How to Write a Memo in 8 Steps

Rachel Meltzer
Updated on August 4, 2022 · Professionals

Whether you’ve had an internal policy change

you need to share or you’re spearheading a
project that investors need to know about, a
memo is the best way to communicate valuable
information within your organization. Memos
are a good way to disseminate such information
to your colleagues, tenants, volunteers, or other
internal organization members.

When should you send a memo? How do you

write a memo? We’ll answer these questions
and give you a step-by-step guide for creating a
memo plus share lots of examples of memos.

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Table of contents

What is a memo?

What is the purpose of a memo?

Write a memo in 8 steps

How is a memo different from . . .

Examples of memos

Memo FAQs

What is a memo?

A memo, short for memorandum, is a way to

inform a group of people about a specific
problem, solution, or event. A memo should be
brief, straightforward, and easy to read. It
informs recipients and provides an action plan
with specific next steps.

You may send a memo as a paper letter, fax, or

PDF attached to an email. Although the
widespread use of email essentially replaced
memos in many circumstances, memos are still
helpful for some important messages.

What is the purpose of a memo?

Memos are designed for official internal

communications of a business or organization.
They are often sent to an entire organization
but are also useful for informing a single
department, team, or smaller group of people.
Memos disperse necessary information using a
simple, easy-to-follow format.

When to write a memo

You should write a memorandum when you

need to relay official business items efficiently.
The aim of your memo should be to inform,
bring attention to a problem, or answer a
question. The following purposes are suitable
for a memo:

broadcast internal changes

disseminate news

share an upcoming event

update public safety guidelines

raise awareness about an issue

address a problem

make a request

share project updates

How to format a memo

If you are sending a memo via email, it should

be formatted as a PDF. This retains the style
you’ve applied to the document. Traditionally
memos use twelve-point font for the body and
fourteen- to sixteen-point font for the
headings. Keep the font and design simple.

A memo should include the following.

Heading
To

From

Date

Subject

Opening statement

Context

Call to action and task statement

Discussion

Closing

You also have the option to include

attachments to support the message you are
conveying in your memo. If your memo is more
than one page, you should have a summary to
wrap up your points.

Write a memo in 8 steps

Memos should always be professional and

polite—regardless of the topic you’re
introducing. Stay focused on the facts and
actionable plans. You should not use emoji in
business memos. Keep it brief, direct, and clear
and include only necessary information.

1 Heading

The heading lists who is receiving the memo,

who is sending the memo, the date the memo
was written, and the subject of the memo. You
can view how to format this section below.

To: [Recipients’ full names and job titles or

department]

From: [Your full name and job title]

Date: [Today’s date]

Subject: [What the memo is about]

Since you addressed the recipients in the

heading, there’s no need to include a greeting.

2 Opening statement

This section can be between one and three

sentences. The opening statement is where you
briefly state the purpose of your memo. Include
only a summary of the most crucial information
in this section. Later you’ll be able to get into
the details.

Try starting with, “I’m writing to inform you . . .”

3 Context

In three to ten sentences, provide context.

Context is where you let people know what
you’re writing about, why you’re writing them,
and any other critical information.

This section may include the following:

supporting evidence

why your organization made the decision

you’re discussing in the memo

background information

a problem statement

how you found the problem

important timing or dates

other key points

4 Call to action and task statement

This section can be either two to three

sentences or a bullet-pointed list. This is where
you lay out the next steps for your recipients.
Write about what the recipient should do after
they read the memo or how you plan to solve
the problem you’ve described.

Try writing, “Please [task you’d like completed]

by [due date]” or “I appreciate your cooperation
in this matter.”

5 Discussion

The aim of this portion is to persuade the

recipients to follow your recommended actions.
Lay out all of the details that support your
ideas, beginning with the most critical
information. Give specific supporting facts,
ideas, and research that back up your memo,
organizing the information from strongest to
weakest.

6 Closing

The closing section is an opportunity to end

your memo on a courteous note. We
recommend you share what you want your
recipients to take action on one more time here,
as well. Generally, memos don’t include a
farewell. But if you want to have one, make sure
to keep it brief.

7 Optional additions

You can include a summary or attachments

with your memo if you need to. You should
include a summary if your memo is more than
one page. Summaries help recipients more
easily digest the information you’ve shared.

You can place the summary right before your

closing statement. A summary may list key
recommendations, a summation of important
information, references, methods, or resources
you used. If the information in your memo
needs further clarification, you can place it
within this section. Summaries can be a few
sentences long or a bullet-pointed list of key
information.

Your supplemental information should include

any documentation you want to share, such as
graphs, lists, tables, or photos. If you choose to
include attachments, include a note about what
you’ve attached below your closing.

