Authored with support from MinutesLink — AI note taker for cloud meetings.
Written with support from MinutesLink — a free AI notetaker for online meetings.
A memo, short for "memorandum," is an internal communication tool used to convey important information within an organization. Unlike emails, which can include informal conversations, a memo is meant for serious communication about internal updates, policy changes, or announcements. Learning to write a memo properly ensures your boss and colleagues clearly understand the message.
You should use a memo for:
• Internal updates: Inform employees about new company policies, upcoming events, or project statuses.
• Policy changes: Clearly outline changes to procedures or workflows to ensure alignment.
• Announcements: Share critical information with your team, such as promotions, reorganizations, or safety guidelines.
Memos are effective because they focus on clarity and brevity, making it easier to deliver critical information to your audience without unnecessary details.
Internal memos and meeting summaries get lumped together a lot but they serve two very different roles when it comes to getting information across in the workplace.
A meeting summary - and this is usually just a quick rundown of what was talked about during a team get-together - is all about capturing the main points, decisions and follow-up actions from that meeting. It's meant to be a quick reference for the people who actually were at the meeting. Internal memos, on the other hand, are a more formal way of communicating the outcome of something, or announcing major decisions or instructions that are going to affect more than just the few people who attended that one meeting.
In a lot of cases, the meeting summary becomes the source material for the internal memo. Managers will go over the notes from the meeting, distill out the key decisions and turn it all into a nice, neat memo that keeps the whole team on the same page. But this extra step is where a lot of teams get bogged down and lose their way, especially when they're having meetings all the time.
Being able to tell whether you need a memo or just a summary helps teams communicate better and avoid duplicating all their effort.
A well-structured memo keeps your message organized and easy to comprehend. Here’s the basic format.
Start with a formal heading, including:
• To (recipient’s name or team — often your boss)
• From (your name and job title)
• Date
• Subject line (a concise summary of the memo’s purpose)
Example:
To: Marketing team
From: Sarah Liu, marketing manager
Date: March 15, 2024
Subject: March team meeting recap
A clear subject line ensures your memo grabs attention while summarizing its purpose. Phrases like "Policy update" or "Team reorganization plan" work well.
The opening paragraph should explain the memo’s purpose in a few sentences. Be specific about what you’re addressing and why.
Example:
“This memo outlines updates to the company’s remote work policy. The changes aim to improve flexibility while maintaining productivity across all departments.”
Use bullet points or short paragraphs to highlight the core information. Organize details logically, such as:
• What changes are occurring
• Who is impacted
• When these changes take effect
• Any actions required
Example:
• What: The new remote work policy allows employees to work up to three days per week from home.
• Who: Employees in all departments, except client-facing support teams.
• When: Starting April 3, 2024.
• Required action: Managers, please review and approve employee work-from-home requests by March 31.
Conclude the memo with actionable steps, or outline how recipients can seek clarification. End on a professional yet approachable note for your boss or team.
Example:
“If you have any questions or require further clarification, please contact HR at hr@company.com or stop by the HR department by Friday, March 22.”
Writing a memo requires precision and clarity. Here are essential steps to craft an impactful memo for your boss.
Avoid jargon or overly complex sentences. Use simple, conversational terms to make your message accessible to all readers.
For instance:
• Instead of “utilize,” say “use.”
• Instead of “commence,” say “start.”
Keep your tone neutral and focused on facts. Avoid emotional language and maintain professionalism, even when communicating sensitive issues.
Break up information with headings, bullet points, or short paragraphs. This improves readability.
Make every word count. Long-winded explanations can lose your audience, so stick only to relevant details.
Proofread to eliminate grammar and spelling mistakes. A polished memo reflects professionalism and attention to detail.
internal memos can be a real pain to write up after meetings - all those notes scattered about, key decisions buried deep in conversation and action items that need rephrasing into a clear message for the team to follow.
Rather than spending ages crafting these memos by hand, loads of teams now are generating them directly from meeting notes. By grabbing hold of the meeting discussions, summarizing the key decisions and sorting action items into some kind of order they can then create proper, professional memos without having to start from a blank piece of paper each and every time.
They way its going is especially useful for those remote teams who work in different time zones, where having something clear in writing is super important. Turning meeting notes into a properly structured memo, means decisions dont get lost along the way and everyone gets to have the same information - even if they werent in the meeting itself.
To: All team members
From: HR department
Date: January 8, 2025
Subject: Updates to paid time off policy
Dear team,
We’re excited to share updates to our paid time off (PTO) policy to better accommodate work-life balance.
