Overview

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Follow these steps to set up an automatic response with your out-of-office message for incoming email messages.

Choose the system you use for email:

Web email:

• UCSD Gmail
• Outlook Web Access (OWA) using Microsoft Exchange
• Outlook Web Access (OWA) using Campus Exchange

Desktop Programs:

• Outlook 2011 on Mac
• Outlook 2010 on Windows

 

Critical Concepts

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• If your email account has been migrated to the Microsoft Exchange 2016 environment (outlook.office365.com), follow the instructions for Microsoft Exchange.  If you access your email online at mail.ucsd.edu, follow the instructions for Campus Exchange.  If you don't know your server or use a different one, contact your department's system administrator or ITS Service Desk.

 

Steps to Take

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UCSD Gmail

1. Sign in to UCSD Gmail
   1. Open Gmail in your web browser.
   2. Sign in with your UCSD email and active directory login.
   3. Make sure you are logged into your UCSD Google account (check the logo in the upper left).
2. Navigate to your settings
   1. In the top right, click the gear.
   2. Choose Settings in the drop down window
3. Set the vacation responder
   1. In the General tab of Settings, scroll down to the Vacation responder section.
   2. In the Vacation Responder section:
      1. Select Vacation responder on
      2. Fill in the date range, subject, and message
      3. Under your message, check the box if you only want your contacts to see your vacation reply
      4. At the bottom of the page, click Save Changes

Outlook Web Access (OWA) Microsoft Exchange

1. Activate or modify out-of-office message
   1. Log in to OWA with your UCSD email address and Active Directory (AD) password.
      • Your username is usually the first part of your e-mail address before the @ symbol (e.g. username@ucsd.edu).
      • If you forget your AD password, you can reset it.
   2. Open the Options menu in the top right corner of the page and click Automatic Replies.
   3. Select Send automatic replies and check Send replies only during this time period.
   4. Select a Start time and an End time. Your message automatically turns on and off with the assigned dates.
   5. If you want to automatically block off your calendar, decline event invitations, or cancel scheduled meetings during this period, toggle the associated option.
   6. Enter your message in the text field.
   7. Click OK in the upper left corner. Both internal and external users receive this auto-reply.
   8. If you don't want external users to receive the message, uncheck Send automatic reply messages to senders outside my organization and save again.
2. Create a custom message
   1. Select Send automatic reply messages to senders outside my organization.
   2. Select either Send replies only to senders in my Contacts list or Send replies to all external senders.
   3. Enter a customized message in the text field.
   4. Click OK in the upper left corner.
3. Modify your message
   1. Log in to the Out of Office Assistant as outlined above.
   2. Modify the dates or message as needed.
   3. Click on Save in the bottom right corner next to the green check mark.

Outlook Web Access (OWA) using Campus Exchange

1. Activate or modify out-of-office message
   1. Log in to OWA with your Active Directory (AD) username and password.
      • Your username is usually the first part of your e-mail address before the @ symbol (e.g. username@ucsd.edu).
      • If you forget your AD password, you can reset it.
   2. Open the Options menu in the top right corner of the page and click Set Automatic Replies.
   3. Select Send automatic replies and check Send replies only during this time period.
   4. Select a Start time and an End time. Your message automatically turns on and off with the assigned dates.
   5. Enter your message in the text field.
   6. Click Save in the upper left corner next to the Mail icon. Both internal and external users receive this auto-reply.
   7. If you don't want external users to receive the message, uncheck Send automatic reply messages to senders outside my organization and save again.
2. Create a custom message
   1. Select Send automatic reply messages to senders outside my organization.
   2. Select either Send replies only to senders in my Contacts list or Send replies to all external senders.
   3. Enter a customized message in the text field.
   4. Click on Save in the upper left corner next to the Mail icon.
3. Modify your message
   1. Log in to the Out of Office Assistant as outlined above.
   2. Modify the dates or message as needed.
   3. Click on Save in the bottom right corner next to the green check mark.

Outlook 2011 on Mac

1. Set up auto-reply
   1. In Outlook, click on Tools.
   2. Select Out of Office from the menu bar.
   3. Select Send Out of Office messages.
   4. Enter your out of office response in the Reply to messages with box below.
      Note: The response entered in this field will ONLY be send to INTERNAL UCSD email addresses
   5. Check the I am out of the office between box and specify the Start date and End Date fields. This controls when the auto-reply will activate and deactivate.
2. Auto-reply to external email addresses
   1. Check the Send replies outside my company box.
   2. Click on Address Book contacts only or Anyone outside my company.
      • Address Book contacts only option sends the out of office response only to the external emails in your Address Book on your computer.
      • Anyone outside my company option sends the out of office response to anyone that sends you an email.
   3. Enter the message that will be sent to external (non-UCSD) email addresses.
   4. Click OK.
3. Deactivate automatic replies
   1. In Outlook, click on Tools then Out of Office.
   2. Click on Do not send Out Of Offices messages.
   3. Click OK.
      Note: Even though the previous Out of Office message is still in the text box, the Out of Office Assistant is no longer active..

Outlook 2010 on Windows

1. Start your setup
   1. In Outlook, click on File > Info then select Automatic Replies (Out of Office).
   2. Click on Send Automatic Replies and check the Only send during this time range check box.
   3. Specify a start and end time for the reply to activate and deactivate using the Start time and End time fields.
   4. Enter a message in the Inside My Organization field. This message will be sent to internal UCSD email addresses.
2. Set up auto-reply to external email addresses
   1. Click on the Outside My Organization tab.
   2. Make sure Auto-reply to people outside my organization is checked.
   3. Enter the message that will be sent to external (non-UCSD) email addresses.
   4. Click on OK.
3. Deactivate out-of-office automatic replies
   1. Click on File > Info > Automatic Replies.
   2. Click on Do not send automatic replies.
   3. Click OK.