Set Up an Out of Office Vacation Auto-Reply in Outlook

To set up an autoresponder in Outlook, let's first create the message used for the reply:

·                                 Make sure Word is not enabled as the email editor in Outlook.

·                                 Start a new message.

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

This might be some time after you will have returned.

o                                                        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.

Now we can create the autoresponder rule:

·                                 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).

o                                                        Alternatively, you can leave all boxes unchecked to make the auto-responder reply to all incoming mail.

·                                 Click Next >.

·                                 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.

o                                                        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.