How to Setup Out-of-Office Message in Outlook Using Rules

Learn how to use rules to create an out-of-office message in Outlook that can be sent to every email sender, even if they send multiple messages.

If you are going on a vacation or a business trip, you might want to let your email contacts know that you are away and when you will be back. Outlook has a feature called Automatic Replies that lets you send a predefined message to anyone who emails you during a specific time period. However, this feature only works with certain types of email accounts, and it only sends one reply per sender. If you want to send a reply to every email you receive, regardless of how many times the same person contacts you, you need to use rules. Rules are a powerful tool that let you automate various actions in Outlook, such as forwarding, deleting, moving, or replying to messages based on certain criteria. In this article, you will learn how to use rules to create an out-of-office message in Outlook that can be customized and sent to every email sender.

What is the difference between an out-of-office message and a rule in Outlook?

An out-of-office message is a type of automatic reply that Outlook can send to anyone who emails you during a specified time period. You can set up an out-of-office message by clicking on the File tab, then on the Automatic Replies button. You can then choose the start and end dates for your absence, write your message, and select whether you want to send it to people inside or outside your organization. However, there are some limitations to using an out-of-office message:

• It only works with certain types of email accounts, such as Office 365 Business or Exchange. If you use Outlook with a different type of account, such as Gmail or Hotmail, you will not see the Automatic Replies button.
• It only sends one reply per sender. If the same person emails you multiple times while you are away, they will only receive your out-of-office message once. This might not be ideal if you want to remind them that you are not available or if you want to provide them with alternative contact information.

A rule is a type of action that Outlook can perform on incoming or outgoing messages based on certain criteria. You can create rules by clicking on the File tab, then on the Manage Rules & Alerts button. You can then choose from a variety of conditions, actions, and exceptions to customize your rule. For example, you can create a rule that automatically moves messages from a certain sender to a specific folder, or that forwards messages with a certain subject to another email address. One of the actions you can choose is to reply using a specific template, which allows you to create a custom message that can be sent as a reply to any message that matches your rule. This way, you can create a rule that acts as an out-of-office message, but with more flexibility and control. Some of the advantages of using a rule are:

• It works with any type of email account that you can use with Outlook, such as Gmail or Hotmail. You do not need to have an Office 365 Business or Exchange account to use rules.
• It can send a reply to every email you receive, even if the same person emails you multiple times. This way, you can ensure that your email contacts are aware of your absence and have the information they need to reach you or someone else in case of an emergency.

How to create an out-of-office message in Outlook using rules

To create an out-of-office message in Outlook using rules, you need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Create a template for your out-of-office message

A template is a file that contains the text and formatting of your message. To create a template, open a new email message, enter a subject and a message body, and then click on the File tab and choose Save As. Give your template a name and select Outlook Template (*.oft) as the file type. You can save your template in the default location or choose a different one. You can create a new template every time you are away or reuse an existing one.

Step 2: Create a rule that uses your template to reply to incoming messages

To create a rule, click on the File tab and choose Manage Rules & Alerts. In the Rules and Alerts dialog box, click on the New Rule button. Under Start from a blank rule, select Apply rule on messages I receive and click Next. To reply to every email message you receive, leave the boxes unchanged and click Next again. Confirm that you want to apply this rule to all messages by clicking Yes. Under What do you want to do with the message, select reply using a specific template. Under Edit the rule description, click on the underlined text for a specific template. In the Look In box, select User Templates in File System and choose the template you created in the previous step. Click Open and Next. You can add any exceptions to your rule, such as excluding certain senders or subjects, and then click Next. Give your rule a name, such as Out of Office, and check the box for Turn on this rule. Click Finish and OK to save your rule.

Note: In order for your rule to send automatic replies to your email messages while you are away, you need to leave Outlook running on your computer. If you close Outlook or turn off your computer, your rule will not work.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: How can I turn off my out-of-office message when I come back?

Answer: To turn off your out-of-office message, you need to disable your rule. To do that, click on the File tab and choose Manage Rules & Alerts. In the Rules and Alerts dialog box, uncheck the box next to your Out of Office rule and click OK.

Question: How can I send different out-of-office messages to different groups of people, such as colleagues, clients, or friends?

Answer: To send different out-of-office messages to different groups of people, you need to create multiple rules with different templates and conditions. For example, you can create a rule that only applies to messages from people in your organization, and another rule that only applies to messages from people outside your organization. You can also create rules that only apply to messages from specific email addresses, domains, or distribution lists. To create multiple rules, follow the same steps as above, but choose different templates and conditions for each rule.

Question: How can I test my out-of-office message before I leave?

Answer: To test your out-of-office message, you can send yourself an email from another account and see if you receive your automatic reply. You can also ask a friend or a colleague to send you an email and check if they receive your out-of-office message.

Summary

In this article, you learned how to use rules to create an out-of-office message in Outlook that can be sent to every email sender, even if they send multiple messages. You also learned the difference between an out-of-office message and a rule, and how to create a template for your out-of-office message. You also learned how to turn off your out-of-office message, how to send different out-of-office messages to different groups of people, and how to test your out-of-office message. By using rules, you can create a more flexible and customizable out-of-office message that works with any type of email account and ensures that your email contacts are informed of your absence and have the information they need to contact you or someone else in case of an emergency.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. The author and the publisher are not liable for any damages or losses that may result from the use of the information in this article. Always consult a qualified IT professional before making any changes to your Outlook settings or rules.