165 Most Common Business Abbreviations & Acronyms for 2023

Whether it’s to expedite communication or to simplify complex jargon, acronyms have become an integral part of our business lexicon. Here, we will present must-know abbreviations and acronyms in 2023 for each of the following categories:

• General Acronyms
• Performance-Related Acronyms
• Time-Related Acronyms
• Communication Acronyms for Email, Phone & Chat (e.g. Slack)
• Financial Acronyms
• Marketing Acronyms
• Sales Acronyms
• Technical And IT Acronyms
• HR Acronyms
• Job & Department Titles

General Acronyms

There are many acronyms used in professional settings that may also be the common-day language used in social settings. We are presenting the following list because of their widespread use and applicability in various industries and organizational contexts.

1. ASAP: As Soon As Possible
2. ETA: Estimated time of arrival
3. FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
4. IMO: In my opinion
5. LMK: Let me know
6. NSFW: Not safe for work
7. FYI: For Your Information
8. SME: Subject matter expert
9. BID: Break it down
10. NWR: Not work-related
11. RFD: Request for discussion
12. R&D: Research and Development
13. SOP: Standard Operating Procedure

To learn more about these acronyms, refer to this guide from MindTools: “99 of the Best Business Acronyms Explained”

Performance-Related Acronyms

Whether it’s individual performance, team performance, or organizational performance, having a clear understanding of key metrics and indicators is essential for driving growth and achieving objectives. To navigate the complex landscape of performance evaluation and analysis, these acronyms provide a concise and standardized language for discussing performance.

1. CSF: Critical Success Factor
2. KPA: Key Process Area
3. KPI: Key Performance Indicator
4. KRA: Key Results Area
5. KRI: Key Risk Indicator
6. OGSM: Objective, Goals, Strategies and Measures
7. OKR: Objective and Key Results
8. SMART: Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound
9. PA: Performance appraisal

To learn more about these acronyms, refer to this guide from PerformYard: “From KPIs to OKRs: Your Quickstart Guide to Performance Acronyms.”

Time-Related Acronyms

To effectively navigate through schedules, deadlines, and project timelines, time-related acronyms have become invaluable. These acronyms provide a shorthand way to communicate specific time frames and intervals, ensuring efficient coordination and clarity

1. COB: Close of business
2. EOD: End of day
3. EOM: End of message OR end of month
4. EOW: End of week
5. H1: First Half
6. H2: Second Half
7. MoM: Month over month
8. MTD: Month to date
9. Q1: Quarter 1
10. Q2: Quarter 2
11. QoQ or Q/Q: Quarter-over-Quarter
12. YoY or Y/Y: Year-over-Year
13. YTD: Year to date

To learn more about these acronyms, refer to this guide from Medium: “What is the meaning of Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, H1, and H2 in business terms?” and ClicData: “Reporting acronyms YTD, YoY, MTD, MoM Explained”

Communication Acronyms for Email, Phone & Chat (e.g. Slack)

These communication acronyms enable quick and clear messaging, ensuring smooth and productive communication within teams and across departments. Whether you’re composing a professional email, participating in a conference call, or collaborating in a chat channel, mastering these acronyms will enhance your communication skills and keep you in sync with modern workplace dynamics.

1. NRN: No reply necessary
2. OOO: Out of office
3. OTP: On the phone
4. Re: Referring to
5. EOT: End of thread
6. POC: Point of contact
7. TL;DR: Too long, didn’t read
8. TLTR: Too long to read
9. TYT: Take your time

To learn more about communication acronyms, refer to this guide from HubSpot: “20 Email Acronyms and Abbreviations to Memorize ASAP”

Financial Acronyms

The financial landscape is filled with specialized terms and concepts, often represented by acronyms. In this section, we will cover acronyms related to financial statements, accounting practices, investment terms, and regulatory bodies.

1. AP: Accounts payable
2. APR: Annual Percentage Rate
3. AR: Accounts receivable
4. BS: Balance sheet
5. CPA: Certified Public Accountant
6. CPU: Cost per unit
7. CR: Credit
8. DR: Debit
9. EBITDA: Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization
10. EPS: Earnings Per Share
11. FIFO: First-In, First-Out
12. GAAP: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
13. IPO: Initial Public Offering
14. IRS: Internal Revenue Service
15. LIFO: Last in, first out
16. LWOP: Leave without pay
17. NAV: Net assets value
18. NPV: Net Present Value
19. P-card: Purchase card
20. P/E: Price-to-Earnings ratio
21. P&L: Profit and loss
22. ROA: Return on Assets
23. ROE: Return on equity
24. ROI: Return on investment
25. SEC: Securities and Exchange Commission

To learn more about financial acronyms, refer to this guide from YourDictionary: “Financial Abbreviations: General, Banking and Stocks”

Marketing & Sales Acronyms

Marketing and sales professionals rely on acronyms to communicate efficiently and effectively. In this section, we will delve into acronyms commonly used in marketing strategies, digital marketing, advertising, sales techniques, lead generation, customer relationship management, and more.

