- The subject line names the change and its date, not only the topic.
- The effective date appears in the opening paragraph and matches any policy the memo refers to.
- The memo covers one subject. Unrelated announcements go in separate memos.
- Each required action has one owner and one deadline.
- Decided items and open items are labelled separately, so a proposal does not read as policy.
- The sender has the authority to make the change, or the memo names the person who did.
- Names of individuals appear only where a reader has to contact or act on that person.
General BusinessContent Creator
Corporate memo: say what changes, when, and who must act
A corporate memo is a short internal message that announces a decision, a policy change or a required action, and it works only if a reader can act on it after one reading. Put the change, its effective date and the people it affects in the opening paragraph, because many readers stop there.
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Section outline
The parts of a memo that carries a change
Header block
To, From, Date, Effective date and Subject. Make the subject line name the change, such as Badge access changes from November 1, rather than a topic such as Update.
30 wordsOpening paragraph
The change, the date it takes effect and the group it affects, in that order. A reader who reads only this paragraph should know whether to keep reading.
60 wordsReason
Only the background a reader needs to accept the change. Two or three sentences are usually enough, and a longer history belongs in the record it came from.
80 wordsWhat changes and what does not
A short list of what is different after the effective date and, where it helps, what stays the same. Stating the unchanged items prevents people from assuming more has changed than has.
110 wordsRequired actions
Each action with one owner and one deadline. Address an action to a named group, not to everyone, unless the whole organisation has to act.
70 wordsQuestions and contact
The person or desk that answers questions, how to reach them and the times they respond. A contact with no stated hours can turn questions into a backlog.
40 wordsSender and status
Who approved the change and whether the memo is a draft, final or superseded. Put the approver's role, not only a name, so the authority is clear later.
20 words
Total: 410 words
Weak and strong wording
Turn vague wording into an instruction
Weak: Please be advised that expense policies are being updated.
Strong: From November 1, expense claims over $250 need approval from your department head before submission.
The memo states the threshold, the approver and the start date, so nobody has to guess whether it applies to them.
Weak: We would appreciate everyone's cooperation with the new badge process.
Strong: By October 31, each team lead sends the facilities desk a list of staff who need new badges.
A named recipient and a date can be checked. A general request for cooperation cannot.
Weak: The team is considering options for remote work.
Strong: No change to remote work has been decided. Proposals will be presented at the November 12 staff meeting.
It states what is decided and what is not, so readers do not treat a proposal as policy.
Weak: Any questions, just reach out.
Strong: Questions about badge access go to the facilities desk, open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 4 p.m.
A route and a set time mean questions get answered rather than collected for later.
Quality checklist
Check the memo before it goes out
Share the finished page
Send it to the readers who must act
Team link
Send a team link to the group the memo covers, and repeat the required action in the covering message. A bare link in a group chat is often read as news rather than as an instruction.
Public link
A public link is rarely right for an internal memo. Use one only for an announcement meant for customers or the public, and remove reporting lines and internal contacts before you publish it.
HTML download
Download the HTML file to store with the policy record or the case file. Put the effective date in the file name, so the version in force on any given day can be found later.
WhatsApp share
Use the WhatsApp share button for field staff who work from phones. A phone notification may show only the first line, so the effective date and the required action should appear in the text you send with the link.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free corporate memo template?
A free template gives you a header block and a layout. The part that makes a memo work is the opening paragraph, which must say what changes, when it takes effect and who is affected. Use the outline above, then check the draft against the list before you send it.
Can I write a corporate memo in Word?
Word files are outside what Content Creator produces. The result is a single HTML page you can share by link or store as an HTML download. If your records need an editable Word copy, draft it in your word processor and publish only the approved wording as the page.
How is a memo different from an email?
A memo is a formal record of a decision or instruction, with a subject line, a date and an approver. An email is an informal message. The wording can overlap, but the memo is the document you keep when someone later asks what was announced and when.
Should a memo ask staff to confirm they have read it?
Only when a policy requires it. Ask for the confirmation in a separate step, such as a short acknowledgement form, rather than as a reply to the memo. A reply to a memo does not show that the right person read the whole document.
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