You’ve been hired as a staff accountant; one of your major duties will be processing expense reimbursements. Going through the files, you find this form memo:
Subject: Reimbursements
Enclosed are either receipts that we could not match with the items in your request for reimbursement or a list of items for which we found no receipts or both. Please be advised that the Accounting Department issues reimbursement checks only with full documentation. You cannot be reimbursed until you give us a receipt for each item for which you desire reimbursement. We must ask that you provide this information. This process may be easier if you use the Expense Report Form, which is available online.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions.
You know this memo is horrible. Employees have to use the Expense Report Form; it is not optional. In addition to wordiness, a total lack of positive emphasis and you-attitude, and a vague subject line, the document design and organization of information bury the request. Create a new memo that could be sent to people who do not provide all the documentation they need in order to be reimbursed.