Thank you for your message, unfortunately I am currently out of the office.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This or similar automatic e-mails are certainly familiar to everyone. The so-called out-of-office note is particularly practical when you are not in the office. Be it because you are on holiday, on a business trip or simply sick. With a few friendly lines, you can inform clients, partners and colleagues about your absence. Absence notes are quickly created with a few clicks and simplify communication during your absence. You can specifically point out responsibilities until your return. Customer enquiries do not go nowhere and can be answered promptly. The advantage for you: fewer open enquiries and tasks accumulate in your inbox and your stress level is not strained immediately after your return.<\/p>\n
Content:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n An absentee note in the 08\/15 style “I’m not here.” has no great benefit – neither for you nor for your customers. A good out-of-office note<\/strong>, on the other hand, givesall the important information<\/strong> that customers, business partners and colleagues need. This includes, among other things, the period of absence<\/strong>, your substitute<\/strong> and, if applicable, the reason<\/strong>. With this information you avoid misunderstandings<\/strong> and give the automatic reply an additional personal touch<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Whether you want to give a reason for your absence in the automatic reply is of course up to you. But sometimes it even makes sense for the recipients to know the reason. This way they can decide for themselves whether they can wait for your return with their request.<\/p>\n A specific absence note is practical when you are on holiday or on a business trip. Here you know the exact period during which you are not in the office and can only be reached with difficulty or not at all. A personal absence note also makes a difference in the event of prolonged illness, parental leave, sabbatical or a change of company, how<\/em> your absence is perceived. Since you are not available for a longer period of time, your mails will not be processed by you. Thanks to the information from the automatic reply, customers and colleagues now know and can direct their enquiries to another contact person.<\/p>\n By the way: Even if you should fall ill at short notice, an absence notification helps to communicate your absence.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Note:<\/strong> We work with Office\/Microsoft 365 (version 2005, build 12827.20268 click-and-lose).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The automatic reply helps to communicate important organisational matters. You should pay particular attention to the following points:<\/p>\n You can set an out-of-office message for an unspecified time or specify an exact date including time. In this way, you can define the time period in which the out-of-office message is to be sent. So think about the time window of your absence in advance and communicate this (if possible) in your automatic reply.<\/p>\n Outlook offers the possibility to send two different texts as an automatic reply. This allows you to differentiate between internal (inside my organisation<\/span>) and external recipients (outside my organisation<\/span>).<\/p>\n If you are on a first-name basis within the company, you can also use this for your internal out-of-office message. Therefore, pay special attention to the correct wording and signature for the respective recipients of your message.<\/p>\n Internationally operating companies should write absence notes in two languages. Of course, this may also depend on the department you work in. Especially if you work in customer service or sales, you may be in contact with people who speak foreign languages. Here, bilingual versions are very useful.<\/p>\n Also deal with the issue of “Access to the e-mail box”<\/strong>. If you have created appointments yourself, they cannot be moved by others in your absence – unless you set up a deputy for the mailbox (more on this in a moment), which should of course be done beforehand.<\/p>\n If you want to respond to e-mails yourself despite being away, you naturally need Internet access while on the road. However, what sounds banal can quickly become an obstacle: Switched-off roaming functions, holey wireless networks or obscenely expensive foreign data tariffs have already surprised many a manager – even though, at least EU-wide, there are no longer any major cost traps to worry about.<\/p>\n The next step is to clarify whether there is a substitute for the time of your absence. If there is one, he or she should be named in the absence note, including contact details. Especially if you do not have access to your mails for a longer period of time, it makes sense to organise a substitute. For colleagues, the name<\/strong> and email address<\/strong> are usually sufficient. For your customers, it is best to also have a telephone number<\/strong> so that concerns can be clarified as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n You have no representation<\/strong>? Then pass on this information to your customers and business partners as well – and, above all, mention a time when you will be back in the office. In order to still provide added value to the recipients of your out-of-office note, you should include the general contact information of the company headquarters<\/strong> or your superordinate department<\/strong>. Perhaps enquiries can be answered this way without your assistance.