165 Most Common Business Abbreviations & Acronyms for 2026

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 2026 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.

ASAP: As Soon As Possible

ETA: Estimated time of arrival

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

IMO: In my opinion

LMK: Let me know

NSFW: Not safe for work

FYI: For Your Information

SME: Subject matter expert

BID: Break it down

NWR: Not work-related

RFD: Request for discussion

R&D: Research and Development

SOP: Standard Operating Procedure

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

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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.

CSF: Critical Success Factor

KPA: Key Process Area

KPI: Key Performance Indicator

KRA: Key Results Area

KRI: Key Risk Indicator

OGSM: Objective, Goals, Strategies and Measures

OKR: Objective and Key Results

SMART: Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound

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

COB: Close of business

EOD: End of day

EOM: End of message OR end of month

EOW: End of week

H1: First Half

H2: Second Half

MoM: Month over month

MTD: Month to date

Q1: Quarter 1

Q2: Quarter 2

QoQ or Q/Q: Quarter-over-Quarter

YoY or Y/Y: Year-over-Year

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.

NRN: No reply necessary

OOO: Out of office

OTP: On the phone

Re: Referring to

EOT: End of thread

POC: Point of contact

TL;DR: Too long, didn’t read

TLTR: Too long to read

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.

AP: Accounts payable

APR: Annual Percentage Rate

AR: Accounts receivable

BS: Balance sheet

CPA: Certified Public Accountant

CPU: Cost per unit

CR: Credit

DR: Debit

EBITDA: Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization

EPS: Earnings Per Share

FIFO: First-In, First-Out

GAAP: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

IPO: Initial Public Offering

IRS: Internal Revenue Service

LIFO: Last in, first out

LWOP: Leave without pay

NAV: Net assets value

NPV: Net Present Value

P-card: Purchase card

P/E: Price-to-Earnings ratio

P&L: Profit and loss

ROA: Return on Assets

ROE: Return on equity

ROI: Return on investment

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.

ACV: Annual Contract Value

ARPU: Average Revenue Per User

ASP: Average Selling Price

B2B: Business-to-Business

B2C: Business-to-Consumer

CAC: Customer Acquisition Cost

CPM: Cost Per Thousand

CRM: Customer Relationship Management

CRO: Conversion Rate Optimization

CTA: Call-to-Action

CTR: Click-Through Rate

MQL: Marketing Qualified Lead

PPC: Pay-Per-Click

SEM: Search Engine Marketing

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

SERP: Search Engine Results Page

SQL: Sales Qualified Lead

UGC: User-Generated Content

UI: User Interface

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.

API: Application Programming Interface

CPU: Central Processing Unit

CSS: Cascading Style Sheets

DNS: Domain Name System

FTP: File transport protocol

HTML: Hypertext Markup Language

HTTP: HyperText transfer protocol

HTTPS: HyperText transfer protocol secure

IM: Instant messaging

IoT: Internet of Things

IP: Internet protocol

ISP: Internet service provider

LAN: Local Area Network

OS: Operating system

QA: Quality assurance

RAM: Random Access Memory

RSS: Rich site summary OR really simple syndication

SDK: Software Development Kit

SQL: Structured Query Language

SSL: Secure Sockets Layer

URL: Universal resource locator

UX: User Experience

VPN: Virtual Private Network

WAN: Wide Area Network

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.

FMLA: Family and Medical Leave Act

PTO: Paid Time Off

EEO: Equal Employment Opportunity

HRIS: Human Resources Information System

OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration

ATS: Applicant Tracking System

D&I: Diversity and Inclusion

SHRM: Society for Human Resource Management

EAP: Employee Assistance Program

ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act

HSA: Health Savings Account

ERG: Employee Resource Group

L&D: Learning and Development

COBRA: Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act

I-9: Employment Eligibility Verification Form

TA: Talent Acquisition

LMS: Learning Management System

C&B: Compensation and Benefits

EE: Employee Engagement

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.

Acc: Accountant

Admin: Administrator

Analyst: Data Analyst

AVP: Assistant Vice President

BD: Business development

CAO: Chief analytics officer

CCO: Chief Communications Officer

CDO: Chief Data Officer

CEO: Chief executive officer

CFO: Chief Financial Officer

CFP: Certified financial planner

CHRO: Chief Human Resources Officer

CIO: Chief Information Officer

CMO: Chief Marketing Officer

COO: Chief operating officer

CSO: Chief security officer

CSR: Corporate social responsibility

CTO: Chief Technology Officer

Dir: Director

Eng: Engineer

HR: Human resources

HRM: Human Resources Manager

IT: Information Technology

Mgr: Manager

PM: Project manager

PR: Public Relations

QA: Quality Assurance

R&D: Research and development

VP: Vice President

FTE: Full-time employee

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.

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