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The Automatic replies feature in absentify allows you to automatically manage your Outlook out-of-office messages for scheduled absences. This feature is only visible if your company’s administrators have granted absentify the necessary Microsoft permissions to access Outlook settings. You can use it on any plan.

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How automatic out-of-office replies work

When you have a template for a leave type and Outlook synchronization active is on, absentify schedules your out-of-office reply based on your absence dates, working hours, and workspace schedule.
  • If you add or remove absences immediately before or after an existing absence, absentify updates the Outlook reply so it covers the new stretch.
  • If you save a template while an absence is already running, absentify updates the Outlook reply to match.
  • If an administrator archives your account, absentify switches off your Outlook reply. If your account is reactivated later, the reply comes back for absences that are still running or still upcoming.
If you don’t see the Automatic replies option under Your Preferences, or if a banner explains what is missing, this can happen for one of the following reasons:
  • Your administrator has not yet activated the mailbox permission in absentify’s Microsoft Integration settings.
  • Your Microsoft account is not linked to your absentify profile.
  • The required Outlook mailbox permission is not available for your Microsoft tenant.
  • An administrator has restricted who can edit out-of-office messages.
A warning titled Outlook Out-of-Office replies not configurable tells you when the permission is missing. If an admin has locked the template, you see Attention needed. Please contact your administrator or share the activation guide with them.

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Configuring your out-of-office templates

You can create custom templates for each absence type, allowing absentify to automatically reuse the message for any future scheduled absence.
1

Accessing automatic replies

To access Automatic replies:
  1. Go to Your Preferences in absentify.
  2. If enabled by your company, you’ll see the Automatic replies option in the menu. This section allows you to configure Outlook out-of-office message templates.
If you don’t see the Automatic replies option under Your Preferences, or if a banner explains what is missing, one of the following may apply:
  • The mailbox permission is not activated.
  • Your Microsoft account is not linked.
  • The required permission is missing for your tenant.
Please reach out to your administrator or forward them the activation instructions to help set this up for your workspace.
2

Select leave types

Select one or multiple leave types from the dropdown (for example, Vacation or Sick Leave).
If you select multiple leave types, the same template will be applied to all selected leave types.
To use different templates per leave type, edit one leave type first and select Save. Then remove it from the selection and select the next leave type you want to edit.
3

Manage Outlook synchronization or delete templates

Use Outlook synchronization active to pause or resume synchronization for the selected leave types after a template exists. Pausing prevents absentify from pushing automatic replies to Outlook while preserving your stored messages; if a reply is active for a current absence, absentify removes it from Outlook.While synchronization is paused for all selected leave types, the editor is dimmed and Send test email and Save are unavailable. If your selection contains both active and paused leave types, absentify shows a partial-pause hint; changes you save still apply to all selected leave types.To remove the stored messages permanently instead, select Delete templates and confirm the deletion. This cannot be undone. If a reply is already active in Outlook for those leave types, absentify also turns it off.
4

Edit the message using the template editor

Use the rich text editor to format the message (font, size, bold, lists, and links). Insert values by selecting the variables below the editor.User and leave information:
  • First name, Last name, Full name
  • Leave type name
  • Start date, Start time
  • End date, End time
  • Date of return, Time of return
Approver variables:
  • Approver name and Approver email insert the first approver.
Representative variables:These placeholders appear only when every selected leave type requires a representative or makes one optional. If you expect them and they do not appear, ask your administrator to check the representative requirement for those leave types.
  • Representative Name and Representative Email insert the first representative.
When Outlook sends the reply, it names the representatives on that leave request who are still pending or already approved, in the same order as on the request. If a representative is replaced, the replacement appears in that person’s place. Archived users are left out. If none remain, the reply uses the representatives from your profile, in the order you set them. Approvers follow the order on that request.
5

Use conditional templates

Open Conditional Templates to insert a block that only appears when the data exists.
  • If Representative: Shows the block only when at least one representative is named.
  • If Approver: Shows the block only when at least one approver is named.
  • Multiple Representatives: Lists every representative, in the same order as the live reply.
  • Multiple Approvers: Lists every approver, in the same order as the live reply.
6

Edit templates for internal and external senders

For each leave type, you can configure two versions of the message:
  • Inside organization template: Sent to colleagues within your organization.
  • Outside organization template: Sent to external senders.
    • Once enabled, you can also select Send replies only to contacts.
7

Preview and test the message

Select Send test email. absentify saves the template and sends the message to your inbox. The test uses the representatives and approvers from your profile, not a specific leave request. Archived users are left out.
8

Save your changes

Select Save to apply the updated out-of-office message templates.
If you want to remove the absentify notice at the bottom of your automatic reply, your workspace needs at least the Essentials plan. See the plan feature matrix. Contact your administrator if you want that notice removed.

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Manually updating your out-of-office replies in Outlook or Teams

If absentify cannot set the automatic reply, you can manually edit it directly in Outlook or Microsoft Teams. If you change the reply in Outlook, absentify does not read that change back; the next sync may overwrite it with the absentify template.
  • In Outlook: Follow Microsoft’s guide to set the message manually.
  • In Teams: You can also set an out-of-office status that syncs with Outlook. Follow this guide to manually set or edit the out-of-office message in Teams.
By using automatic out-of-office replies, you ensure that anyone who contacts you during your absence receives up-to-date information about your return date and alternate contacts if needed. If you need further assistance, please contact your HR department or send them the troubleshooting tips outlined here.