CHAPTER 11
Transmittal letters
Letters that accompany enclosed material are frequently referred to as transmittal letters. Their chief function is to identify the material that is enclosed. This chapter features many of the more common forms of transmittal letters that you may have to write.
Many of the letters in this chapter can be sent as emails or as attachments to emails. For those letters that can be adapted to emails, it’s simple enough to copy the text of the sample letter into the text of your email. If written as an email, you’d refer to “attachments” rather than “enclosures,” but the text of the message would remain fundamentally the same.
Letters Transmitting Payment
Sample Letters 11.1 through 11.6 are examples of transmittal letters that were written to accompany payment.
Sample Letter 11.1 is a standard transmittal of payment on account letter. The letter writer clearly identifies the amount enclosed and the purpose of the payment. He closes by thanking the reader for her services.
Sample Letter 11.1. Transmittal of payment on account.
[date]
Ms. Alice D. Edwards
Tisk-a-Disk Office Supplies
76 Tuscon Drive
Lake Forest, KY 40034
My check for $75.42 is enclosed. This is my final payment on my order number 73A2 for office supplies for Kearney Public Relations, Inc., placed on March 30, 20X8.
Thank you for extending us the credit. We appreciate the service you provided us.
Sincerely,
Allen T. Quagmire
Office Manager
atq/fwd
enc.
Sample Letter 11.2 was sent to transmit a payment that was different from the total on an invoice. Here the letter writer indicates the amount he is transmitting, explains the discrepancy, and asks the reader to call if there’s any confusion about the account.
Sample Letter 11.2. Letter transmitting payment in a different amount from invoice.
[date]
Mr. Brandt Henry
Quimby Office Supplies, Inc.
312 Respite Way
Santiago, ID 83256
Dear Mr. Henry:
Enclosed is my check for $27.22 to cover payment of stationery supplies I purchased from your company. You’ll notice that the amount does not match the amount stated on the invoice dated April 30, 20X1. This is undoubtedly because my check of May 5, 20X1, in the amount $67.25, was not credited to my account.
Please call me if there is any problem with my account. If I do not hear from you I will assume that my account has been paid in full.
Sincerely,
Zachary T. LeBoeuf
ztl/pcd
enc.
Sample Letter 11.3 was sent to transmit payment to a speaker whom the letter writer found to be outstanding. The writer announces in the first paragraph that the payment is enclosed, but goes on to praise the speaker for playing such an integral role in the success of the convention at which he spoke. The writer clearly is pleased with the speaker’s performance.
Sample Letter 11.4 was written to a speaker who was not particularly outstanding. The letter writer indicates that she is transmitting payment and thanks the speaker for his participation. Nowhere does she complain about the speaker’s performance. She simply does not lay on as much praise as the writer did in Sample Letter 11.3. Sample Letter 11.4 is a courteous letter used to transmit payment.
Sample Letter 11.3. Letter transmitting payment to outstanding speaker.
[date]
Mr. James Lewis
Funny for Money, Inc.
228 West 78th Street
Manhattan, KS 66056
Dear Mr. Lewis:
Enclosed is a check covering your speaking fee for the luncheon speech you delivered at our group’s annual convention.
Once again, the annual convention of the Association of Internal Auditors (AIA) met with the resounding approval of its membership. On their evaluation forms, our members rated your talk as one of the top speeches given during the four-day convention.
Thank you for helping to make our convention a success. We hope to call on you again to enlighten our group.
Sincerely,
Oscar D. Terradect
Convention Director
ODT:jls
enc.
Sample Letter 11.4. Letter transmitting payment to not-so-great speaker.
[date]
Mr. Martin Laramy
Modifier Parries Company
312 West Main Street
Boonton, NJ 07005
Dear Mr. Laramy:
Enclosed is a check for your appearance as a speaker at our weekend retreat in Chatham. Thank you for agreeing to speak to our group of brokers.
Once again, our brokers found the retreat to be a useful time to gather and share knowledge with fellow professionals.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Sheila T. Picksups
stp/fwd
enc.
Sample Letter 11.5 was written to transmit payment to a reviewer of a manuscript. The letter is brief but clear. The letter writer states the amount enclosed and thanks the reader for his services.
Sample Letter 11.5. Letter transmitting payment to reviewer.
[date]
Professor Adam R. Ecuamen
Holiday University
67 Right Venere Hall
Holiday, NM 87045
Dear Professor Ecuamen:
Enclosed please find your check for $250 for the recent review you did for me. I appreciate the time and effort you put into it.
I hope to be able to call on you again.
Sincerely,
Edward Colen
Program Director
EC/jh
enc.
Sample Letter 11.6 was written to accompany the final payment of an account.
Sample Letter 11.6. Letter transmitting final payment of an account.
[date]
Mr. David Palay
Sales Director
Grand Forks Parts, Inc.
55 Lincoln Drive
Boonton, NY 10008
Dear Mr. Palay:
Enclosed is my check for $543.95, which is the final payment on the two heavy-duty retractors I ordered on July 30 from Grand Forks Parts. We are very pleased with the parts we purchased and thank you for the generous payment schedule you set up for us.
Sincerely,
Alan Jacobs
President
Enc.