<\/p>\n Your mails are automatically forwarded to a colleague? Then you should also communicate this. This way, the recipient knows that he does not have to send his mail to the colleague again. If no forwarding takes place, it is a good idea to write this in the out-of-office note as well and to specifically note the contact details of your substitute in the note here as well. This way, the person at the other end knows that he or she can always contact someone else with his or her concerns.<\/p>\n If you would like the sender to receive<\/strong> a notification of forwarding<\/strong> of the sent e-mail in addition to the normal out-of-office message, you must activate the Reply with<\/span> field. Click on Templates<\/span> to open an empty message window. Enter an appropriate message text<\/strong> and add a subject<\/strong>. Leave the To<\/span> field empty.<\/p>\n Of course, you can also forward messages from very specific senders – for example, if you know that certain clients will send important documents in your absence. To do this, add the corresponding email addresses<\/strong> to the From<\/span> field at the top.<\/p>\n With a absence rule<\/strong> you can also specify that only messages on a certain topic are forwarded to the responsible person. This way, your substitute only receives really important messages and is not flooded with “unimportant” e-mails (for example, newsletters you have subscribed to). To do this, enter a corresponding term<\/strong> in the “Subject”<\/span> or “Message text”<\/span> field.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/a><\/p>\n We have written our formulation examples for six different occasions and have also tried to include general absence notes. Simply choose a suitable template and adapt it to your personal needs!<\/p>\n Our tip:<\/strong> Adapt the automatic reply to the recipient group and send a different absence note internally than externally. With our practical text modules, we offer you the possibility to communicate your absence quickly and easily – without any misunderstandings.<\/p>\n Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n Thank you for your message. This is an automatic reply as I am not in the house at the moment. Please note that your email will not be processed. I will get back to you when I return.<\/p>\n If you have any questions, please contact Max Mustermann.<\/p>\n Many greetings Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n I will be out of the office from DD. to DD.MM.YYYY<\/span> and will not have access to my emails during this time. From DD.MM.YYYY<\/span> I will be personally available again and will take care of your requests.<\/p>\n Many greetings Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n I will be out of the house up to and including DD.MM.YYYY<\/span>. During this time, my emails will not be forwarded or answered. In urgent cases, please contact my substitute Max Mustermann<\/span>.<\/p>\n Many greetings Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n I will be out of the office on DD.MM.YYYY<\/span>. In urgent cases, please contact the following colleagues:<\/p>\n Range A<\/span>: Max Mustermann<\/span>. Many greetings \n<\/div>\n Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n I will be on a business trip from DD. to DD.MM.YYYY<\/span> and have only limited access to my e-mails. In urgent cases you can reach me by phone at +49 1234 56789<\/span>. Due to the time difference, I can only be reached by phone between XX:XX – XX:XX h<\/span>.<\/p>\n Many greetings \n<\/div>\n Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n From DD. to DD.MM.YYYY<\/span> I will be on holiday. In urgent cases, please contact my colleagues Max Mustermann<\/span> or Marie Musterfrau<\/span>. From DD.MM.YYYY<\/span> I will be personally available again and will give you feedback.<\/p>\n Have a great time.<\/p>\n Many greetings \n<\/div>\n Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n I am ill at short notice and will probably be available in the office again from DD.MM.YYYY<\/span>. In urgent cases, please contact Max Mustermann<\/span>.<\/p>\n Many greetings Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n Due to a prolonged illness, I am currently not in the building. During this time, my emails will be forwarded to my deputy Max Mustermann<\/span> and processed.<\/p>\n Thank you for your understanding.<\/p>\n Many greetings \n<\/div>\n Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n from DD.MM.YYYY<\/span> I will be working full-time as well as part-time as a mum\/dad<\/span> for the time being. Since I will be addicted to changing nappies, Max Mustermann<\/span> will be at your side for questions about my field.<\/p>\n I wish you (and me) a stress-free time.<\/p>\n Many greetings Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n I am having a baby and will be on parental leave from DD.MM.YYYY<\/span>. During this time, I will be replaced by my colleague Max Mustermann<\/span>. I will probably resume my work on DD.MM.YYYY<\/span>.<\/p>\n I wish you all the best.