biggest mistake people make after receiving this response is waiting in silence. If the review matters, set a follow-up date at the time of sending: "I'd love your thoughts by Friday if possible." That way, "I'll take a look" has a natural expiration date, and you don't have to play the guessing game of whether silence means they haven't read it or they read it and had no comments.