The most common abbreviations and acronyms to use in business writing
The Abbreviation for Business & Other Important Business Abbreviations
If you are using the language of the business world, or at least are trying to, then you know how often abbreviations are used. Knowing the acronym for business is not enough to communicate with co-workers, clients, or bosses through emails or letters.
Even though there are hundreds of different business letter abbreviations, here are some of the most commonly used.
Biz — The Abbreviation for “Business”
Let’s start with the basic abbreviation — the one we use for business. It’s “biz” — just like we pronounce the beginning of the word “business.”
Attn — The Abbreviation for “Attention”
We use this abbreviation when calling someone’s attention to something we write in a letter or email.
Re — The Abbreviation for “Regarding”
This one is used to explain what the topic of the letter or conversation is.
Dept. and Bldg. — The Abbreviations for “Department” and “Building”
You can find these abbreviations in the letterheads when writing something from a company.
Dir., Asst., and Mgr. — The Abbreviations for “Director,” “Assistant,” and “Manager”
All three abbreviations explain the position of someone in the company, usually stated at the end of letters. Remember that these abbreviations are always capitalized.
Etc. — The Abbreviation for “Etcetera” or “And Others”
This is one of the most common abbreviations and not just in business writing. Use it instead of listing more things or giving more examples than necessary.
Intl./Int. — The Abbreviation for “International”
The word “international” has more than one abbreviation, but the most commonly used is “Intl.” Use it about something that will be happening or is happening on a global level. Look at 5 different ways on how to abbreviate “International”
Abbreviations for Other Important Business Terms
Here are several more business abbreviations you should be aware of:
Acct. – Account
BGT. – Budget
Pc. – Percent
OOO. – Out of office
Approx. – Approximately
BAT – Business action theory
Trnsfr – Transfer
Trd – Trade
YTD – Year to date
Ttl – Total
TBD – To be determined
B2B – Business to business
BKPR – Bookkeeper
