What Is A Letter Of Transmittal? (With Examples)

A letter of transmittal, sometimes called a transmittal letter, is a letter that accompanies something passed between companies or departments, most often documentation. It can serve several different purposes, such as informing the recipient of what they need to do with what they receive, such as sign it, or why it’s being transmitted.

Transmittal letters are professional documents, so they should be businesslike and informative. If you think you might need to include a letter of transmittal with something you send, or you just want to know what one is and when it’s needed this article will explain how and when to write a transmittal letter.

Key Takeaways:

• A letter of transmittal is a business letter that accompanies a document to clarify information about the document

• Letter of transmittal can be used when passing on confidential information, financial records, and proposals.

• A letter of transmittal should have a formal heading, state the purpose of the letter, provide details/instructions, and should end with a thank you, contact information, and a professional signature.

• Letter of transmittals should be concise and proofread.

What is a letter of transmittal?

Letters of transmittal are usually short and professional. They include the recipient’s information as well as the sender’s contact information, in case a follow-up is required. Transmittal letters can be included for several reasons, such as to:

• Provide instructions. Sometimes the receiver will need to take do something with what they receive. Most often this will be signing a document, or sending an acknowledgment of receipt. In that case, the letter of transferal makes it clear that action is required on the part of the transferee.

• Reiterate important points. There are instances where highlighting the important parts of an enclosed document is helpful or necessary. This will most often be the case when the recipient has requested something from the sender, such as research. The sender will then summarize their findings in the letter of transmittal.

• Address changes. If the document or package is going to be different from what the receiver expects, then a letter of transmittal can clarify why that is. This can be a case of changes to a project, finding unexpected results, or explaining the reasoning for a change.

• Act as a preface. Depending on what is being sent, sometimes adding a preface will make it easier to understand. A letter of transmittal can give some background information on what’s being sent, and explain why it’s important that the recipient have it.

• Be an official record of transference. In the cases of businesses or legal practices, it can be imperative to keep a written record. Having a dated letter of transmittal shows when the package was transferred, to whom it was transferred, and who was responsible for sending it. It’s a way to keep track of the transaction.

When to use a letter of transmittal

Letters of transmittal serve several different purposes, such as acting as a record or an explanation. There are certain types of documents — such as ones that contain sensitive infuriation — where it’s a good idea to send a letter of transferal. Here are some examples:

• Confidential documents or any sensitive material. You might need to give your recipient a heads up if they’re dealing with confidential material so they know that it can’t be shared. This can prevent any sharing of private documents, so be clear when dealing with sensitive documents.

• Financial reports. Sometimes financial reports require context and explanation, so if you’re sharing something complicated like financial reports, don’t hesitate to include some extra clarification.

• Proposals. You might need to distill your proposal down into a few sentences just so your reader knows what they’re getting into before they read the full document. You can also take this opportunity to remind your recipient who you are and why you’re sharing the proposal with them.

• Technical documents. When sending technical documents, it’s especially important to consider your audience. Think about what they wouldn’t understand and try to address any questions before they even get to the document.

Other times you may want to use a transmittal letter include:

• To instruct the recipient to take an action with the document you’ve sent

• To describe how a plan has changed course or met with challenges

• To send a draft that needs to be approved or reviewed

• To explain why a document should be read

• To emphasize the key findings of a report

• To describe the result of a project

How to write a letter of transmittal

For a letter of transmittal, you’ll want to follow the standard business letter format. Make sure to include a formal heading or use a professional letterhead, a professional greeting, your reason for writing in the opening paragraph, and a thank you in your closing paragraph.

Here’s a step-by-step guide of what to include in your letter of transmittal:

• Use a formal heading. Start your letter with a formal heading, including your name and information, the date, and the recipient’s information. This way, you follow business correspondence etiquette, and there’s a clear record of who is involved in the correspondence in case the documents are confidential.

• State the purpose of the letter. In the first paragraph, you need to tell your recipient why you’re writing and who you are if they don’t already know you. It doesn’t need to be a lengthy introduction or explanation; you can do this in a few sentences but make sure it’s clear who you are and what the attached documents are about.

• Go into details. The next paragraph should cover the name of the attached document and what the document is about, plus any extra explanation it might need. Think about any project details or technical concepts that might need to be explained in order for your recipient to understand the document. You can also include essential points from the document to reiterate or emphasize them if it makes sense.

• Give any instructions. If your recipient needs to do something, like sign the document, or there’s something expected of them, make sure to spell it out in your letter of transmittal. Don’t be afraid to present any instructions or expectations point-blank since you want to make sure they know there’s something they need to do.

• Thank them and give your contact info. In your last paragraph, make sure to thank the recipient for their time, cooperation, feedback, or any relevant action. You should also provide your contact information so they can follow up with you or get any clarification about the document. It’s impossible to fully prepare someone for a document in a short letter of transmittal, so give them a way to reach out if something is unclear.

• Use a professional signature. Don’t forget to include a professional sign off and sign your letter if it’s a physical copy.

