Tutorials > How to set an Out of The Office reply for Outlook 2003

Please Note:
This tutorial is intended for systems that do NOT have MS Exchange Server for their mail managing system but use a POP3 or IMAP mail system! The MS Exchange Servers have an Add-in called Out of the Office Assistant in Outlook (Tools menu), if your Outlook does not have it is because you using a POP3 or IMAP (Internet Mail only) mail system and you will have to use this tutorial.

Create the template

• Make sure Word is not enabled as the email editor in Outlook. How?

• Start a new message.

• Type the Subject and message of your auto-reply.

• Try to include when people mailing you in your absence can expect a personal answer. This might be some time after you will have returned.

• Optionally, you can add Cc: and Bcc: recipients to send a copy of each automatic reply.

• Select File | Save As... from the menu.

• Make sure Outlook Template is selected under Save as type:.

• Optionally, choose a File name: different from the subject.

• Click Save.

Create the Auto Responder

• Select Tools | Rules and Alerts... from the menu in the main Outlook window.

• Click New Rule....

• Click Start from a blank rule.

• Make sure Check messages when they arrive is selected.

• Click Next >.

• Check Where my name is in the To box under Select condition(s).
  Alternatively, you can leave all boxes unchecked to make the auto-responder reply to all incoming mail.

• Check reply using a specific template under Select action(s).

• Click on a specific template under Edit the rule description.

• Select User Templates in File System under Look In:.

• Highlight the template created before.

• Click Open.

• Click Next >.

• Check Except if it is an Out of Office message under Select exception(s).

• Click Next >.

• Type the desired name for your auto-responding filter under Specify a name for this rule.

• Optionally, check Create this rule on all accounts.

• Keep in mind, though, that filters do not work with Hotmail and other HTTP accounts (for which this checkbox will not create them).

• Click Finish.

• Click OK.

Keep in mind that Outlook will only email each address once per session (until it is restarted). You cannot automatically reply to a sender with two different messages.

Keep in mind that Outlook will only email each address once per session (until it is restarted). You cannot automatically reply to a sender with two different messages.

The Rules Wizard rule to "reply using a specific template" is designed to send the reply only one time to each sender during a session. This prevents Outlook from sending repetitive replies to a sender from whom you receive multiple messages.

During a session, Outlook remembers the list of users to whom it has responded. When you restart Outlook, this list is deleted and the rule is reset to start again for each sender.

NOTE: Outlook must be running for the Rules Wizard to automatically reply.