Create effective away messages (+15 free templates)

Day in and day out, you rise to the occasion and work hard so that you and your team achieve your goals. Now you're taking a well-deserved break and need to write a quick away (OOO) message.

Don't worry; we have what you need.

In this article, you'll learn how to write an effective away message using templates and examples. You will also see how to configure your automatic reply in the messaging services.

What is an out of office message?

An out of office or OOO message is an automatic email reply sent to anyone who emails you while you're away. It explains how long you will be away and who will assume your responsibilities in your absence. Sometimes an OOO message tells the reader the reasons for your absence.

Sending an out of office message is a professional and polite way to let others know that you are offline and unavailable. It's considered good work etiquette when you're on vacation, at a business conference, or on sick leave. The auto-reply message says you can't reply immediately, but you don't ignore the email either.

Your away message is important

People usually expect a response to their emails within a day or two. A no-reply usually means the sender is guessing why you're not replying.

This miscommunication is especially troublesome if you work in a customer-facing role, such as customer service, communications, sales, or marketing. When you return, you have an inbox overflowing with a long list of frustrated people. You may find yourself overwhelmed with the number of emails you need to respond to or miss important emails, resulting in lost productivity.

Your automatic out of office email reply solves this problem. It sets clear boundaries for your free time in our age of perpetual electronic availability. When the sender knows you're away for a period of time, they're less likely to bombard you with multiple emails on the same topic.

They can decide if they want to wait for you to return or contact you in some other way. They can also contact the colleague who replaces you in your absence, which reduces accumulations when you return. This avoids delays or disruptions to work in progress or customer partnerships.

A well-designed out of office message helps you get in touch with the recipient. It can be as simple as sharing something about your vacation or vacation. Small personal notes make the recipient feel cared for, which can deepen the business relationship.

What to include in your out of office message

You don't have to write a long email saying you're OOO. A good out of office message should include:

The exact start date and end date. Contact details of the person(s) to contact for immediate assistance; if you mention several points of contact, specify who to contact for each type of task. Sometimes the reason you're out of the office. You know yourself and your office culture, so ultimately you decide if someone needs to know about your business.

Be sure to include that you are out of the office in your subject line with the date.

Here is a simple OOO message template.

Subject line: I am OOO from [date] to [date].

Hi,

I am currently out of the office until [date] for [reason] with no access to email. I will respond to you as soon as possible upon my return. In case of urgent requests, please contact [name of colleague], [designation] at [email/telephone].

Thank you,

[your signature]

How to Write a Good Out of Office Message

Gather all the information that should be included in the out of office reply. Follow the general rules for writing a professional email.

Include a good subject line, catchy if possible. Add greetings. Keep your OOO message short. Add jokes like "Thanks for reaching out" or "See you" at the end. Insert approval and signature. Review your out of office message before clicking Save.

Tip: Use a proofreading tool to check for spelling and grammar errors in your emails.