“FYI” stands for “for your information,” and an FYI letter should be used to convey a short, non-technical message. This message typically consists of need-to-know information—information that the recipient needs to know to perform a new job or complete an unfamiliar process. You can also use FYI letters to discuss company news or emphasize a point from a recent meeting. FYI letters need not be long. In fact, the body of an FYI letter can consist of a single sentence if that is all the information you need to convey.

If you were a shipping company, for instance, an example of a need-to-know could be that a large shipment has been diverted, and your recipient may be the manager of the warehouse that will receive the goods.  Or you may simply need to inform the manager that efficiency in his warehouse has dropped significantly in a given time frame. Retailers often send FYI letters to prospective clients via postcards. You may want to do this if you’re introducing a new product or offering a sale.  Postcards are also an efficient, inexpensive way to alert customers or associates about a change of address or other contact information.

You can also use the abbreviation “Re:” to begin an FYI letter. It isn’t necessary to use the term “FYI:” itself—unless you prefer it. When communicating via email, you can simply summarize the reason that you’re contacting the recipient in the “subject” line. If you are using an FYI letter to convey extremely important information—such as a product recall-use a formal tone and get right to the point.

Format: typed via typewriter or word processor on letterhead or postcard.