How to Write an Effective Out of office Message (+ Templates)

Coming back after a long break to an overflowing inbox can be the fastest way to ruin your vacation zen, especially if you have forgotten to set up an automatic email reply that informs others you are not available at the time.

Setting an out-of-office message is part of good work etiquette. Such a message lets your colleagues and clients know that you are unavailable to respond to emails or phone calls, so they won’t be worried or repeatedly send you messages. 

This guide will provide the best practices for writing an out-of-office message along with six ready-to-use message examples.

Let’s get started!

What is an out-of-office message?

An out-of-office message, simply called OOO message, is an automated response (often in the form of an email) to notify the sender that you will not be at work for a while. 

This note is particularly important for businesses as it helps to avoid missed opportunities and frustrated customers who often expect fast responses.

An out-of-office message is often used when you go on a vacation, a business trip, or on sick leave. When setting up an out-of-office auto-reply, make sure that it includes necessary information and is professional. 

When do you set up an out-of-office message?

While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, here is a general guideline that can be helpful: consider how long you'll be away and how frequently you check your email. 

• If you're going to be gone for an extended time or if you don't regularly check your email, then an out-of-office email is necessary.

• If you're only going to be gone for a day or two and you typically check your email several times a day, then there's no need to have a lengthy message. 

How to craft an effective out-of-office message

Crafting a suitable automatic email reply is important as you don't want your clients or others to think that you're neglecting them. At the same time, you don't want to overshare and provide too much information about your plans. So how do you strike the right balance?

#1- Keep it short and sweet

Your out-of-office message doesn't need to be a novel; just a few sentences will suffice. 

The email only has to quickly tell people you can’t respond to the message now and when you will resume work. Limiting your words makes it easy for you to control the amount of information that you share.

#2- Include necessary information

An effective out-of-office email reply usually contains the following elements:

• How long you will be out of the office? Include the time period you will be unavailable so the contacts won’t interrupt you. 

• The general reason for your absence. No need to be too personal, just a quick mention is enough.

• Who to get in touch with in your absence? Provide the name and contact info of the co-worker who will take your responsibility. This ensures that clients and colleagues can still get the assistance they need, in case of an emergency.

• Helpful resources that are related to your business (optional). 

#3- Add a little personality 

This only applies when you only represent yourself. In this situation, it’s fine to have a little fun with it, especially if what you do is creative (think: writer or designer). 66% of people appreciate a fun out-of-office message. It’s also a smart way to tell people to be patient while you enjoy your time off. 

What to avoid in an out-of-office message? 

It’s natural to be in a good mood when your vacation is a few days away. A study by Microsoft shows that 77% of employees snap into vacation mode when they set their out-of-office message. It’s important to keep being professional, regardless of how light-hearted you may be feeling.

Don’t crack jokes 

You need to maintain a professional image for yourself and your company. If you're working for a company that has a serious image, a funny out-of-office message will seem out of place and may get you into trouble.

Your jokes may be misunderstood, or you may seem “too happy” to be taking a break from work. While most people understand this sentiment, joking around may not sit too well with all your audiences. 

Don’t overpromise

Avoid saying things like, “My colleague will get back to you immediately”. Overpromising the capabilities of your colleagues will just be unnecessary pressure because they may also be doing this as a favor to you and are adding on to an existing workload of their own.

Although it seems polite to say that, also avoid “I will respond as soon as I am back”. A load of work may need your attention and you hardly have time to reply to all emails on the first day you come back to work.

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6 Best out-of-office message examples

You’re going to have to tweak your messages according to your audience by adopting a different tone for clients. Choose the out-of-office email template that is the most appropriate.

General out-of-office message

Internal out-of-office message

Suitable for: Informing seniors and colleagues of your absence and it’s within a company, so you can take a bit of casualty.

Lead generation out-of-office message

Friendly out-of-office message

Away but checking emails

Conference out-of-office message

On vacation

How do I set up an auto-reply in Outlook and Gmail?

• Open Microsoft Outlook and click on the File tab in the top-left corner > Automatic Replies.

• A new window will pop up. Select Send automatic replies and set the time range you want this message to be sent for.

• Enter the auto-reply message and click on OK.

• In Gmail, you can access the auto-reply feature by clicking on the Settings in the top right corner > See all settings.

• Scroll down to the "Vacation responder" section and select Vacation responder on. Enter your subject and message here.

• You can also choose how long you want the message to be active and whether you want it to be sent to people who are already on your contact list.

• Click on Save Changes.

Rest assured with an out-of-office message

Setting up an automatic email reply is a polite and professional behavior to inform others why you can’t respond timely. The best out-of-office message will convey the period of your absence and an easy way to reach the person who is filling in for you. 

Before you disconnect yourself from the workplace, make sure to enable the autoresponder email so you can spend quality time without worries.

Have a great trip!