The seven parts of a business letter

While this seven-part structure was initially intended for physical business letters, it can also be used for important business emails. Here’s a brief overview of the seven parts of a professional business letter.

1. Sender’s address
2. Date
3. Recipient’s address
4. Salutation
5. Body
6. Closing/signature
7. Enclosures notations

When it comes to business letters with enclosures, it’s important to know what they are, why they’re important, where to write them and how to write them.

What is an enclosure notation?

An enclosure notation lets the reader know other documents are enclosed or attached within the letter or email in question. A business letter with enclosures usually has the enclosure notation as both a practical backup and a formality.

The importance of an enclosure notation

So, why is an enclosure notation important anyway? An enclosure notation is more than just a meaningless formality and serves several significant purposes.

Lets the reader know to look out for extra paperwork

Without an enclosure notation, a reader might easily overlook any enclosed or attached files. This can lead to avenues of miscommunication and misunderstanding, ultimately impacting the business relationship in question.

Never assume that the reader will automatically do a thorough check to see what else is attached or enclosed in the business letter. There’s every chance they could miss it — especially if they’re not used to relying on business letter enclosures.

Back up if you forget

In the unfortunate event that you forget to include your business letter enclosure, the enclosure notation will let the reader know. This way, they can reach out to you to request the missing enclosure. Without this, there could be a lot of misunderstanding without the reader knowing why.

Showing professionalism

If you’re expecting to be taken seriously on a professional level, it makes sense to familiarize yourself with professional correspondence practices. Presentation is everything in the professional world, from how your dress to how you communicate.

Including an enclosure notation when sending a business letter with enclosures subtly lets the other person know you’re serious about your work.

Where is an enclosure notation located?

An enclosure notation should always be located at the very end of the correspondence. In general, it will be three lines below your signature at the bottom.

This way, readers are reminded to look for enclosures at a time that’s suitable for them to check. It would hardly make sense to mention it at the beginning only to load their minds with other topics, likely leading them to forget about the attachment.

Using an enclosure abbreviation

Abbreviations are a massive part of written communication in business and personal settings. Being collectively aware of abbreviations allows for more streamlined communication between individuals.

There are quite a number of business letter enclosure abbreviations.The following style is suitable to indicate two enclosures:

Enclosures (2)

This method is appropriate when listing separate items:

Encl: product brochure (1), product photos (2)

Just writing Enc. is also a perfectly acceptable enclosure abbreviation to use.

Try not to overload the recipient with too many enclosures. Do your best to ensure that the enclosures actually contribute value to your message.

Sample of a business letter enclosure

While all this might be helpful information, it can often be difficult to learn something without seeing it being done directly. Learning by example is an effective way to really absorb new things.

Mr. Tom Smith, CEO
AMZ Corp.
12345 AMZ Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 57710
(612) 767-3368

December 1, 2021

Ms. Mary White, VP of Sales & Marketing
SinoTech
9876 SinoTech Way
San Francisco, CA 95113

Dear Ms. White:

I hope this letter/email finds you well. I’m writing in relation to organizing a free consultation about SinoTech’s new client management software. We are a fast-growing company and looking for something that will take or client management and sales productivity to the next level.

I hope to arrange a meeting to explore possibilities with you and look forward to speaking with you at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,

Tom Smith, CEO

Enclosures: AMZ Corp. brochure

Mastering enclosure notations

Whether you’re preparing to write a business email or a physical letter, knowing how to properly include an enclosure notation will take your professional communication to the next level.

Keep these simple tips in mind when drafting your next correspondence and communicate like a professional.

FAQs about business letters with enclosures

Can I include as many enclosures as I need?

While there’s no formal limit on how many enclosures you should leave, it’s never a good idea to overload the reader. Having too many enclosures or email attachments can lead to the recipient becoming overwhelmed. This can ultimately reduce the effectiveness of your correspondence.

What should I do if there are no enclosures?

Generally speaking, you don’t need to leave an enclosure notation unless you’re including enclosures. However, if you really feel like being meticulous and ensuring there’s no confusion, you can also do the following:

Enclosure (none)

This will ensure that your recipient has no doubts about whether something should have been attached or enclosed. However, it’s not necessary and people don’t generally do this.

What happens if I omit an enclosure notation?

There aren’t really any solid consequences to not including an enclosure notation, and ultimately it’s your choice. However, you do run the risk of contributing to confusion about whether there were supposed to be attachments or not.

Additionally, if your recipient is accustomed to seeing enclosure notations in correspondence, not having one might lead them to subconsciously think less of your professionalism and capabilities. Needless to say, this is an undesirable outcome.

Business Enclosure Notation Template for PDF & Word

Use this template to effectively write a business letter with an enclosure notation that lets the reader know other documents are attached within.

*Indeed provides these examples as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your HR or legal adviser, and none of these documents reflect current labor or employment regulations.