Letter Transmitting Contracts
Sample Letter 11.7 is an example of a letter that was written to transmit contracts. It was sent to transmit a representation agreement. The letter writer indicates in the first paragraph what she is enclosing and what the reader must do. The writer offers to furnish any explanation if it is needed, and closes by expressing delight over the prospect of working with her new client.
Sample Letter 11.7. Transmittal of representation agreement.
[date]
Ms. Adrienne D. Storm
54 Cadillac Road
Water Hills, CA 90023
Dear Adrienne:
Enclosed are two copies of a representation agreement. Please countersign one copy and return it to me. Of course, if you have any questions, feel free to call.
I’m delighted that we’ll be working together, Adrienne. I look forward to a long and productive relationship.
Best regards,
Vanessa J. Jewett
vjj/jjm
Enclosures
Letters Transmitting Requested Materials
Sample Letters 11.8 and 11.9 were written to accompany material that had been requested. Both letters are short and serve only to confirm what is being transmitted.
Sample Letter 11.8. Transmittal of requested materials.
[date]
Robert E. Black
51 Trevor Avenue
Dorfleck, NJ 07010
Dear Bob:
Enclosed are printouts of the results of the calculations you requested for the insurance rate of return if you were to buy term insurance instead of whole life and invest the difference in cost. I used our new five-year renewable and convertible term rates, which include a $40 policy fee.
Please feel free to call me if you have any questions.
Best regards,
Mary T. Amock
mta/mld
encl.
Sample Letter 11.9. Transmittal of supplies.
[date]
Mr. Lawrence R. Effredge
Effredge and St. Paul, Inc.
186-A Savin Road
Rontclen, NH 03068
TRANSMITTAL OF STATIONERY
Larry, enclosed are approximately 500 sheets of stationery and 500 envelopes for your project. We hope you like them, and that they will be useful for your project.
Please call me if you need any further assistance.
LEONARD D. DELB
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
LDD:pt
ENC.
Letter Transmitting Manuscript
Sample Letter 11.10 was written by an editor to an author to accompany the copy-edited manuscript of an article the reader had written. The editor instructs the author what he is to do with the copyedited manuscript. This letter could easily be written as an email without significant changes being made to the text of the letter. Remember, however, to substitute “the attached . . .” for “the enclosed . . .” as needed.
Sample Letter 11.10. Transmittal of edited copy.
[date]
Mr. Allen T. Price
Price & Price Company, Inc.
17 Metro Drive
Horticulture, AK 99556
Dear Allen:
Enclosed for your review is an edited copy of your article, which will appear in an upcoming issue of Guam City Magazine. Please look it over and telephone me in the copyediting department within 72 hours. Alert us to any factual inaccuracies. We will not be able to accept substantive editorial changes at this time, owing to the time constraints of our production schedule.
Your immediate attention to this matter will expedite our production process. You need not mail back the enclosed copy.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Lauren J. Palay
Copyediting Supervisor
ljp/kka
enc.
Letter Transmitting Manuscript to Reviewer
Sample Letter 11.11 is an example of a letter written to accompany a manuscript that was being transmitted to a reviewer. This transmittal letter is an excellent model to use when sending out a manuscript for review to a first-time reviewer. This letter could easily be written as an email without significant changes being made to the text of the letter. Remember, however, to substitute “the attached. . .” for “the enclosed. . .” as needed.
Sample Letter 11.11. Transmittal of instructions to reviewer.
[date]
Mr. Jeffrey L. Jacobs
Rice & Hall, Inc.
4567 Yourow Place
Falstaff, NJ 07045
SIX POINTS TO COVER IN A REVIEW
Mr. Jacobs, thank you for agreeing to review Electronmagnetics Today. You will find the manuscript enclosed. In looking over the manuscript, would you comment on the following:
1. Is the material well organized, up-to-date, and accurate? If not, please include a sample of specific criticisms.
2. Has the author placed too much emphasis upon certain topics? Should any be excluded? Added? Transposed? Please feel free to suggest changes.
3. Are the vocabulary and information suited to the intended target market?
4. What are the current trends in this area? Does this manuscript reflect them?
5. If this text were now available in published form, would you use it, or recommend its use?
6. Please make any suggestions you have for improving the manuscript.
We do not identify the reviewer to the author, so please do not let your name appear anywhere on your review.
If possible, we would like to have two copies of your review within three weeks. If you cannot complete it by then, please let me know. We will be happy to send you an honorarium of $225 for your assistance with this project.
Thank you for your efforts. If you should have any questions, please call me at 343-555-6754.
MAXWELL L. NICHOLAS
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
mln/jls
enc.
Letter Transmitting Final Invoice
Sample Letter 11.12 was written to accompany a final invoice that was being transmitted to a customer. The letter writer expresses pleasure at having been able to serve the customer. He then indicates that a final invoice is enclosed.
Sample Letter 11.12. Transmittal of final invoice.
[date]
Ms. Annmarie L. Long
186 Grampian Street
Alexander, WI 53021
Dear Annmarie:
It was a great pleasure having your reception/luncheon/dance in the London Room. We do hope that you and your guests were pleased with all of the services provided.
Enclosed you will find the completed invoice for your function. If you have any questions about it, please do not hesitate to call us.
We look forward to the opportunity to be of service to you again in the near future.
Sincerely,
R. David Lawrence
Director of Marketing
RDL/jls
encl.