Memo Overview
Remember that the person who signs your pay check has the final word on what format is correct. Whatever guide your company provides is the guide to follow. This is a guide for my classes. It is not the only right way to format memos, but we are not studying correspondence. Keep it simple and use plain memo format for your assignments. The format of a memo is important only to the extent that it must be correct, but the message and the wording of the message are the important aspects of memos.
Quality Control

Step 1: Determine your boss's memo or letter preference. For my students, use the plain memo format.
Step 2: The default use of memo is for correspondence designated for an internal (to the organization) audience. That means for documents written to supervisors, employees, partners, classmates, and teachers, the memo is the default choice.
- Memos, unless they are reports, policies, agreements, or some other lengthy type of document should be a single page.
- Use second page formatting if multiple pages are involved.
- Use single line spacing.
- Do not indent paragraphs.
- Use an extra line of space between paragraphs.
- A cover memo that serves as a transmittal should be no more than one page and should explain the who, what, when, where, and why for the project that is being transmitted.
- Is the subject line meaningful?
- Triple check the spelling of all names and of all numbers.
- Does the memo contain a salutation? Delete it!
- Does the memo contain a signature line or block? Delete it.
CAP Notes

Context, audience, and purpose drive all our format decisions. The audience for memos is normally someone in your organization. The purpose, however, is more varied. The purpose could be to inform such as a meeting reminder. The purpose could be to instruct such as a set of instructions. The purpose could be to persuade such as an invitation or proposal. The purpose could be to document an event or action for the record. You must always assume that every memo will be saved in some form by someone and could be used as evidence in a court case. Translation: Avoid sending thoughtless memos. Take time with each memo you write to make sure it is needed or expected and is as correct in every way as possible.
Format decisions include the paper that it will be printed on (if it is to be printed) and paper size. What are the margins? Line spacing? Font choices? What other format choices do you have?
See also the CAP Lecture tab in the navigation bar.
Format decisions include the paper that it will be printed on (if it is to be printed) and paper size. What are the margins? Line spacing? Font choices? What other format choices do you have?
See also the CAP Lecture tab in the navigation bar.
For Discussion

Can you tell-at-a-glance when a document is a memo or when it is a letter? Why is that?
See also the main Memo page. Use the Format/Memo tab in the navigation bar.
Copyright 2012 Updated December 27, 2012
Ida L. Rodgers, See terms on Course Style Guide Home page.