15 Out of Office Email Templates

An out of office message is an automated email response sent to inform people of your unavailability and provides pertinent details or alternate contact information. It is typically used during vacations, meetings, or any other instances where you cannot respond immediately.

You should use an out of office message to maintain professionalism and clear communication when you are unavailable to respond to emails. It is especially important during extended absences such as vacations, business trips, or medical leave. They manage sender expectations and ensure continuous communication.

Aside from keeping the message professional and concise, a comprehensive OOO message should include:

• The duration of your absence.
• The reason for your absence (if appropriate).
• An alternative contact for urgent matters.
• An indication of whether you will check emails periodically.
• A thank-you note or an apology for any inconvenience.
• Avoid sharing too much personal information.

The holidays are one of the most common times of the year to use an out of office message. We’ve written an article going into more detai on how to best compose these seasonal messages, which you can check out here: 12 Out-of-Office Message Templates for Holidays.

Incorporating TextExpander into your Out of Office (OOO) message strategy can streamline communication and maintain professionalism across your team. Here’s how:

• Library of Examples: Create a shared library of OOO message templates within TextExpander. These templates should cover various scenarios like vacations, conferences, or extended leaves, and include essential information such as return dates and alternative contact details. This ensures that all team members have access to a consistent set of examples to base their messages on.
• Personalization and Consistency: While the use of templates promotes uniformity, TextExpander also offers flexibility for personalization. Team members can adapt the templates to fit their voice or specific circumstances, ensuring their OOO messages are both personal and professional. Encourage your team to personalize the greeting or closing lines, but keep the key details like availability and alternative contacts standardized to maintain consistency across the organization.

By leveraging TextExpander for OOO messages, your team can ensure clear, consistent, and professional communication with clients and colleagues, even in their absence. Learn more about TextExpander and start your free 30-day trial today.