Sample Memo Format

Company Name Company Address Date of Memo

To: From: Subject:

Recipient of Memo Writer of Memo Writer's Initials* Title of Memo in Initial Capitals

Engineers and scientists use memos to make requests, to give announcements, and sometimes to communicate reports. Memos that make requests or announcements are read quickly. For such memos, get to the point in the first paragraph--the first sentence, if possible. In other words, state what you want up front. In the format suggested here, you should single space your memos and use a serif typeface. Skip a line between paragraphs. The following link shows this format in a pdf display. In memos that make requests or announcements, keep the sentence lengths and paragraph lengths relatively short. Sentences should average fewer than twenty words, and paragraphs should average fewer than seven lines. Also, keep the total memo length to under one page, if possible. Sometimes companies use memos to communicate short reports (two pages or more). For these types of memos, the format changes, as shown in the following example. For instance, you often include illustrations, attach appendices, and break the memo's text into sections. If references arise in the memo, you include a list at the end. In memos that act as reports, the style changes as well. For instance, the sentences and paragraphs are typically longer than in memos that simply provide announcements or make requests. For all types of memos, space your memo on the page so that it does not crowd the top. Also, send copies to anyone whose name you mention in the memo or who would be directly

affected by the memo. Finally, remember that final paragraphs of memos that make requests or announcements should tell readers what you want them to do or what you will do for them.

Attachments.

Copy to: Name to Receive Copy Name to Receive Copy

*Initials should be written in ink

Last updated 05/2007 http://writing.eng.vt.edu/

Creating an effective agenda is one of the most important elements for a productive meeting. Here are some reasons why the meeting agenda is so important. The Agenda
communicates important information such as: 1. topics for discussion 2. presenter or discussion leader for each topic 3. time allotment for each topic provides an outline for the meeting (how long to spend on which topics) can be used as a checklist to ensure that all information is covered lets participants know what will be discussed if it's distributed before the meeting. This gives them an opportunity to come to the meeting prepared for the upcoming discussions or decisions. provides a focus for the meeting (the objective of the meeting must be clearly stated in the agenda)

Read meeting dilem solved by the Mee Guru.

How to Create an Effective Agenda You're responsible for planning your project meeting this month. Arrggh!! What to do? Now you understand how important an agenda is to the effectiveness of the meeting, but don't know how to create one. Breathe easy! All you have to do is follow the steps outlined below. Send this Article to a Friend 1. Send an e-mail stating there will be a meeting, the goal of the meeting as well as the administrative details such as when and where it will be. Ask those invited to accept or decline the

meeting. Make it clear that once they have accepted the meeting, they are expected to attend. 2. Ask participants requesting an agenda item to contact you no less than two days before the meeting with their request and the amount of time they will need to present it. 3. Once all of the agenda requests have been submitted to you, summarize them in a table format with the headings Agenda Item, Presenter and Time. It's your responsibility to ensure that each agenda item is directly related to the goals of this particular meeting. If an inappropriate request is made, suggest that person send an e-mail or memo instead or recommend that this agenda item be discussed in another meeting. Also, you must be realistic in the amount of time you allocate to each presenter. Don't cram an unrealistic number of agenda items into an hour meeting. When people accept an hour meeting, they expect to be finished in an hour. When meetings go over time, people generally tend to get uneasy. It's better to schedule 50 minutes of discussion into an hour time slot. This way you have 10 minutes to spare and if you get done a little early, people will be pleased. 4. Send the agenda to all the meeting participants the day before the meeting with a reminder of the meeting goals, location, time and duration. At this time, ask the presenters if they are happy with the order in which they will be speaking and the amount of time they have been allocated. 5. Of course, the most important part of creating an effective agenda is to follow it during the meeting!

Related Articles How to Prepare an Agenda How to Eliminate Agenda Items That Dont Apply to the Entire Group

How to Write and Keep Meeting Minutes

DEFINED Minutes are the official record of an organization. It is crucial that they are accurate since they are the legal record of the proceedings and actions of the organization BASED ON Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised, 10th, 2000 Edition CONTENT First paragraph: Kind of meeting (regular, special, etc.); the name of the organization; the date, time and place of the meeting; the name of the presiding officer and secretary; approximate number of members present; establishment of a quorum; and recording of the action taken on the minutes of the previous meeting. The body should include, with each motion being a separate paragraph,:
y y y y

The exact wording of motions, whether passed or failed, and the way they were disposed of, along with the name of the maker If the vote was counted, the count should be recorded. Tellers reports, if there are any, are included. In roll call votes the record of each persons vote is included Notices of motions previous notice is sometimes required e.g. amendments of the bylaws Points of order and appeals

