[Commerce Class Notes] on Memorandum Pdf for Exam

A memorandum is a form of official interdepartmental communication that is used to convey essential decisions or information. A memorandum is thought to be a step below a formal letter and often contains details needed for specific meetings, projects, policies or others. So what is a memorandum? A memorandum’s definition is that it is essentially an intra-office tool for communication usable to announce specific events or changes. A memorandum or memo for short is a way of communication that is also recorded for posterity. Memos are usually issued when vital changes have been made to a company’s policy or one of its projects. A memorandum definition and example can be seen in the image below:

 

()

 

The memorandum letter that is displayed above displays the kind of topic this tool is often used for. An office memorandum’s meaning should be clear and concise to make sure information is delivered with no possible misunderstanding. Office memorandums are a little different from normal memorandums. So what do you mean by an office memorandum? An office memorandum meaning a memo issued by a member of a governing body or an organization is simply a method of communication which will convey certain details between two members (or department heads in some cases) of the same organization/governing body.

 

Purpose of a Memorandum

A memo can have many uses and this versatility combined with its official capacity is why it is used quite often in an organization. The uses of a memorandum are as follows:

• A way to transfer knowledge of a specific process

• To convey specific details on a project

• To request specific information

• To offer suggestions on a matter

• To report to a superior

• To offer congratulations or positive news

• To share ideas

 

Advantage of a Memorandum

• Memos are a timesaving mode of communication and are quite convenient to use. (especially with an intranet)

• Given that memos are intra-office, there will be no need to use expensive paper. The recycled paper will be acceptable.

• Memos are stored for the future, and such can be referred later if needed.

 

How to Write a Memorandum

Memorandum writing consists of multiple segments. A memorandum paper comes with the following parts: 

1. The Header: The head segment can be split into four parts:

1. To: Enter the recipient’s name and position

2. From: Enter the sender’s name and position

3. Date: Enter the date of sending

4. Subject: Enter a short reason for the memo

2. Opening Segment: The opening should contain a brief version of why this memo is necessary, so the recipient knows exactly what is happening.

3. Context: If there are any specific reasons or circumstances for the memo, they can be listed in this section.

4. Action Segment: This segment should be used to instruct the recipient on any steps to be taken or tasks to be performed related to the context or subject of the memo. One should be clear and specific about this task to avoid any confusion later on.

5. Summarizing: While memos should be short, some can turn out to be rather long based on the subject in question. In such cases, a memo should also carry a summary to help the recipient (or recipients) understand what is required and why. 

6. Discussion: if necessary, one can attach this segment to convey the various ideas that lead to the reason for this memo and the possible policy behind it. 

7. Closing Segment: This segment should end the memo politely and in a positive note to help initiate whatever action may be required. It is also important that any needed attachments supporting the content in the memo be displayed as well.

The Points To Remember Before Sending Memo 

A memorandum, short for the memo, is just a message that is given from one department to another for informing. There have been a lot of changes today. There is a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which helps to make a mutual agreement on the actions taken.

However, there are cases where you need to be very careful about the way you format a memo. Some important points have to be remembered. The subject line must be clear and specific. In such a way that the recipient can understand what it is actually about from the subject line itself. Lengthy memos are so boring since usually, people prefer to get it within the short matter delivered. While addressing the recipient, always write in an active voice and in the first person. The language used must be formal and should not be bringing friendly and slang words in between. It won’t look professional that way. 

For making the matter short and crisp, it is advised to use bullet points. Also using the coloured text fonts will help you to highlight them and for getting noticed soon. Proofreading the whole content will help us get rid of the sentences that look like they are written rudely. And for closing the memo, students don’t need to leave their signature or so. 

Memos Today!

When organizations prefer to go paperless, do you think you can still spot the memos? Maybe in schools or so you can see the memos sent for informing very relevant information to be noticed. Otherwise, everything happens over the internet. And just like you are thinking, the biggest competition for the memo is E-mail. 

Even though the purpose of memos is to deliver the information, sometimes they are taken as passively aggressive matters. This is because there is no kind of addressing in a way of respect. Everything is written in a way like the other party doesn’t need it to be approved or give a comment. While the digital system helps us to record the response as well. And it differs a lot based on the delivery type. 

Many offices are still hanging on to the culture of sending memos. This is because it is delivered right away to that person directly. More formatting styles are present for memos and also it takes a more professional approach in other words.