Write an out-of-office message

An out-of-office reply is read by someone who wanted something from you and now has to decide what to do. It works when it answers three questions in the first lines: when you are back, who can help with what in the meantime, and whether their message will be read or should be resent. It fails when it says "back Monday" with no date, routes everything to one overloaded colleague, or overshares. Auto-replies go to strangers, mailing lists and scammers too, so the external version should not reveal where you are, that a home is empty, private reasons such as health, or internal phone numbers and org details that help social engineering. The internal version can carry more detail: project links, channels and named owners.

Write out-of-office auto-replies for a both audience in a friendly tone.

Reason for absence (private context, not to be disclosed): [REASON] First day back: [RETURN_DATE] Only if [BACKUP_CONTACTS] is given:

1. Decide how much of the reason to say. Default to a neutral "I am out of the office". Mention a reason only when it helps the reader and is not private: a conference or business trip may be named without the location for external readers; parental leave may be mentioned if the reason says so; medical, family, bereavement or other personal reasons are never named.
2. State the return date as a full date with weekday. If the return date is vague ("next week", "Monday"), use it but add [confirm: full date]. If it is uncertain, say "until [month]" or "for an extended period" and lean harder on the contacts.
3. Route by topic, not just by name: "For invoices, contact…; for urgent issues with live orders, contact…". Use only the contacts given. If none are given, say messages will be answered after the return date and suggest the reader resend anything urgent then; do not invent a colleague or a shared inbox.
4. Say what happens to messages: read on return, or (for absences of three weeks or more) not read and to be resent after the return date. Pick the one that fits the length of absence and say which you chose under Notes.
5. Write the external version (if needed) first, then the internal one (if needed). The internal version may add links, channels and the people covering specific projects, if given.
6. Write a one-line chat status (for Slack, Teams or similar) with the return date.
7. Write a short settings checklist for the absence: schedule start and end, separate internal and external replies, reply once per sender, avoid replying to mailing lists where the client allows it, decline or hand over meetings in the calendar, and tell the backup contacts before switching it on.

• Body under about 80 words per version; the first two lines must carry the return date and where to go instead.
• Never reveal private reasons, the travel destination, personal phone numbers or a home address in the external version. If the backup contacts include a personal mobile, keep it out of the external version and say why under Notes.
• Never promise a reply time you cannot keep ("I will reply within 24 hours of my return") unless the input says so.
• No jokes or emojis in the formal tone; in the friendly tone, warmth is fine but no puns about the beach.
• Use only the names, addresses and numbers given; never invent them.

Auto-replies

For each audience: a subject line (for clients that allow one, such as "Out of office until Mon 17 Nov"), then the body.

Chat status

One line.

Settings checklist

Four to six bullets.

Notes

Placeholders to fill, what you left out on purpose and why. "None" if nothing.

Weak: "I'm currently out of the office with limited access to email. I'll respond as soon as possible upon my return." Strong: "Thanks for your email. I'm away until Monday 17 November and won't be reading messages. For invoices, please contact Priya at [email protected]; for anything else, I'll reply when I'm back."