Letter of transmittal template

Your Name
Your Job Title
Your Company Name
Your Company Address

The Date

Recipient’s Name
Recipient’s Job Title
Recipient’s Company Name
Recipient’s Company Address

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

Explain who you are, why you’re writing, and what the attached document(s) are about.
Provide detail about why the attached document is important, give easily understandable context to help the reader appreciate the document’s content, and/or emphasize key points
State any instructions or requests you have for the recipient. Make sure your request is clear and stands out visually so that the reader won’t miss it
Thank the reader, offer to provide additional information upon request, and provide your contact information.

Sincerely,

[signature]
Your Name

Letter of transmittal example

John Doe
Account Manager
ABC Company
123 Main St
City, State 12345

November 12, 2020

Jane Smith
Director of Marketing
XYZ Company
123 Street Rd
City, State 1235

Dear Mrs. Smith,

Please find our final campaign report, XYZ Company Report, attached to this letter. This report includes all of the data from the marketing campaign we ran for your company, including an analysis of key results and proposals for future projects.

Our analysis shows that your sales greatly improved with our marketing efforts, particularly in the paid search campaigns. I’d also like to highlight that this campaign’s ROI was extremely high, particularly for a campaign with our limited budget. We have included suggestions for future work and marketing plans that we can enact together if you choose to work with us again.

If you have any further questions or would like to go over any of the data, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or anyone on my team that you worked with. I can be reached on my cell phone at (123)-456-7890 or by email at john@abccompany.com. Thank you for the opportunity to work with XYZ Company, and we hope you find the results of this campaign as successful as we do.

Sincerely,

[signature]
John Doe

June 20, 2023

Lynn Wong
123 Maple Street
Springfield, IL 62701

Dear Lynn Wong:

This is to confirm delivery of the 25 chairs that you ordered on April 16, 2023, order no. 431731780 to the above address on Jun 30, 2023. Expected delivery time is between 11 AM and 4 PM on that day.

Please confirm receipt of this message via email or through our online portal before the end of business hours on Jun 26th or your order will automatically be rescheduled.

If this date or location no longer works for you, we’re happy to come to alternate arrangements.

Thank you for choosing the Little Furniture Outlet!

Sincerely,

Elliot Klien
Logistics Associate
eklien@llittlefurniture.com
555-774-1245

Tips for writing a letter of transmittal

The most important parts of writing a letter of transmittal are following the standard business format and keeping your message concise yet thorough. Here are a few more things to keep in mind as you draft your letter:

• Keep it light. You want to keep a friendly and professional tone, no matter what you’re attaching in the included document. Transmittal letters are formal, but you can be a bit more casual with your tone since there’s another professional document attached.

• Keep it concise. Since you’re attaching another longer document, you can keep your letter of transmittal short and sweet. Just hit the points that you need to and don’t include any extra fluff. This letter is only meant to introduce and accompany your actual document.

• Have an extra copy. Just in case, it’s a good idea to keep an extra copy of your letter on hand. You or the recipient might need it for reference in the future.

• Make sure to proofread. As with any professional document, make sure you proofread your letter before you send it. Keep your letter writing skills in mind and double-check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

• Don’t forget the document. It happens to the best of us when we draft an email and say that we’re going to attach a document but forget to do it. With a letter of transmittal, you want to make sure you include the document you’re writing about.

• Double-check you included all necessary information. Make sure that all of the required information is there. A quick way to check is just to make sure that you’ve answered the who, what, where, when, and why, as appropriate. Plus, a way of contacting you if they have any questions.

• Follow company format. Your company might have a transmittal letter template that they prefer you to use. They might also have policies in place for authorizing and approving such letters and the documents they go alongside, so make sure to ask a seasoned coworker if you’re unsure of the correct procedure.

Final thoughts

A letter of transmittal is the perfect thing to include when you’re sending over a complicated document, especially to someone outside of your company or team. They help to explain the document’s contents, emphasize its key points, and record who has seen the document.

Letter of transmittal FAQ

1. What is in a letter of transmittal?

A letter of transmittal must have a business letter format that explains the purpose of the accompanying document. A good letter of transmittal will have a heading, an introduction, details or instructions regarding the attached document, and a professional closing. A letter of transmittal should be clear and concise about its purpose.

2. What is the difference between a transmittal and submittal?

The difference between a transmittal and a submittal is that a transmittal is sent along with additional documents, while a submittal is a document for review. Letter of transmittals will explain the nature of the attached documents. Submittals are simply documents that need to be reviewed by another party.

3. Are letters of transmittals necessary?

Yes, letters of transmittals are necessary when you are sending important documents to someone who does not understand the nature of the documents. A letter of transmittal clarifies the nature of the attached documents. This helps prevent confusion or other issues that may negatively affect any of the parties involved.

References

1. University of Maryland Global Campus — Writing Your Letter of Transmittal

Author

Amanda Covaleski

Amanda is a writer with experience in various industries, including travel, real estate, and career advice. After taking on internships and entry-level jobs, she is familiar with the job search process and landing that crucial first job. Included in her experience is work at an employer/intern matching startup where she marketed an intern database to employers and supported college interns looking for work experience.