Memos

There are many types and tools for official communication each suited to specific situations. One such popular form of communication is a memo. Let us learn about their format and importance and also see examples.

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What is a Memo?

A memo is actually short for Memorandum. It is one of the most used means of official communication in the business world. Its main purpose is to serve as a reminder or to give some instructions. Again these like circulars are a means of mass communication, i.e. to communicate with a large number of people within the organization.

Usually, we write a memo is for one of the following five reasons

1. as a reminder
2. highlight an event or circumstance
3. to recount an event
4. keep an official record of anything
5. to pass information or instructions

Memos have been a popular way for commuting for over a century now. This is because they have many advantages as seen below:

• They are a very cost effective way of mass communication. And their transmission is also very cheap.
• Another advantage is its simplicity. They are very simple to write and understand.
• Memos tend to be brief and to the point. They also reach a lot of people. So they are very time-saving as well.
• They also serve as evidence in case of a dispute

Source: AllThingsD

Browse more Topics under Official Communication

• Circulars

The Format of a Memo

Let us see the steps of writing a memo.

1. Heading: After the name and address of the company (which is on the letterhead) we type the word “Memo’ or ‘Memorandum’ at the top of the page in the center.
2. Recipient: Address the recipients in the correct format, Example -‘ To: All Employees of the Sale Division’
3. Writer: Write the name of the person writing the memo, Example – ‘From: Mr. ABC, Head of Sales’
4. Additional Recipients: These are the people who will receive a courtesy copy of the memo. We don’t address the memos to them, but we keep them in the loop.
5. Date: The date of writing the memos is an important detail that one must include.
6. Subject Line: This will give the reader a brief idea about the information in the memos. The line must be brief, precise and to the point. Example – Subject: Meeting of all employees of the Sale Division.
7. The body of a memo: This is where all the information is contained. A formal salutation is not required in a memo. Just relay the necessary information with clarity and precision. The body must not be too long. The ending must restate the issue and end on a positive note.
8. Proofread: Finally, proofread the memo before sending it.

Solved Question on Memos

Q: Write a memo to the accounting department asking them to attend training to learn about the new software the company has adopted.

MEMORANDUM

To: All Employees of the Accounting Department

From: Mr. XYZ, Head of Accounts

CC: Ms. ABC, HR Department

Date: 25 October 2018

Subject: Compulsory Training wrt to the New Software

As you are all aware, we have recently adopted new accounting software at the company. The decision was taken to improve our accounting procedure and make it more time and cost efficient. A training seminar will be held on 5th November 2018 at 9 am to familiarize the staff with the new software. This is done to make the transition between the software as easy as possible. All employees of the department are required to attend.