Out of Office Message Generator

In short An out-of-office message needs four things and most contain two. The dates you are away, including the day you return, because "back next week" is ambiguous to anyone in a different timezone or planning around you. Whether you are checking email at all — say it plainly either way, since "limited access" means nothing and readers assume the interpretation that suits them. Who to contact instead, by name and address, for urgent matters. And a definition of urgent, because without one either everything or nothing gets escalated. What to leave out matters as much. Do not say you are on holiday abroad and give the dates your house is empty; do not name a medical reason; do not promise to reply on your first day back, because you will not. A useful variation is a stricter internal message and a plainer external one, since colleagues need the cover contact and customers mostly need to know when to expect a reply. Set the end date one working day after you return — the first day back is not a day you will get through the backlog.