Planning on taking some time away from the office and email? Here’s how to create an email as your Out of Office Reply?

If your office is using an Exchange Server then the process is pretty simple, however most SOHO and Small Businesses are not using that technology.

Not to fear – there is a way to send an out-of-office message using Outlook 2003, 2007, or 2010 alone, in just a few steps:

Need more help with Microsoft Outlook? Try Outlook 2010 All-in-One For Dummies at Amazon.

Step 1: Create an Out of Office Reply Template

Outlook 2003 and earlier

1. Open a new Outlook message formatted as plain text. (NOTE: Do not use Microsoft Word as your e-mail editor)
2. Type the information that you want to have in your reply message.
3. On the File menu, click Save As.
4. In the Save As dialog box, click to select the Outlook Template check box in the Save As Type list.
5. Type a name for your reply template in the File Name box, and then click Save.

Outlook 2007

1. Create a new Outlook message.
2. On the Options tab, click Plain Text.
3. Type the message you want people to receive (it’s often helpful to put in your return date).
4. Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Save As.
5. In the Save As dialog box, click to select the Outlook Template check box in the Save as type list.
6. Type “Reply Template” in the File name box, and then click Save.

Outlook 2010

1. Click New E-Mail on the Ribbon.
2. On the Format Text tab, click Plain Text.
3. Type the information that you want to have in your reply message.
4. Click File on the Ribbon, and then click Save As.
5. In the Save As dialog box, click to select the Outlook Template check box in the Save as type list.
6. Type a name for your reply template in the File name box, and then click Save.

Step 2: Create an Out of Office Outlook Rule

Outlook 2003

1. On the Tools menu, click Rules and Alerts.
2. In the Rules and Alerts dialog box, click the New Rule button on the E-mail Rules tab.
3. In the Rules Wizard, click the Start from a blank rule button, click Check messages when they arrive, and then click Next.
4. Under Which condition(s) do you want to check?, click to select the Sent Only To Me check box or any other check box that you want, and then click Next.
5. Under What do you want to do with the message?, click to select the Reply using a specific template check box.
6. On the Step 2: Edit the Rule Description page of the wizard, click the underlined phrase a specific template.
7. In the Select A Reply Template dialog box, click the template that you saved in step 5 of the “How to Define an Automatic Reply Template” section, and then click Open.
8. Complete the Rules Wizard instructions, click Finish, and then click OK.

Outlook 2007

1. On the Tools menu, click Rules and Alerts.
2. In the Rules and Alerts dialog box, click the New Rule button on the E-mail Rules tab.
3. In the Rules Wizard under Start from a blank rule, click Check messages when they arrive, and then click Next.
4. Under Which condition(s) do you want to check?, click to select the Sent Only To Me check box or any other check box that you want, and then click Next.
5. Under What do you want to do with the message?, click to select the Reply using a specific template check box.
6. Under Step 2: Edit the Rule Description, click the underlined phrase a specific template.
7. In the Select A Reply Template dialog box, click the template that you saved in step 6 of the “How to Define an Automatic Reply Template” section, and then click Open.
8. Complete the Rules Wizard instructions, click Finish, and then click OK.

Outlook 2010

1. Click the File tab in the Ribbon, and then click the Info tab on the menu.
2. In the Rules and Alerts tab, click the New Rule button on the E-mail Rules tab.
3. In the Rules Wizard under Start from a blank rule, click Check messages when they arrive, and then click Next.
4. Under Which condition(s) do you want to check, click to select the Sent Only To Me check box or any other check box that you want, and then click Next.
5. Under What do you want to do with the message, click to select the Reply using a specific template check box.
6. Under Step 2: Edit the Rule Description, click the underlined phrase a specific template.
7. In the Select A Reply Template dialog box, click the template that you saved in step 6 of the “How to Define an Automatic Reply Template” section, and then click Open.
8. Complete the Rules Wizard instructions, click Finish, and then click OK.

Create and activate this rule just before you leave – and don’t forget to turn it off when you get back (maybe a calendar reminder?)

Have a great time off – here’s hoping for a good summer!