You will prepare memos, faxes, and e-mail on the job more frequently than any other kind of writing. They are all quick, easy, effective vehicles for communicating with coworkers within your company and colleagues outside it. Each is streamlined to give busy readers information fast. But despite their brevity and the fact that they are routine, these forms of communication all require a great deal of thought and time. Each is a vital piece of documentation and as such requires your best written work.

Memos
The chief function of a memo is to record information of immediate importance and interest: announcing a company policy, alerting readers to a problem or deadline, reminding readers about a meeting, and so on. Memos are important tools for companies and reflect company politics, policies, and organization. They are sent down the administrative ladder from executives to middle managers to employees and up the ladder from employees to supervisors. Learn your company's protocols regarding memos.

Memos look different from letters, with a more streamlined, less formal format. Basically, a memo consists of two parts: the identifying information at the top, and the message itself. At the top, identify for whom the memo has been written, who is sending it, the subject, and the date. The subject line serves as the memo's title.

The style and tone you use in a memo will be determined by your audience: you can use a casual tone in a memo to a coworker you know well, but you should use a more formal tone in a memo to your boss. It's important to organize your memos well. Most longer memos consist of an introduction, a discussion, and a conclusion. In the introduction, tell readers what prompted you to write (such as a problem or question about a specific procedure or policy), and provide any necessary background information. In the discussion section, or body, indicate what changes are necessary to address that problem or question. In the conclusion, state specifically how you want the reader to respond.

Faxes
Faxes are still widely used in business. They are particularly useful for sending copies of documents and graphics. Always include your phone number on your fax in case the recipient needs to verify your message or has trouble receiving the fax. Avoid writing comments in the margins or along the top or bottom of the page, as these may not be legible on the receiving end. Avoid sending very long faxes to people. Remember that the confidentiality of faxes is difficult to safeguard; unless the recipient has his or her own secured fax machine, anyone in the receiving office can read your fax.

E-mail
E-mail has revolutionized the way messages are sent and received in the world of work. E-mail is easy and immediate and allows people to exchange a wide variety of documents. It is especially valuable for collaborative writing. The tone of e-mail is informal, like a polite, friendly telephone conversation. Remember, however, that business e-mail must always be professional.

Because employers own their internal e-mail systems, they have the right to monitor what you write. Therefore, you should never use business e-mail to send personal messages. Remember too that e-mail can be saved, stored, forwarded, and intercepted; never send a message by e-mail that you wouldn't want to see on your company's bulletin board.

Follow the rules of "Netiquette" concerning e-mail. Respond promptly to your e-mail; don't let it pile up in your inbox. When you send out an e-mail, send it only to people who will be interested in it; don't inflate your distribution list. Delete long lists of previous messages when you reply to a message, and don't send long attachments without obtaining the recipient's permission.

Do not type in all capital letters. Keep paragraphs and lines short. Put the most important part of your message first, since some people receive a lot of e-mail and may read only the first few lines. Use a concise, direct subject line to gain your reader's attention. Don't write in telegram style; use an easy, natural tone. Avoid unfamiliar abbreviations. Finally, keep e-mail messages relatively short.

Many types of data can be sent via e-mail: notes, spreadsheets, pictures, even video and sound clips. To take advantage of this functionality, learn how to send and receive e-mail attachments. (You may need to coordinate operating systems or applications, such as word processing programs, with your recipients.)