Out of Office Message Examples: 22 Copy-Paste Templates | SMTP2GO

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Every place a page here uses this source, in the order the words come in it.

1. Five elements. That’s it. “A clear greeting that sets the tone. The dates you’re away, including the return date (an actual date, not “next week”). Whether you’ll check email at all. A backup contact, if you have one and they’ve said yes. A short sign-off.” Everything else is optional. Some scenarios need more (parental leave with multiple project owners, holiday closures for a whole company, a support inbox that needs to route by topic). Most don’t.

   In Out-of-office reply handling

2. Everything else is optional. Some scenarios need more (parental leave with multiple project owners, holiday closures for a whole company, a support inbox that needs to route by topic). Most don’t. “An OOO is automated, which means it fires back to anyone who emails you. Including spam. Including phishing reconnaissance. Including the mailing lists you forgot you’re on.” Which OOO should I use?

   In Out-of-office reply handling

3. Which OOO should I use? “A normal vacation #3 Vacation Return date and urgent contact” Pick one. Replace bracketed fields. Read it through once before you save (this is where typos happen, and your OOO goes to everyone, including your CEO).

   In Out-of-office reply handling

4. Everything else is optional. Some scenarios need more (parental leave with multiple project owners, holiday closures for a whole company, a support inbox that needs to route by topic). Most don’t. “Things you don’t need to say: where you’re going, why you’re sick, whose wedding you’re at, what time your flight lands.” Which OOO should I use?

   In Out-of-office reply handling

5. A clear greeting that sets the tone. The dates you’re away, including the return date (an actual date, not “next week”). Whether you’ll check email at all. A backup contact, if you have one and they’ve said yes. A short sign-off. “Everything else is optional.” Things you don’t need to say: where you’re going, why you’re sick, whose wedding you’re at, what time your flight lands. People sometimes feel the urge to explain. Resist it. An OOO is automated, which means it fires back to anyone who emails you. Including spam. Including phishing reconnaissance. Including the mailing lists you forgot you’re on. We’ll get to that in the privacy section.

   In Out-of-office reply handling

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