Formal Document Structure and Elements

Posted on Jun 11, 2025 in English

Official Note Elements

  • 1. Issuer’s Information: Full name (capitalized), position, company (if external), and signature.
  • 2. Complimentary Greeting.
  • 3. Recipient’s Information: Full name (capitalized), position, and company (if external).
  • 4. Message: The main content of the note.
  • 5. Name Reiteration: Reiteration of names, using appropriate titles (e.g., Mr., Ms.).
  • 6. Place and Date of Issue.
  • 7. Optional RSVP: For invitations, include “SCA 6994227” or “RSVP 6,994,227” to confirm attendance.

Certificate Document Structure

  • 1. Letterhead: Business name, category, phone, fax, address, and city.
  • 2. Title and Serial Number: The word “CERTIFICATE” and a serial number. In some public certificates, this number (sometimes called a folio) is placed at the end.
  • 3. Body: Exposition of relevant facts and, where appropriate, positive assessments of the individuals concerned.
  • 4. Intent: Indicated by a sentence specifying if it is general or special. In some public or private certificates, legal arguments may be included to support its issuance and/or validity, often with a validity period counted from the date of its creation.
  • 5. Place and Date of Issue.
  • 6. Signatory Formula: Name of the issuing company (capitalized).
  • 7. Issuer’s Signature: Signature, name, and position of the issuer.
  • 8. Responsibility Initials.

Memorandum Document Components

  • 1. Letterhead: Contains the company name and the department issuing the document.
  • 2. Title and Serial Number: The word “MEMORANDUM” and a serial number.
  • 3. Place and Date of Issue: The city name is written entirely in uppercase, followed by the month (lowercase), day, and year.
  • 4. Issuer’s Information: Title, name, and position of the issuer.
  • 5. Recipient’s Information: Title, name, and position of the recipient.
  • 6. Reference (Subject Line): A concise summary of the content.
  • 7. Salutation (Vocative): The initial greeting (e.g., “Dear Sir/Madam,” “To Whom It May Concern,” “For Your Highest Consideration”).
  • 8. Message Body: Contains all information the sender wishes to convey. It should be concise.
  • 9. Closing: Typically uses complimentary closings (e.g., “Sincerely,” “Cordially”).
  • 10. Issuer’s Signature: Signature, name, and position of the issuer.
  • 11. Responsibility Initials: Initials of the intellectual author (signer) are capitalized, while those of the material preparer (e.g., secretary) are lowercase.
  • 12. Enclosures (Annexes): Names of documents accompanying the memorandum, when applicable.
  • 13. Carbon Copy (Cc): Indicates who received a copy of the document.

Types of Formal Reports

  • Routine
  • Memorandum
  • Standardized
  • Special
  • Academic

Business Letter Key Elements

  • Letterhead: Identifies the issuing company, including at least: company name, category, phone, fax, address, and city.
  • Place and Date: Written with the city name capitalized and not abbreviated, followed by a comma, day, month (lowercase), and year.
  • Reference (Ref): A concise summary of the letter’s content, typically starting with “Ref.” or “REF.”.
  • Internal Address: Identifies the recipient, including: Name, title, company, address, and city. If the letter is hand-delivered or faxed, the address and city may be omitted, and “THIS” (or “DELIVERED”) may be written instead.
  • Salutation (Vocative): A word or phrase that addresses the recipient. It should not be abbreviated and is followed by a colon. Examples: “Dear Sir/Madam,” “To Whom It May Concern,” “For Your Attention,” “For Your Consideration.”
  • Message Body: Contains all information to be transmitted to the recipient. Ideally, it is divided into short paragraphs.
  • Closing: Should not be abbreviated and is followed by a comma. Examples: “Sincerely,” “Best Regards,” “Respectfully Yours.”
  • Signatory Formula: The company name written entirely in capital letters.
  • Signature, Name, and Title of the Issuer.
  • Responsibility Initials: Initials of the intellectual author (signer) are capitalized, and those of the material preparer (e.g., secretary) are lowercase. If the same person is responsible for both, their initials are repeated.
  • Enclosures (Attachments): Names of documents or items accompanying the letter.
  • Carbon Copy (Cc): Indicates copies sent to third parties and for filing.