Top out of office message templates and examples

• May 09, 2022
• Author: Give A Grad A Go

It’s time to put your mug back in the kitchen, get overly stressed for no reason, log off and try to enjoy your holiday while resisting the urge to check your emails.

But wait! What about your out-of-office message?

This blog will guide you through how to write an out of office message on outlook, out of office templates and some of the best out of office messages to entertain your colleagues.

There are plenty of abbreviations for out of office to choose from: OOO, OoO, OOTO, OOF, OOTF.

What do they all mean? Essentially, they are all same. But in case you were wondering:

• OOO - Out of the office
• OoO - Out of the office
• OOTO - Out of the office
• OOF - Out of the office
• OOTF - Out of the office

Luckily they are universally understood, so you don’t need to worry too much about that.

Firstly, it is handy to know where to find the out of office message on outlook. 
 

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“I’m on annual leave. Crossing my fingers I’ll win the lottery so I’ll never have to return.”

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Out of office message outlook: 

Welcome to the step-by-step guide on how to create an out of office message on outlook.

Internal Out of Office Messages on Outlook: 

• Step 1: On outlook, click on FILE, INFO and then select AUTOMATIC REPLIES (Out of Office).
• Step 2: Click on SEND AUTOMATIC REPLIES and check the Only send during this time range check box.
• Step 3: Specify a start and end time for the reply to activate and deactivate using the Start time and End Time fields.
• Step 4: Enter a message in the Inside My Organization field. This message will be sent to internal UCSD email addresses.
• Step 5: Select OK to save your settings! Your out of office message on outlook for your internal colleagues is complete.

External Out of Office Messages on Outlook: 

• Step 1: Click on the Outside My Organization tab.
• Step 2: Make sure Auto-reply to people outside my organization is checked.
• Step 3: Enter the message that will be sent to external (non- UCSD) email addresses.
• Step 4: Click on OK.
   

How to de-activate your Out of Office Message on Outlook:

You’re back in the office, glowing and relaxed from your time off. It’s time to deactivate your out of office message on outlook, and this is how:

• Step 1: Click on FILE, INFO, then AUTOMATIC REPLIES
• Step 2: Click on DO NOT SEND AUTOMATIC REPLIES
• Step 3: Click OK

Now you’re able to set up your out of office message on outlook.

But what do you write? Are you looking to make it formal, funny, or friendly?

We have created some out of office message templates to give you some inspiration.
 

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“I bet you were blown away for a second there at my quick as a flash response to your email. Sadly, this isn’t the case… I am currently away on holiday/at a conference. I’ll get back to you on my return. Thank you!”

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How to structure your out of office message:

Do you need a template for out of office message?
However you decide to write your out of office message is up to you, but it can be useful to know the basic components to an out of office message.

We have created a basic out of office template to get you started.
 

1. OOO email subject line: 

It is customary to title the subject line of the email as “Out of Office Reply”, so that people are immediately aware that you are out of office.

2. Out of office introduction/ greeting:

It may be preferable to say thank you in your out of office message. The start of an out of office message should include the magic 3: a greeting, a thank you, and a statement to explain your absence.

3. Date of your return:

The second part of your out of office message should provide information on when you will be able to reply. If you are going to be away for an indefinite amount of time then simply stating the reason is sufficient. This is probably the most important part of email.

4. Call-to-action or referral:

This is a great opportunity to refer a designated colleague to deal with the enquiries or promote your business/service. Your out of office message can be a lead generation tactic to newsletter sign ups, your website, or blog post for example!

5. Out of office email sign off: 

Goodbyes can be difficult, but this one doesn't need to be. A simple sign off on the out of office message will suffice, although it is not entirely necessary to have one at all.

 

Out of office message templates

 

OOO email subject line examples

• Out of office message
• OOO: I am on annual leave until 25.04
• Auto-reply: Thank you for your patience
• Out of office auto-reply
• OOO: Sipping cocktails on a beach!
• OOO - Returning from holiday 10.03
• Auto-reply: I will respond to your enquiry W/C 02.11
• Out of office - currently on annual leave

 

Standard OOO email examples

 

• Out of office template example 1:

Hello.