1. ACV: Annual Contract Value
2. ARPU: Average Revenue Per User
3. ASP: Average Selling Price
4. B2B: Business-to-Business
5. B2C: Business-to-Consumer
6. CAC: Customer Acquisition Cost
7. CPM: Cost Per Thousand
8. CRM: Customer Relationship Management
9. CRO: Conversion Rate Optimization
10. CTA: Call-to-Action
11. CTR: Click-Through Rate
12. MQL: Marketing Qualified Lead
13. PPC: Pay-Per-Click
14. SEM: Search Engine Marketing
15. SEO: Search Engine Optimization
16. SERP: Search Engine Results Page
17. SQL: Sales Qualified Lead
18. UGC: User-Generated Content
19. UI: User Interface
20. WOM: Word-of-Mouth

To learn more about these acronyms, refer to this guide from HubSpot: “75 Marketing & Business Acronyms & Abbreviations Every Industry Pro Should Know”

Technical and IT Acronyms

In this section, we will cover acronyms commonly used in technical discussions, IT infrastructure, programming languages, network protocols, and software development. The selected acronyms are important for understanding and navigating the technical aspects of the digital landscape.

1. API: Application Programming Interface
2. CPU: Central Processing Unit
3. CSS: Cascading Style Sheets
4. DNS: Domain Name System
5. FTP: File transport protocol
6. HTML: Hypertext Markup Language
7. HTTP: HyperText transfer protocol
8. HTTPS: HyperText transfer protocol secure
9. IM: Instant messaging
10. IoT: Internet of Things
11. IP: Internet protocol
12. ISP: Internet service provider
13. LAN: Local Area Network
14. OS: Operating system
15. QA: Quality assurance
16. RAM: Random Access Memory
17. RSS: Rich site summary OR really simple syndication
18. SDK: Software Development Kit
19. SQL: Structured Query Language
20. SSL: Secure Sockets Layer
21. URL: Universal resource locator
22. UX: User Experience
23. VPN: Virtual Private Network
24. WAN: Wide Area Network
25. TOS: Terms of Service

To learn more about these acronyms, refer to this guide from ActiveBatch: “IT Acronyms You Need to Know”

HR Acronyms

In this section, we will explore acronyms related to HR processes, employee management, compliance, benefits, and workplace policies. These acronyms have been chosen based on their relevance and significance in HR operations and practices.

1. FMLA: Family and Medical Leave Act
2. PTO: Paid Time Off
3. EEO: Equal Employment Opportunity
4. HRIS: Human Resources Information System
5. OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration
6. ATS: Applicant Tracking System
7. D&I: Diversity and Inclusion
8. SHRM: Society for Human Resource Management
9. EAP: Employee Assistance Program
10. ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act
11. HSA: Health Savings Account
12. ERG: Employee Resource Group
13. L&D: Learning and Development
14. COBRA: Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
15. I-9: Employment Eligibility Verification Form
16. TA: Talent Acquisition
17. LMS: Learning Management System
18. C&B: Compensation and Benefits
19. EE: Employee Engagement
20. PIP: Performance Improvement Plan

To learn more about Human Resource acronyms, refer to this guide from Preply: “Top 50 HR abbreviations & acronyms”

Job Titles and Departments

Next up, we cover acronyms related to various job titles and departments, ranging from executive positions to specialized roles. The selected acronyms represent common and widely recognized job titles and departments in the business world.

1. Acc: Accountant
2. Admin: Administrator
3. Analyst: Data Analyst
4. AVP: Assistant Vice President
5. BD: Business development
6. CAO: Chief analytics officer
7. CCO: Chief Communications Officer
8. CDO: Chief Data Officer
9. CEO: Chief executive officer
10. CFO: Chief Financial Officer
11. CFP: Certified financial planner
12. CHRO: Chief Human Resources Officer
13. CIO: Chief Information Officer
14. CMO: Chief Marketing Officer
15. COO: Chief operating officer
16. CSO: Chief security officer
17. CSR: Corporate social responsibility
18. CTO: Chief Technology Officer
19. Dir: Director
20. Eng: Engineer
21. HR: Human resources
22. HRM: Human Resources Manager
23. IT: Information Technology
24. Mgr: Manager
25. PM: Project manager
26. PR: Public Relations
27. QA: Quality Assurance
28. R&D: Research and development
29. VP: Vice President
30. FTE: Full-time employee
31. PTE: Part-time employee

To learn more about these acronyms, refer to this guide from ONGIG: “Job Title Abbreviations & Acronyms”

By being familiar with these acronyms, you can enhance your understanding and participation in various business-related conversations. It’s not just about keeping up with the lingo; it’s about ensuring effective and efficient communication in an ever-evolving business landscape.