Some reports, however, require follow-up action more immediately, by either the writer or the readers. For example, a writer addressing a group of supervisors might define what he or she is going to do about a problem discussed in the memo. A supervisor might use the action component to delegate tasks for other employees to accomplish. In writing the action component of a memo, be sure to define clearly who is to do what and when. Each memo is written by a specific writer to a specific audience for a specific purpose.
Every memo is unique.
Nevertheless, it is possible to define broad categories of memos according to the functions they fulfill. The Directive In the directive memo, you define a policy or procedure you want your readers to follow. For short memos, to prevent the appearance of bluntness, the explanation should precede the directive. For longer memos, the actual directive might preceded the detailed explanation. This strategy will ensure that the readers will not overlook the directive.