Thank you for your email,

I am currently out of the office and will be unable to respond to your email.

I will be back in the office tomorrow (1/01/2020) and will respond upon my return.

Please direct any urgent enquiries to my colleague (name) and they will be able to assist you. You can find more information about us over on the Give A Grad A Go website.

Best wishes

NAME

• Out of office template example 2:

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for getting in touch.

I am currently at the (insert name) conference.

I will be back on the (5/05/2020) and be sure to get back to you when I return.

If your enquiry is important please email (colleagues email) and they will be able to help you with any enquiries you may have. In the meantime, please head over to our website and check out some of the great resources for employers we have to offer.

Kind Regards

NAME

• Out of office template example 3:

Hi there

Thanks for the email.

I've upgraded from Costa Del Aldgate to Costa Del Sol for the week with no access to my emails.

I will be back and swapping the mojitos for the Northern Line on the 7/07/2020. But I will aim to respond straight after my morning coffee.

My wonderful assistant (name) will be able to answer any urgent enquiries you have. Whilst I am spending all my money on cocktails and inflatable flamingos, you could be saving yours by referring Give A Grad A Go to another company and both receiving a 5% discount off your next hire!

Thanks for getting in touch

NAME​

 

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"I'm out of the office and returning tomorrow, at which time I will promptly delete all of your emails."

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Out of Office Examples that will stand out
 

Out of office Emojis:

One way to really stand out in your out of office email is to bring your message across entirely with emojis!
 

 

Out of office memes:

Who wouldn't want to see Mr Bean in their outlook? 

You can explore many more if you’re keen for the bean memes. Why not spice up your out of office email with an out of office gif?

 

Out of office game or quiz:

Hello there,

This is your automated out of office message. You have two choices of what to do, pick wisely:

Option 1: Send me an email to interruptyourvacation@giveagradago.com (Just kidding. That’s not a real email address).
Option 2: Reach out to (NAME) or (NAME) in my absence.

I shall be back on the 5^th September but in the time being, I recommend you check out this fantastic annual leave calculator and plan your next holiday too!

Thanks,

NAME

Out of office links: 

Linking back to your company, service or product is a fantastic way of shamelessly marketing your company, product or service.

Hi

Thanks for your email, but I’m afraid to say,

I cannot reply as I am away.

If you are hoping for a reply today, the answer is no,

But contact us on Twitter - don't forget to tag @giveagradago!

Out of office literature: 

If you’ve got some literary skills then why not show them off with a out of office poem? We made up an out of office example one below!

Hi there, howdy, hello,

Thank you for getting in touch with Give a Grad a Go.

Unfortunately, I am away on vacation,

To celebrate passing my probation.

If your contact is urgent you can send my colleague an email,

But repeatedly emailing this address will not help any avail.

I know must be bored of being at work and the daily slog, so why not cheer yourself up by reading our blog?

I will be back on the 26^th May,

But until then I hope you have a lovely day!”

Make it your own! Now you know how to create an amazing out of office message to brighten up someone’s day, why not check how much annual leave you have leftover?

 

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Funny out of office messages:

 

• “I am currently out of the office. I have a cell phone, but I will not be giving the number out. If you can guess the number, however, I will take your call.”
• “I’ll be out of the office on vacation for the next week. I will probably see your message because I don’t know how to relax and will likely respond if I feel that I need to help in any way. Otherwise, I’ll get back to you when I return. Thanks!”
• “I will be out of the office from [DATE] until [DATE] without access to email. If this is an emergency, call 911”
• "Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down, Never gonna run around and desert you, Never gonna make you cry, Never gonna say goodbye, Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.
• "I'm also never gonna reply to your message until 9th August as I'm off on holiday."
• “I will be out of the office on business until Friday the 1^st. If you have the cold or flu you did not get it from me.”

 

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What's your best out of office message? Tweet us at @giveagradago!

Read more about the importance of having time off from work in our recent blog post.

Looking to Hire Graduates for your business? We are the UK's Graduate Recruitment experts. For more information or to find out more about our services contact us today.

• May 09, 2022
• Author: Give A Grad A Go