1. Formatting Business Documents
Letters and Memos

2. Letter Format Typing (Keying) Paragraphing White space
Single spacing with double-spacing between paragraphs.
Errors should not be corrected after printing.
Paragraphing
Breaks should be at logical points in message
EVEN appearance
White space
Center letter VERTICALLY on page

3. Letter Formatting Parts of a Letter
Letterhead
Dateline
Inside Address
Attention Line
Salutation
Subject Line
Body
Complimentary Closing
Signer’s identification (signature lines)
Reference initials
Enclosure reminder
CC Notation

5. Letter Formatting Styles
Blocked Style (or Full-Block)
All letter parts begin at left margin. Most common. Fastest arrangement to prepare.
Modified Block
Date line, complimentary closing, signature lines begin at center of line (does not mean center horizontally)
Can have indented paragraphs or non-indented paragraphs
Simplified
All parts begin at left margin as in block style.
No salutation – Subject line is included in All Caps
No complimentary close
Signature block is All Caps

9. Letter Formatting Punctuation Style
OPEN
No punctuation is used after the salutation and complimentary close.
STANDARD or MIXED
Punctuation included after salutation and complimentary close.
Be consistent – don’t put punctuation after “Dear Mr. Smith,” but forget to put punctuation after “Sincerely”

10. Letter Formatting Placement on Page
If a one-page letter, center “vertically” on page.
Word: Page Setup, Layout, Page, Vertical Alignment—Center
A 2-inch top margin may also be appropriate.
Leave at least 1-inch at the bottom of the page if 2-page letter.
Spacing
Single-spaced body with double-spacing between paragraphs.
REFER TO SECTION 13 OF THE GREGG REFERENCE MANUAL FOR MORE INFORMATION.

11. The format of a memo is more flexible.
Memo Formatting
Traditional Memo TO
FROM
DATE
SUBJECT
Simplified Memo
Headings are omitted
Format is more like a simplified letter
The format of a memo is more flexible.

13. Memo Formatting Use 1-inch top margin Use Plain Paper (not letterhead)
Use 1-inch side margins
Make guide words (TO, FROM, DATE, SUBJECT) All Caps.
Double-space guide words.
2 to 3 spaces between SUBJECT and body of memo.
Set a tab so entries following guide words will all block at left.

15. Letters and Memos Templates
In Word (and other word processing programs), there are templates that make formatting these documents easier.

16. Folding and Inserting Letters In Envelopes

17. Assignment for Next Week
KEY letters and memos assignment (for a grade). Handout.
READ Chapter and DO Checkpoints for Chapter 3: Developing Business Messages.
Complete Applications:
1: a through e only
2: a through e only
3: All
5: a, b, c only
7: a, b, c only
15: a through e only
18: use Editing Symbols in Appendix B