How to create Out of Office (O-O-O) messages for your mailbox

O-O-O messages are a useful tool to alert people to your availability status. 

Outlook 2007

1. Launch Outlook
   
   
2. Click on the "Tools" menu, select "Out of Office Assistant",
   
   
3. Click the "Send Out of Office auto-replies" radio button,
   
   
4. Check the "Only send during this time range:" box.  You may now set the start time and end time of the period in which you will be away, so that the O-O-O message will expire automatically.
   
   
5. Compose the message you would like sender to see in the message box.  The O-O-O message may be formatted using the formatting tools.
   
   
6. If you would also like to send your out of office message to external email addresses, click the "Outside my oragnization" tab.  You may copy and paste the message meant for internal senders, or tailor the message specifically for external senders.  You may choose to send the O-O-O message to all external senders, or only those already saved to your personal contacts folder.
   
   Please note: When you set up out of office to send to all external recipients, keep in mind that an out of office message will be sent in response to all email you receive, including spam emails.  IRT recommends that you keep your out of office message brief and free of any personal contact information, like an alternative email address or phone number, that can be used by spammers.
   
   
7. Click "OK" to save the settings and activate the O-O-O assistant..

Outlook Web Access (OWA)  

O-O-O messages can be set up through OWA regardless of the choice of browser being used to connect. 

1. Access OWA at www.stthomas.edu/email and log into email,
   
   
2. Click on "Options" in the Outlook Web Access menu,
   
   
3. Click on "Out of Office Assistant" under Options on the left hand side of your screen,
   
   
4. Click on "Send Out of Office auto-replies" and create your out of office message.
   
   You may set the start time and end time of the period in which you will be away, so that the O-O-O message will expire automatically.
   
   
5. If you would also like to send your out of office message to external email addresses, click on "Send Out of Office auto replies to External Senders".  You may copy and paste the message meant for internal senders, or tailor the message specifically for external senders.  You may choose to send the O-O-O message to all external senders, or only those already saved to your personal contacts folder.
   
   Please note: When you set up out of office to send to all external recipients, keep in mind that an out of office message will be sent in response to all email you receive, including spam emails.  IRT recommends that you keep your out of office message brief and free of any personal contact information, like an alternative email address or phone number, that can be used by spammers.
   
   
6. Click the "Save" button at the top of the page.            

Outlook 2003

O-O-O messages created in Outlook 2003 can only be sent to internal UST email addresses, and must be manually turned on and off. 

1. Launch Outlook,
   
   
2. Click on "Tools" in the Outlook banner menu,
   
   
3. Select "Out of Office Assistant",
   
   
4. Click on the "I am currently out of the office" radio button,
   
   
5. Enter the text of the message you would like sent out,
   
   
6. Click "OK" to save O-O-O message.
   

Once the O-O-O message is created and turned on, you will be prompted to choose whether to leave it on or turn it off each time you log into a session of full version Outlook.  The O-O-O can be turned off at any time by repeating steps #1-3, and then choosing the "I am currently in the office" option at step #4.  Click "OK" to save the setting change. 

Entourage

Entourage does not have a feature to send "Out of Office" messages, but Entourage users may use OWA to create O-O-O messages.