<\/p>\n Many greetings \n<\/div>\n Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n I have taken a little sabbatical from my everyday working life. My sabbatical starts on DD.MM.YYYY<\/span> and ends on D.MM.YYYY<\/span>. During this period, please contact:<\/p>\n Range A<\/span>: Max Mustermann<\/span>. Thank you for your understanding.<\/p>\n Many greetings Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n I am on a sabbatical in America<\/span>. To make sure everything runs smoothly in the office, Max Mustermann<\/span> takes care of my tasks.<\/p>\n All the best and see you soon \n<\/div>\n Dear colleagues,<\/p>\n Unfortunately, I have left the company. I would like to thank you for the great cooperation.<\/p>\n For my topics, please contact Max Mustermann<\/span>.<\/p>\n All the best P.S.: Stay up-to-date via LinkedIn<\/span> and\/or<\/span> Xing<\/span>.<\/p>\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/p>\n Thank you for your message. This is an automatic reply as I am not in the house. Please note that your email will not be processed. After my return I will get in touch with you. In urgent cases, please contact my colleague:<\/p>\n Max Mustermann<\/strong><\/span> Kind regards Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/p>\n Thank you for your message. I will be out of the office from DD. to DD.MM.YYYY<\/span> and will not have access to my e-mails during this time. Please note that your requests will not be forwarded.<\/p>\n In urgent cases, please contact my substitute Max Mustermann (M.Mustermann@onlineprinters.com, +49 1234 56789)<\/span>. As of DD.MM.YYYY<\/span> I will answer your email as soon as possible.<\/p>\n Kind regards Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/p>\n Thank you for your message. On DD.MM.YYYY<\/span> I will not be available in the office and have limited access to my mailbox. In urgent cases, please contact the following colleagues:<\/p>\n Range A<\/span>: Max Mustermann, M.Mustermann@onlineprinters.com, +49 1234 56789<\/span>.\n
What makes a good out-of-office note?<\/h2>\n
![\"Outlook](\"https:\/\/www.onlineprinters.es\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Step-6.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPossible occasions<\/h3>\n
Create Absence Note in Outlook<\/h2>\n
\nTo create an out-of-office note in Outlook, you must go to the account information. You can do this by clicking on File<\/span>. Then click on the field Automatic reply (Out of office)<\/span>. In the following dialogue, you can define the exact text for your out-of-office message – helpful wording examples can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\nHints for a successful absence note<\/h2>\n
How long does the absence last?<\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n
Communicate differently internally and externally?<\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n
Internationalisation<\/h4>\n
What happens to incoming e-mails?<\/h4>\n
Who takes care of the area of responsibility?<\/h4>\n
Will the requests be forwarded?<\/h4>\n
Auto-forward emails in Outlook<\/strong><\/h5>\n
![\"Absence](\"https:\/\/www.onlineprinters.es\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Step-4.jpg\")
\nYou can set up email forwarding by clicking on the “Rules…”<\/span> field in the bottom left of the Out of Office window and then on “Add rule…”<\/span>. Now create individual treatments for incoming mails.<\/p>\nForward all<\/em> messages<\/strong><\/h5>\n
![\"Absence](\"https:\/\/www.onlineprinters.es\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Step-5.jpg\")
<\/strong>
\nDo you want all messages to be forwarded? Then activate the field Sent directly to me<\/span>. If you also want all messages to be forwarded that you receive as a copy (Cc), you must also tick the field Copy (Cc to me)<\/span>. Then select the item Forward<\/span> and enter the email address of your substitute<\/strong>.<\/p>\nForward messages from specific senders<\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\n
Only forward messages on specific topics<\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\n
Fitting Absence Note: Free Templates<\/h2>\n
Internal templates<\/strong><\/h3>\n
1<\/span>General<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nRange B<\/span>: Marie Sample Woman<\/span>.
\nRange C<\/span>: Melanie Musterfrau<\/span>.<\/p>\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\n2<\/span>Business trip<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\n3<\/span>Holidays<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\n4<\/span>Disease<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\n5<\/span>Parental leave<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\n6<\/span>Sabbatical<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n
\nRange B<\/span>: Marie Sample Woman<\/span>.
\nRange C<\/span>: Melanie Musterfrau<\/span>.<\/p>\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\n7<\/span>Company change<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n
\nMich\u00e8le<\/span><\/p>\nExternal templates<\/strong><\/h3>\n
1<\/span>General<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n
\nM.Mustermann@onlineprinters.com<\/span>
\n+49 1234 56789<\/span><\/p>\n
\nMich\u00e8le surname
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nMich\u00e8le surname
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\nRange B<\/span>: