The INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
A written message sent to persons within an organization is called a memorandum (“memo” for short). Memos
are internal documents that use a special format; since they are internal documents, addresses are not required,
making them a streamlined, informal means of communication. For this reason, courtesy titles (Mr., Ms.) of
the recipient are rarely used, unless intended as a indication of respect, such as for a person with a doctoral
degree.
Memos may be printed on plain paper, letterhead, or “memohead,” a less formal internal stationery. Memos
are usually delivered by putting them in the recipient’s office mailbox, in-box, or sent via an interoffice
envelope, which is resusable. E-mail has also become a standard form of internal communications and should
be treated as professionally as printed documents.
Standard memo format:
Heading: Double-spaced (DS), bold, and ALL CAPS; job titles and department names are optional.
Body: Single-spaced (SS), DS between paragraphs; block style--do not indent paragraphs.
Reference Initials: Only when the memo is keyed by someone other than the sender, the keyboard operator’s
initials are keyed in lowercase letters a DS below the body.
Enclosure/Attachment notation: Items clipped or stapled to the memo are noted as attachments; items included
in the envelope with the memo are enclosures. These notations are keyed a DS below the reference initials.
Make sure the reference in the body of the letter corresponds to the notation (e.g., body says “Attached is…”
and notation says Attachment).
Copy notation: If a copy of the memo is sent to someone else, this is noted as a SS below the Notations line
(or a DS below the reference initials if no Notations). If a “bc,” key on that recipient’s copy only.
Side and bottom margins: Default or 1”.
Top margin: Approximately 1.5” or
three hard returns below the masthead (if
Interoffice Memo
letterhead or memohead stationery is
used).
Font size: Generally a 12 pt. serif font,
TO:
Brenda Powell, Office Manager
such as Bookman or Times New Roman,
FROM:
Lawrence Medina, HR Rep.
is used for readability.
DATE:
March 6, xxxx
SUBJECT: Internal Correspondence
Sample memo on
“memohead”
stationery
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A memorandum is an internal communication that is sent
within the organization. It is often the means by which
managers correspond with employees and vice versa.
Memos provide written documentation of announcements,
requests for action, conversations, and policies and
procedures.
Templates, or preformatted forms, are often used for keying
memos. Templates provide a uniform look for company
correspondence and save the employee the time of having to
design and format each memo. Word processing software
also has memo templates that can be customized. An
example of a template is attached.
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Attachment
c: All Employees
Marian Meyer, Instructor • [email protected] • http://planet.cnm.edu/mmeyer
The BUSINESS LETTER
Business letters are prepared on official company letterhead stationery, which has the company name, address,
telephone number, and logo; it often also includes the company’s fax number, e-mail address, web page, and/or
company slogan. Sometimes, names of officers of the company are also included. Most letterheads are between
1” and 2” deep. If letterhead is not used (i.e., plain stationery is used), the company information is keyed
immediately above the date. Business letters should be mailed in envelopes that complement the company’s
letterhead stationery.
To be attractive, letters are centered vertically on the page and positioned according to their length; vertical
positioning is adjusted below the dateline. The first-page top margin is adjusted to accommodate the letterhead.
Business letters contain specific parts that serve very specific purposes. Listed below are the principal parts of a
typical business letter as well as instructions for both Block and Modified Block formats.
Parts of a business letter:
Dateline: The letter is dated the day it is mailed. For Block style, the left margin of the date is at the
document’s left margin; for modified block, the left margin of the date is keyed from the center of the paper.
The dateline always appears 2-3 spaces below the letterhead.
Inside Address: The name, title, and mailing address of the person to whom the letter is directed. Include a
courtesy title (Mr., Ms.) unless a professional title (M.D., Ph.D., Rev., etc.) is appropriate. Key four spaces
below the dateline, or adjust for better vertical positioning. Be sure you know how the company spells its own
name, including punctuation, ampersand, etc.--consult a business directory or look it up on the Internet when
in doubt.
Salutation: Key a DS below the inside address; use “Dear” plus the courtesy title and last name of the recipient
unless the writer is on a first-name basis with him or her. Use Ladies and Gentlemen if the first line of the
inside address is a company name. Line ends with a colon (never a comma in a business letter).
