Do you wish to find out how to set up out-of-office replies in Outlook 365? This is something about which a lot of people have been enquiring. Outlook is one of the programs that make up Microsoft 365. You can use it either online or as an application that’s installed on your local computer. One of the things that you may need to do while using Outlook is to set up out-of-office replies. These tend to be very useful within the business environment. But what’s an out-of-office reply and how do you set one up in Outlook 365?
What are out-of-office replies?
An out-of-office reply is simply a message that automatically gets sent out in response to emails that are received within your inbox. People usually set them up when they know they will be away from the office for a while. Let’s assume that you have gone on a break for a day or two.
In that case, it’s very useful to set up an out-of-office reply. That way, should someone send you an email, they will get an automatic response telling them that you will be out of the office till such and such a time, and that you will get back to them as soon as you are back in the office.
Setting up an out-of-office reply in Outlook
The following is how to set up an out-of-office reply in Outlook for Microsoft 365 subscribers;
- Log into your Outlook account.
- From within your Dashboard, click on File in the menu to the top left of the page.
- Next, click on Automatic Replies.
- Select the Send automatic replies checkbox.
- You can choose the time range during which to send automatic replies. This is useful if you wish to cover only the period when you will be away.
- Type in your message.
- You can launch the reply right away. You can also set it to start and end at certain times, as outlined in point number 5.
- It’s also possible to create a different message for people from outside your Organization.
Why set up an out-of-office reply?
That’s how to set up out-of-office replies in Outlook. But why would you do this? We all know that in today’s world, it’s very easy for a person to carry along their work as they move from one place to the other.
In fact, the whole idea behind 365 is to allow for work mobility. You can do your work from anywhere, and you have access to all your applications and work on the cloud. Remote work is something that has become even commonplace with the Covid 19 pandemic.
However, always carrying your work is not always the ideal situation. We are human beings, and there are times when we need to take breaks without being burdened by work. That’s the reason why it’s so important to take periodic breaks from work.
It’s also possible that you have other work-related engagements that have taken you away from your usual routine. In that case, you may also need to set up out-of-work replies in Office 365. Whatever your reasons, you will be using an automated out-of-office reply to tell people that you are away for the duration of the time specified within your message.
Who is this service for?
Is setting up out-of-office replies in Outlook for everyone? It’s definitely for people working within a business setting. Telling your customers, clients, suppliers and others that you are away is a polite way of taking a break from work while maintaining communication with the people that matter the most to your business. Individuals can also use this tool to disengage every now and again. We have already noted that this is necessary for your health.
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Crossware is probably the best company out there for the provision of enterprise solutions for those looking to create email signatures. Our platform allows you to centrally manage your signatures while maintaining consistency on desktop, mobile and other devices. Before you go, read our article on how to add an email signature in Outlook.
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