How to Compose an Effective Interoffice Memorandum

A memorandum, also called a memo for short, is a rapid and proficient means in which management, employees, internal clients, and other office personnel communicate internally. There is nothing complicated about writing a memorandum. Some companies may even have preprinted forms available for use and/or preformatted memo forms in word document; in this case you would only need to fill in the correct heading information and type your message. But for those who don’t---one thing to keep in mind when you correspond via memorandum is that it’s a less formal way of passing on information within an organization as opposed to sending a business letter externally. Whereas letters are composed and mailed out to external clients and customers, memorandums are normally written and submitted to the internal staff only.

 

Another thing to remember when composing a memo is that you would omit the salutation and include, “To” and “From” instead. In addition, you would include the current date and a subject topic in your heading. You would also need to communicate the main purpose of the memo (body), an introductory paragraph (if needed), and a closing paragraph when composing a memo. There’s no need to include a complimentary closing or a formal signature in your memo either.  Your initials will take the place of a formal signature. The length of a memo can vary, depending upon the subject matter.  Some memos can be done on a half sheet of paper, where others will need to be done on an entire sheet. There may come a time when you will need to compose an interoffice memo in your company.  Follow this format and these explicit steps for composing an effective interoffice memo.

 

  

To:
This is where you would list the recipients. You should list the first and last names of the individuals or team(s) who is meant to receive the memorandum in the heading area.

From:
Here, you would type in the names of everyone who is responsible for composing and distributing the memo in the heading section.

Date:
Here, you would type in the accurate month, date, and the year the memo was composed in your heading.

Subject:
The subject line sets the tone for your readers and should disclose the focal point of the memo. Could be one precise word or a well-defined title.  This would go in the heading area, also. Can also use RE: instead of subject.


Introduction:
Not all memos require an introduction but will begin directly into the body.  But if you feel that an introductory paragraph is necessary…be sure to introduce new topics or follow-up discussions here.

Body:
The memorandum body should thoroughly convey the subject.  The content should be concise and informative so that the readers can easily comprehend the intended message. If the memo is a follow-up of a previous memo…you will need to state this in your introduction.

Closing Paragraph:
Here, you would request feedback and confirmation from the recipients, if applicable.

Your initials:
Aforementioned, you don’t need to use a formal signature in your memo.  But you really should manually write in your initials next to your name in the heading line before you distribute, or someplace visibly noticeable in your memo, usually at the end of the content.


Tips:
*You can categorize the level of priority for a memorandum…such as: high, medium, or low.   This would alert your readers of the urgency of your memo. You would list this in the heading line.
*Try to limit your memo to one page, if possible.
*List cc(s), if applicable

Sample Memorandums:

                              

   Images by: Savvy Business Correspondence.com, Microsoft Office Word 2003 XML