Business Documents

Different Types of Office Documents | Different Letter Styles | Letter - Full Block | Letter - Block | Letter - Semi Block

Different Types of Documents Written in an Office

There are numerous different written forms of communication in the office.

Some of these include:

• Business letters – for example a letter of complaint, confirmation of receipt of an item or an arrangement, a letter of enquiry requesting information, ordering of goods.

• Memorandums (Memos) – used usually for internal messages. The message should be short and to the point.

• Facsimile (Fax) – is usually used for the transmission of urgent information. The Swaggies Fax forms set out the same information as a business letterhead.

• Short Reports – Click on Help – How to write a Report – these are used to communicate more complex information. Their length will vary and will be presented in report format ie: the use of headings, sub-headings, dot-points, tables, diagrams & illustrations where appropriate. They may involve research, graphics, bibliography and a number of drafts.

• Notice of Meetings – This is a brief, to the point communication to designated people information, about forthcoming meetings. It will include dates, venue and possibly topics.

• Meeting Agenda – this is a plan of the items to be discussed at a specific meeting. Swaggies uses their own special form for this.

• Minutes of a Meeting – this is the official record of proceedings at a meeting.  The Minutes follow a specific format :

Different Letter Styles

There are 3 main ways business letters are set out:

1. Fully Block Style
2. Block Style
3. Semi-Block Style

Punctuation styles can also vary:

1. Open punctuation is where only the body of the letter is punctuated. This is most common in the fully Bloch style letter.
2. Mixed punctuation is where the body of the letter and some other parts of the letter are punctuated. This is more common with the Semi Block style letter.

 

With the advent of computers, the Fully Block Style with open punctuation is the most common. When you are working in an office you will need to find out which style the organisation uses.

 Letter - Full Block

Click to view

 Letter - Block

Click to view

 Letter - Semi Block

Click to view