Body: The message of the letter, begin a DS below the salutation line. SS line spacing and DS between paragraphs. Block style does not indent the first line of each paragraph; modified block indents each first line 1/2”.
Complimentary Close: The formal closing of the letter, keyed a DS below the last paragraph of the body. Line
ends with a comma; only the first word of the Complimentary Close is initial cap.
Signature line: Leave three blank lines between the Complimentary Close and the writer’s name and title. The
writer’s name is keyed on the fourth line and his/her title is keyed on the fifth line. Key the writer’s professional title, such as M.D., D.D., or Ph.D., on the same line as the name (never use Dr. instead).
Reference Initials: Only when the letter is keyed by someone other than the sender, the keyboard operator’s
initials are keyed in lowercase letters a DS below the title line.
Enclosure/Attachment notation: Items clipped or stapled to the letter are noted as attachments; items included
in the envelope with the letter are enclosures. These notations are keyed a DS below the reference initials.
Make sure the reference in the body of the letter corresponds to the notation (e.g., body says “Attached is…”
and notation says Attachment).
Copy notation: If a copy of the letter is sent to someone else, this is noted as a SS below the Notations line (or
a DS below the reference initials if no Notations). If a “bc,” key on that recipient’s copy only.
Font size: Generally, a 12 pt. serif font, such as Bookman or Times New Roman, is used for readability.
Address Protocol: When addressing letters, follow the protocol used in the recipient’s country. For example, in
many countries, the recipient’s last name is listed before the first name. The name of a foreign country is keyed
in ALL CAPS and is the last line of the address. For more information about address or post office conventions, refer to a Zip code directory or consult a reference manual.
Marian Meyer, Instructor • [email protected] • http://planet.cnm.edu/mmeyer
Õ BLOCK Style
Professional
Office Consultants, Inc.
1234
1234
1234
315 North Second Street
1234
1234
San Francisco, CA 94114-8895
…Letterhead stationery
415-555-1223 • 415-555-1224 (Fax)
…Dateline
August 15, xxxx
Ms. Armanda Castillo
Office Manager
TelNet Corporation
24 Technology Drive
Irvine, CA 92865-9845
…Inside Address
…Salutation
Dear Ms. Castillo:
Thank you for selecting our firm to assist with the setup of your new
corporate office. You asked us for a recommendation for formatting
business letters. We highly recommend the block letter style because
it is easy to read, simple to produce, and efficient.
This letter is keyed in block format. As you can see, all lines begin at
the left margin. Default side margins may be used and the letter is
centered vertically on the page for attractive placement.
…Body
We think that you will be happy using the block letter format. Eighty
percent of businesses today use this same style. Enclosed are other
samples of this style for your review.
Sincerely,
…Complimentary Close
…Signature Line
Anderson Cline
POC Consultant
(writer’s name and title)
lm
…Reference Initials
Enclosures
…Enclosure Notation
MODIFIED BLOCK Style Ö
Professional Office Consultants, Inc.
1234
1234
315 North Second Street
1234
1234
San Francisco, CA 94114-8895
415-555-1223 • 415-555-1224 (Fax)
August 15, xxxx
ØLetterhead envelope
123
123
Professional Office Consultants, Inc.
123
123
123 315 North Second Street
San Francisco, CA 94114-8895
Ms. Armanda Castillo
Office Manager
TelNet Corporation
24 Technology Drive
Irvine, CA 92865-9845
Ms. Armanda Castillo
Office Manager
TelNet Corporation
24 Technology Drive
Irvine, CA 92865-9845
Dear Ms. Castillo:
Regarding the style of your company’s business letters, an alternative
to the block letter style is the modified block style. This format is a
long-standing, traditional one used by many companies.
This letter is keyed in modified block format. As you can see, the date
and complimentary closing are keyed from the center of the page.
Side margins may remain default and the letter centered vertically on
the page for attractive placement.
Enclosed are other samples of this format for your review. If you
need additional assistance, please feel free to call me.
Yours truly,
Anderson Cline
POC Consultant
lm
Enclosures
Marian Meyer, Instructor • [email protected] • http://planet.cnm.edu/mmeyer