Setting the Out of Office feature in Outlook is a great way to let your email recipients know that you are currently unavailable and when they can expect a response from you. In this article, I will guide you through the steps of setting up the Out of Office feature in Outlook, and share some personal tips and tricks along the way.
Step 1: Open Outlook and Navigate to the File Menu
To begin, open Microsoft Outlook on your computer. Once Outlook is open, navigate to the File menu located at the top left corner of the screen. Click on the File menu to proceed.
Step 2: Access the Automatic Replies Feature
After clicking on the File menu, a dropdown menu will appear. From this menu, choose the “Automatic Replies” option. This will open the Automatic Replies window, where you can customize your out of office message.
Step 3: Choose Your Out of Office Options
Once the Automatic Replies window is open, you have two options to choose from: “Send automatic replies” and “Send automatic replies only during this time range.”
If you select the first option, “Send automatic replies,” your out of office message will be sent to all incoming emails during the specified time period, regardless of whether the sender is within your organization or external.
If you choose the second option, “Send automatic replies only during this time range,” your out of office message will only be sent during the specified time period. This is useful if you want your Out of Office message to start and end at specific times.
Step 4: Customize Your Out of Office Message
Now it’s time to personalize your Out of Office message. In the Automatic Replies window, you will see two tabs: “Inside My Organization” and “Outside My Organization.”
The “Inside My Organization” tab allows you to create a separate message for your internal contacts. This is useful if you want to provide different information to your colleagues or team members.
The “Outside My Organization” tab is where you can set your out of office message for external contacts. Click on the tab and enter your custom message in the text box provided. You can include details about your absence, alternative contacts, or any other information you deem necessary.
Step 5: Additional Settings (Optional)
If you want to set additional conditions for your out of office message, you can do so by clicking on the “Rules” button within the Automatic Replies window. This allows you to create specific rules for different senders or subjects, ensuring that certain emails receive a unique response.
Step 6: Save and Activate
Once you have customized your Out of Office message, click on the “OK” button to save your changes. Your Out of Office message will now be active and will begin sending automatic replies to incoming emails as per your settings.
Conclusion
Setting up the Out of Office feature in Outlook is a simple yet effective way to inform your contacts about your unavailability and provide them with alternative means of communication. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can personalize your out of office message and ensure that your email recipients are well-informed during your absence.
Remember to deactivate the Out of Office feature once you return to work to ensure that your email communication returns to normal.