Your out-of-office reply says “I am currently out of the office with limited access to email,” and everyone who reads it knows a robot wrote it. Here’s an easier way.
The three-line formula
- When you’re away and when you’re back.
- When people can expect a reply.
- Who to contact if it can’t wait.
That’s it. Skip the long explanation and the apologies.
A sample you can copy
Hi, thanks for your note. I’m away from [date] to [date] and will reply when I’m back on [date]. If it’s urgent, please contact [name] at [email or phone]. Talk soon, [your name]
Set it up
- Open your email settings.
- Look for “Automatic replies” (Outlook), “Vacation responder” (Gmail), or “Auto-reply” in your mail app.
- Turn it on and choose your start and end dates, so it shuts itself off.
- Paste your message.
- Send an email to yourself from another address to test it.
One more thing
If you have different people who email you, such as customers and vendors, keep the message simple enough that it works for both.
Stuck? Call 763-CGRAPES (763-247-2737) any hour. Real people, 24/7 sales and support.
Chris, Cyber Grapes