Composing a Memorandum

Parts of a Memo

• To: This includes a list of all the people who will receive the memo. The names usually appear in order of seniority, where the most superior person comes first on the list. It is best to list full names and titles although in a smaller set-up using only first names may be acceptable.
• From: This will list the name of the sender or senders.
• Date: State the exact date when the memo is being written, including the day, month and year. Use business English and abstain from the use of short forms.
• Subject: This states the reason for the memo and should not exceed one sentence.
• CC: This will mention the names of the people who will receive this memo but will not be expected to carry out the action. This is generally used for superiors who need to be informed of the intra-office memos even if they are not directly concerned with them.
• The Body: The main copy will give a list of facts and discuss the issue. The facts have to be explained in a manner that is relevant to the recipients so they know exactly how they stand to benefit or lose in regards to the given piece of information. Although the memo looks like a short piece of text you cannot overlook proofreading or using a grammar checker.
• Conclusion: State the specific action that needs to be carried out.