MEMORANDUM

Inter office Note/Office Memo/Inter-office Memo/Inter- office

Correspondence

SHORT PIECE OF WRITING GENERALLY USED

BY THE PERSONNEL OF AN ORGANIZATION
FOR COMMUNICATING AMONG THEMSELVES
 Difference between Memo and Letter

Letter Memo

Used for external Used for internal

communication communication
Has letter head
Written on plain sheet of paper
or on standard memo format

Very formal appearance No inside address, salutation

and courtesy titles

Has complimentary close No complimentary close or

and signatures signature
 Benefits of Memo

Convenient
 takes little time to write /read
Provide a written record for future
 Components of Memo

Date
To
From
Subject
Department (if the organization is large)
File Reference
 Purpose of Memorandum

To seek information or provide it

Pass down directives or policies within the
organization
 Formality in Memo

 Simple requests between Peers: direct/informal/use of first

& second person/used for routine enquiries & responses
 Subordinate to superiors for reporting Information: more
formal
 Superiors to subordinates stating directives / Policies:
formal language/use of third person
 Superiors to Subordinates-Good News: language could be
informal/use of first or second person/direct in nature
 Superior to Subordinates-Bad News: language somewhat
formal/ letters mostly indirect (lot of explanation)
 Characteristics of Memo

Used for Internal communication, also called

interoffice memorandum
 Derived from latin word memo rare changed to
memorandums means literally to mention or tell
Report circulated within the organization sent in
memo style is called Memo Report.
Memos are short, to the point and have a direct
style.
 Characteristics of Memo

The top line of memo usually says memo or memorandum. The

company logo or letterhead frequently goes above this.
Below the word memo or memorandum is
 The date
 The name of the person/persons to whom the memo is sent
 The name of writer/sender (with the writer’s initials written-in by
hand)
 Subject
Body:
 Should be concise, clear and well written
 If you have subtopics, use headings, bullets .
Avoid unnecessary information/topics
 Characteristics of Memo

 Conclusions may be used if several points are mentioned

and you wish to summarize/make a recommendation.
 Notification of attachments included at very end of memo.
 If a memo includes to a second page, put the receiver’s
name, page number and date across the top.
 Formats of Memorandum

Full Block Format

Semi Block Format
 MEMO-FULL BLOCK FORMAT
Malibu Industries
Interoffice Memorandum

Date: June 10, 2010

Ref: 563/45
To: H R Department
From: Purchase Department
Subject: Purchase of 48 Computers
Thank you for your suggestion to purchase 48 computers for the marketing and
Accounts Departments. Your suggestion has been evaluated and the cost
implications also worked out.
The proposal sent across is definitely of great value as it will facilitate the
functioning of the above.
We are in the process of finalizing the budget for the current financial year. It
will probably take another couple of weeks. As soon as it is cleared, we will be in
a position to purchase the computers.
L N Gupta
cc: Mr M H Mohanty, President
 MEMO-SEMI BLOCK FORMAT

Malibu Industries
Interoffice Memorandum
To: H R Department Ref: 563/45
From: Purchase Department Date: June 10, 2010
Subject: Purchase of 48 Computers
Thank you for your suggestion to purchase 48 computers for the marketing and
Accounts Departments. Your suggestion has been evaluated and the cost
implications also worked out.
The proposal sent across is definitely of great value as it will facilitate the
functioning of the above.

We are in the process of finalizing the budget for the current financial year. It
will probably take another couple of weeks. As soon as it is cleared, we will be in
a position to purchase the computers.
L N Gupta
CC: Mr M H Mohanty, President
 Guidelines

Emphasis on giving the receiver lot of importance is absent.

Best quality paper may not be required
Clear/unambiguous language/logical sequence and organization
Many organizations have memo forms preprinted
The culture of the organization will determine the usage of courtesy titles.
To send a memo to a long list of people include the notation “See
distribution list” or “ See below” in the “To” position at the top, then list the
names at the end of memo.
Very senior addressees may be sent the memo separately and not as a part
of distribution list.
To send memo to group of people we may write “ All Sales representatives”,
….
No need of complimentary close or signature however if it deals with
money or confidential matter you may sign your name at the bottom.