If you’re sending your memo via email, these

additional attachments can be added to your
email. If you send your memo as a letter or fax,
include these after the last page of your memo
document.

Refer to your attachments as such: “Attached:

[name of attachment], [date created].”

8 Revise

Now that you’ve written your memo, it’s time to

revise! Follow the steps below to ensure your
memo is as clear and concise as possible.
Remember: the shorter, the better.

Cut out any unnecessary material.

Clarify your main points.

Proofread for spelling, grammar, and

punctuation mistakes.

Check your facts and resources.

Get feedback from a colleague before

sending.

How is a memo different from . . .

A memo is a concise but informal

communication within an organization to
disseminate an official message. But how does
this differ from an email, a letter, a circular, or
minutes? Let’s clarify the definitions of these
standard business documents.

How is a memo different from an email?

Memos are typically more formal in tone and

language than emails, which are most effective
when they’re short and to the point. In the
future, the company may use your memo as an
official document that will be printed,
disseminated as hard copies, or distributed
professionally to a large group of people in a
readable format.

How is a memo different from a letter?

Typically, letters are addressed to individuals

outside of the organization. They are meant for
longer external messages communicating a
specific topic. These may be informal or formal
in tone.

How is a memo different from a press

release?

Memos are usually used for internal

communications, while press releases are
intended for external communications. A press
release is understood to typically be a longer,
more detailed document than a memo.

How is a memo different from a circular?

Circulars are for mass distribution. On the other

hand, memos are for a select group of people.
Circulars typically have multiple topics and
calls to action. Memos should address only one
subject, briefly.

How is a memo different from minutes?

Meeting minutes are official documents

containing the notes from a meeting. While a
memo may refer to minutes in its supplemental
attachments, you should not use a memo as a
format for meeting minutes or vice versa.

Examples of memos

It can be challenging to get started writing

without a memo example. Here are two
examples of the most commonly used memo
formats.

Example 1: Internal changes

When an organization makes policy, procedural,

or high-level staffing changes, an internal
change memo should be written. The HR
department may send this email, or it might
come from the leadership team or another
department.

To: All Employees

From: Kelly Source, Human Resources Manager

Date: July 20, 2022

Subject: Changes to Paid Time Off System

I’m writing to inform you about the recent

changes to our PTO system. We are switching
platforms to PalmLeaf HR. This system will go
into effect on October 1, 2022.

In switching to PalmLeaf HR, our company is

attempting to make submitting your PTO
requests simpler. You can find tutorials for
navigating this easy-to-use platform attached
to this memo.

You’ll receive an onboarding email from

PalmLeaf HR directly this week. Please be sure
to set up your account no later than September
30, 2022.

If you’re having trouble setting up your account,

please email us with any questions at
[email protected].

Thank you for your cooperation during this

transition. We’re hopeful that this will make
managing your PTO easier.

Attached: PalmLeafHR Guide, January 2022

Example 2: General business memo

A general business memo format may be used

for just about any business item. Whether it’s a
project in progress or an internal analysis, this
versatile format will fit.

To: Ava Colon, Phil Comma, and Dave Period

From: Peter Office, Senior Data Analyst

Date: May 20, 2022

Subject: Revenue Analysis

I’m writing to address the revenue analysis

report your team requested. This analysis
covers revenue streams from 2010 to the first
quarter of 2022.

This report was requested by the sales team in

January 2022 when Dave Period stepped into
the Chief Sales Coordinator position. The
analysis was compiled using Tableau, and the
reports are attached.

At this time, I am asking you to review the data

and let me know if there’s anything else you’d
like me to analyze more deeply. The best way for
you to view the dashboard is through the invite
from Tableau in your email inbox.

Here are the main points from my analysis:

Our main stream of revenue is our flagship

product, Hawaiian-style shirts.

The second top revenue stream is the

running hats.

Our revenue is generated sales driven

primarily through email marketing efforts.

There were some periods during which the

data were not available and are therefore not
included in this analysis.

Thank you for taking the time to review this

analysis. Please feel free to send any questions
or concerns you have to me at
[email protected]. If you’re having
technical difficulties accessing the dashboard,
please contact our IT department at
[email protected] for assistance.

Attached:

Tableau Guide, 2022

2010–2021 Revenue Analysis Report, May

2022

Memo FAQs

What is a memo?

A memo, short for memorandum, is a brief

internal communication that informs a group
about a specific problem, solution, or event.
Memos may be sent as a paper letter or fax or
attached to an email as a PDF.

What is the purpose of a memo?

A memo is meant to inform a group of people

about a complex topic, a policy change, or other
brief official business within an organization.

What is the basic structure of a memo?

A memo should include the following.

Heading
To

From

Date

Subject

Opening statement

Context

Call to action

Discussion

Closing

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