In Microsoft Outlook, Out of Office feature allows you to set an automatic reply message when you will be away from the office or unable to respond to emails. When you activate the Out of Office feature and someone sends you an email during that time, Outlook will automatically send a response with the message you have set.
The Out of Office message typically includes information such as the dates you will be away, an explanation of your absence, and alternative contacts or instructions for urgent matters. This automated reply helps inform senders that you are currently unavailable and provides them with relevant information or alternatives.
By setting an Out of Office message in Outlook, you can manage expectations, maintain professional communication, and provide assistance to those trying to reach you. It is a convenient feature for keeping others informed and minimizing disruption while you are out of the office.
To set an Out of Office message in Outlook, you can follow these steps:
1 – Open Outlook on your computer. Click on the File tab in the top-left corner of the Outlook window.
2 – In the File menu, click on the Automatic Replies (Out of Office) option. This will open the Automatic Replies settings window. In the Automatic Replies window, select the Send automatic replies checkbox.
3 – Specify the date and time range for when you will be out of the office. You can set a specific start and end date or choose the Only send during this time range option to define a custom time range.
Type your Out of Office message in the text box provided. This message will be sent as an automatic reply to anyone who emails you during the specified period.
4 – Optionally, you can choose to set different messages for people inside your organization (within your company) and those outside your organization (external contacts). Just toggle between the “Inside My Organization” and “Outside My Organization” tabs and enter the respective messages.
If desired, you can also enable the option to forward your incoming emails to another person or set of people while you are away. This can be useful for ensuring that important emails are handled in your absence.
5 – Once you have configured your Out of Office settings, click on the OK button to save the changes and activate your Out of Office message.
Outlook will now automatically send your configured Out of Office message to anyone who sends you an email during the specified period. Remember to disable the Out of Office message once you return to the office by following the same steps and unchecking the Send automatic replies checkbox.