Last paragraph: hour of adjournment NOT INCLUDED

y y y y y

The opinion or interpretation of the secretary Judgmental phrases e.g. heated debate valuable comment Discussion: Minutes are a record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said at the meeting Motions that were withdrawn Name of seconder is unnecessary

ATTACHMENTS The official copy of the minutes should have attached to it the original signed copy of:
y y y

Committee Reports Officers Reports Written Motions

y y

Tellers Reports Correspondence

APPROVAL If the minutes have been distributed to the members before the next meeting then the approval process can be very short. The presiding officer simply states Are there any corrections to the minutes as printed? If there are none, or after all corrections have been made, the presiding officer may say If there is no objection, the minutes will be approved as printed (or as corrected). SIGNATURE After the minutes have been corrected and approved by the membership, they should be signed by the secretary and can be signed by the president. The word approved and the date of the approval should also be included MINUTES BOOK The official copy of the minutes should be entered in the Minutes Book and kept by the secretary. These are the property of the organization, not the secretary. If the organization has a headquarters office, the official copy of the minutes should be kept there. COPIES If the members receive a copy of the minutes it is not necessary for them to receive all the attachments. When they do not receive the attachments, the minutes should include a brief summary of the attachments. ANNUAL MEETINGS/CONVENTION MINUTES Minutes of an annual meeting or convention should be taken by the secretary with the assistance of the Minutes Approval Committee members. In advance of the annual meeting or convention, the secretary should prepare a set of skeleton minutes. In the preparation of this skeleton of the actual minutes the following may be used: agenda, program, previous minutes (as a guide) and the script. The skeleton minutes are based on what is expected to happen (the script should be of great assistance here). In preparing the skeleton minutes, be sure to leave many empty spaces for the specifics that may happen during the meeting and any last minute changes. Copies of the skeletal minutes are needed for the secretary, parliamentarian and members of the Minutes Approval Committee. During the meeting, the members of the committee and the secretary follow the skeletal minutes and fill in any additional information. Immediately after each business meeting

the committee and the secretary meet and work together on an agreed upon set of minutes for that meeting. After the last business meeting of the convention, the secretary prepares the final copy of the minutes based upon what is agreed upon by the committee. This final copy is reviewed by all committee members. When they all agree, they sign the original copy and the job of approving the minutes is completed. If there is a transcript of the meeting, it is the secretarys job to review the transcript making sure all the minutes are accurate. If it is necessary to change the minutes, all members of the Minutes Approval Committee must agree upon the changes.

Sample Minutes Template

MINUTES of [Organization name] Meeting date: ________ Call to order: A ______________ [kind of meeting] meeting of the _________________ [organization name], was held in ____________ [place, city, state] on __________ [date], 20__. The meeting convened at ______ [time], President __________________ [name] presiding, and ______________________ [name], secretary. [Some small organizations choose to list attendees. This works well for boards of directors.] Members in attendance: [optional item] Members not in attendance: [optional item] Approval of minutes: Motion was made by [name], and seconded to approve the minutes of the ______________ [date] meeting. Motion carried. Officers' reports: President Vice president Secretary Treasurer Board and committee reports: Unfinished business: [Subject title] Motion: Moved by [name] that [state motion]. Motion carried. Motion failed. [leave only one of these] New business: [Subject title] Motion: Moved by [name] that [state motion]. Motion carried. Motion failed. [leave only one of these] Announcements: Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at ______________[time].

________________________________ Secretary [Organization Name]

___________________ Date of approval

ABC
MINUTES
Board of Directors
Meeting Date: Date of Approval _________________

Call to Order: A regular meeting of the Board of Directors, ABC, was held in [place, city, state] on [date], 200. The meeting convened at :00 A.M. on the first day, Chairman _______ presiding, ___________, Secretary. Members of the Board in attendance were [names]. Members not in attendance were [names]. Approval of Minutes: Minutes of the ______________________ meeting of the ABC Board of Directors were approved as printed and distributed to the members of the board. Officers Reports:

Other reports : [committee reports belong here]

Unfinished Business: Section title Motion: Moved by [name] and seconded that [state motion]. Motion carried. Motion failed. New Business: Section title Motion: Moved by [name] and seconded that [state motion]. Motion carried. Motion failed. Announcements:

Adjournment: [Date] and the [place, city, state], were fixed as the time and place of the next regular meeting and the [date] meeting was adjourned at [time]. __________________________ Secretary ____________________ Date of Approval