Abbreviating “Formerly Doing Business As” in Business Writing

The phrase “formerly doing business as” is frequently used to denote a company’s or person’s previous name when they decide to change it. Although there are a few different ways to shorten this in writing, they are all acceptable.

First, it’s critical to define what “aka” implies in a professional setting. AKA stands for “also known as” and is frequently used to identify additional names that a business or person is known by. When discussing legal or financial issues, in particular, this can be helpful for clarity and searchability. It should not, however, be used interchangeably with “formerly doing business as” because it is not the same thing.

There are a couple different ways to shorten “formerly doing business as” depending on the individual and style manual. “FKA” stands for “formerly known as” and is the most widely used abbreviation. This is a well-known and well-understood basic and straightforward solution. However, some persons can choose to use the acronym “dba” (for “doing business as”) in its place. The fact that it’s not precisely the same as “formerly doing business as” makes this perplexing. When a business uses both its trade name and its separate legal name, “DBA” is frequently utilized. For instance, “John Smith Enterprises” might conduct business as “JS Consulting” and would identify itself as “John Smith Enterprises dba JS Consulting” on their corporate profile. In this instance, “dba” rather than “name change” shows that both names are still in use.

It’s crucial to be precise and consistent when utilizing “formerly doing business as” in written communication. It’s critical to ensure there is no misunderstanding regarding the company’s name or past as this phrase is frequently used in legal and financial contexts. The past tense is suitable because this phrase typically denotes a name change that has already occurred. As an illustration, “XYZ Inc., formerly doing business as ABC Corp., has recently rebranded as ZYX Corp.”

Finally, there are a few alternative ways to shorten “formerly doing business as” in written business communications. Although “fka” is the most widely used acronym, some people may like “dba” instead. When using this expression, it’s crucial to be precise and consistent. You should also use the past tense to denote a name change that has already occurred. Additionally, “formerly doing business as” and “aka” need to be distinguished because they have various connotations and applications in business writing.