ASAP, BTW, TBD, VIP... Let us help you crack the code

Do you sometimes come across abbreviations in e-mails or letters, which you don’t understand? Ever wondered what they mean? 


Abbreviations: we all use them, merrily sprinkling our e-mails and even phone conversations with these little clusters of capital letters, assuming everyone knows what we’re talking about. But what do they actually stand for? And are we really using them correctly?

Here’s a helpful list, to shine a light on the subject. (Some of the abbreviations, marked *, are also used in everyday speech.)

a/c: account (“Re. the American a/c, …”)
AGM*: annual general meeting (“TBD at next AGM in March,” pron. “ay-gee-em”)
AOB: any other business (usually at the end of a meeting agenda)
approx.: approximately (“Delivery takes approx. 4 days.”)
asap*: as soon as possible (“Pls do this asap,” pron. “ay-ess-ay-pee”)
asst: assortment (“Please send asst of products.”)
atm: at the moment (“Can’t decide atm – will let you know.”)
attn: for the attention of (written at the top of letters/faxes etc.: “Attn: Mr Jones”)

b/c: because (“Have to cancel meeting b/c Mr Jones unwell.”)
btw: by the way (“Btw, how was your holiday?”)

cc*: copy to (“I’ll put him on cc,” pron. “see-see”)
cd: could (“Cd you please get in touch with our sales dept?”)
CEO*: chief executive officer (“She’s our CEO,” pron. “see-ee-oh”)
cf: compare with (“Cf January orders.”)
CIO*: chief information officer (“Mr Jones is our CIO,” pron. “see-eye-oh”)
c/o: care of (usually written over an address. “Please send it c/o Mr Jones.”)
cob: close of business (“It should be ready today cob.”)
cod: cash on delivery (“Please pay cod.”)
crm: customer relationship management (“The company has excellent crm.”)
cv*: curriculum vitae (“Please send your cv with your application,” pron. “see-vee”)

dept: department (“He’s in the sales dept.”)
devt: development (“January saw good devt.”)
diff: difference (“Please specify diff. between products A and B.”)

e.g.*: for example (“Different depts., e.g. marketing, sales,” pron. “ee-gee”)
EGM: extraordinary general meeting (“TBD at an EGM,” pron. “ee-gee-em”)
encl.: enclosed (“Pls find attachment encl.”)
eob: end of business (“Please finish by eob.”)
eod: end of day (“To do by eod.”)
esp.: especially (“This is esp. interesting.”)
ETA: estimated time of arrival (“ETA two o’clock.”)
et al: and everyone else (“Mr Jones, Mr Brown et al.”)
etc. (et cetera): and the rest (“Marketing, sales etc.”)

FAQ: frequently asked questions (“Here are some FAQs.”)
fig: figures (“Here are sales figs for 2010.”)
FOB: freight on board (“This will be sent FOB.”)
fwd: forwarded (“Pls fwd to Mr Jones.”)
FYA: for your attention (at top of document)

HQ*: headquarters (“See you at HQ,” pron. “aitch-queue”)
hr: hour (“It will take approx. 2 hrs.”)

Here’s a helpful list which we hope will help you. Some of the abbreviations, marked *, are also used in everyday speech.

i.e.*: that is (“We will do it by eob, i.e. 5:30 pm,” pron. “eye-ee”)
incl.: including (“Pls send it incl. new propsal asap.”)
info.: information (“Thanks in advance for the info.”)
IOU*: I owe you (“We will send an IOU,” pron. “I owe you”)

K*: a thousand (“It will cost around 3K,” pron. “three-kay”)

m: million (“It will cost $6m.”)
max*.: maximum (“It will cost $3K max.”)
MD*: managing director (“He’s our MD,” pron. “em-dee”)
min*.: minimum (“It will cost 3K min.”)

n/a: not applicable (“This is n/a in this context.”)
NB: please note (at foot of document, “NB: Holidays this year are cancelled.”)
no.: number (“Pls advise no. of deliveries.”)

p.a.: per year (“How much p.a.?”)
pd: paid (“This invoice was pd in December.”)
pfi*: pay for inclusion (paying to have web pages included in a search engine’s database and updated; pron. “pee-eff-eye”)
pls: please (“Pls advise.”)
ppc*: pay per click (way of charging for publication of advertisements on the Internet; pron. “pee-pee-see”)
ppi*: pay per impression (where advertiser pays for each display of their advertisement – usually a banner; pron. “pee-pee-eye”)
pps*: pay per sale (where a commission is paid for each sale, usually a % of the sale; pron. “pee-pee-ess”)
pto: please turn over (at foot of page)
p.w.: per week (“How many p.w.?”)

qtr: quarter (“How many per qtr?”)
qty: quantity (“Pls advise re. qty.”)

r&d: research and development (“Need to do some R&D.”)
re.: with reference to (“Pls advise re. qty.”)
roi: return on investment (“What will the ROI be?”)
RSVP: please reply (in invitation)

sae: stamped addressed envelope (“Pls send sae.”)
SE: seach engine (searchable database of pages on the web)
SEO: search engine optimisation (“An SEO” is the person who carries out the optimisation)

TBA: to be announced (“This news TBA at next week’s AGM.”)
TBD: to be determined (“Exact date still TBD.”)
thx: thanks (“Thx for your mail.”)
TCO: total cost of ownership (“Pls estimate TCO.”)

USP: unique selling point/proposition (“Sounds great! What’s the USP?”)

vs.: against (abbreviated form of “versus”, “This is us vs. them.”)
VAT*: value added tax (“Pls advise price incl. VAT,” pron. “vee-ay-tea”)
VIP*: very important person (“They are VIPs,” pron. “vee-eye-peas”)

w/: with (“He will be w/ Mr Jones.”)
wd: would (“Wd you mind writing to Mr Jones?”)
w/o: without (“Will you be there w/o Mr Jones?”)

ytd: year to date (“Pls give sales figs for ytd asap.”)

24/7*: non-stop – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (“We’re available 24/7,” pron. “twenty-four seven”)