Key changes:
• All employees will now receive an additional two days of PTO annually.
• The new PTO accrual will start on April 1, 2024.
Please review the full policy in the attached document. For questions, email hr@company.com.
To: Sales team
From: Jamie Singh, sales director
Date: March 10, 2024
Subject: Team reorganization
Dear team,
To better support upcoming product launches, we’re reorganizing our sales teams. Effective March 20, the new structure will divide teams based on industry sectors.
Key changes:
• Team A will handle tech clients.
• Team B will manage consumer goods clients.
I’ll schedule one-on-one meetings this week to discuss individual roles.
To: All staff
From: Facilities management
Date: February 15, 2024
Subject: Office renovation timeline
Dear team,
We’re excited to announce the upcoming renovation of our main office to create a more modern and collaborative workspace for all teams.
Important dates:
• Renovation begins: March 1, 2024
• Completion expected: June 30, 2024
During this time, some workspaces will be temporarily relocated. More details will follow soon.
To: All employees
From: IT department
Date: April 2, 2024
Subject: Scheduled system downtime
Dear team,
Please be aware of scheduled system maintenance:
• Date: April 10, 2024
• Time: 12:00 AM to 4:00 AM
During this period, access to internal systems will be unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.
To: All employees
From: Wellness committee
Date: May 5, 2024
Subject: New employee wellness program
Dear team,
We’re thrilled to introduce our new employee wellness program! This initiative is designed to prioritize your health and well-being.
Highlights:
• Weekly yoga sessions starting May 15.
• Free access to a mental health app.
• Monthly wellness challenges with prizes.
Stay tuned for more details in the upcoming email!
Get started quickly with this customizable business memo template:
To: [Insert department name or individuals]
From: [Your name, job title]
Date: [Insert date]
Subject: [Insert subject line]
Dear [team/all/name],
[Briefly state the memo’s purpose in 2–3 sentences.]
Details:
• What: [Provide relevant information here, formatted as bullet points.]
• When: [Add specific timelines or deadlines.]
• Actions required: [Clearly state next steps, if any.]
Please confirm by [insert deadline] if required or reach out for further clarification at [insert contact point].
[Closing statement, such as “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”]
[Your name]
Writing internal memos out by hand after every meeting can get old real quick and start to consume a ton of time. Teams tend to spend hours poring over notes, double checking their work and fiddling with formatting before they can even get the messages sent out.
MinutesLink lets teams turn those meeting discussions into nice, tidy summaries that can be used time and again as internal memos. It cuts down on all that tedious manual work by automatically snagging the important stuff - key points, decisions, and next steps - and then tucks all that away into a neatly structured format.
Now instead of yanking out the old notepad to scribble down notes for the boss or team, you can spend that time giving them clear, easy to understand updates on what just went down and what's on tap for next - all of which makes for internal memos that are created, understood and reliable - especially in fast moving or remote teams.
Writing a memo is an essential skill for effectively communicating within your company. By understanding memo structure, applying tips for clear writing, and using the provided examples, you can create well-structured, professional messages that deliver your point effectively.
And for those who want to save time, tools like MinutesLink can make memo writing easier — helping you write memos for your boss or teams while maintaining accuracy and professionalism.
To write a memo, start with a clear heading that includes the date, recipient, sender, and subject. Use a brief introduction to state the purpose of the memo, followed by the main body where you provide key details or instructions. Wrap up with a concise conclusion or call to action. Keep the tone professional and the content straightforward.
To write a memorandum, start with a clear heading that includes "Memorandum" at the top, followed by the date, recipient(s), sender, and subject line. The body should be concise and organized, typically including an introduction, the main message or purpose, and any necessary details or action steps. Use a professional tone and ensure the memo is easy to read and understand. Close with a brief conclusion or call to action if needed.
A memo is a brief, formal message used for communication within an organization, typically to share updates, provide instructions, or make announcements. For example, a manager might send a memo to inform employees about a new company policy.
To write a memo to your boss, keep it clear, concise, and professional. Start with a subject line that summarizes the purpose. Open with a brief introduction explaining why you’re writing, followed by the main points or details in a logical order. Use bullet points or short paragraphs for readability. End with any action steps or a polite call to action. Proofread before sending to ensure accuracy and clarity.
To write a memo, start by including a clear heading with "To," "From," "Date," and "Subject" fields. Use the subject line to summarize the purpose of the memo. In the body, keep the message concise and organized. Begin with a brief introduction explaining the purpose, followed by the main details or updates, and conclude with any necessary actions or next steps. Use clear and professional language throughout.
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