How to Add an Out of Office Message to a Shared Mailbox

Introduction

A shared mailbox is a useful tool for teams and organizations that need to manage multiple users' access to a single email account. When team members are away or unable to respond to emails, it's essential to set up an out-of-office message to inform senders of the absence and any potential delays in response time. This article will guide you through the process of setting up an out-of-office message for a shared mailbox in Microsoft Outlook Web App (OWA).

Section 1: Setting up an Out-of-Office message in Microsoft Outlook Web App (OWA)

1.1. Accessing the shared mailbox:Before you can set up an out-of-office message, you need to have the necessary permissions to access the shared mailbox. Check with your IT administrator to ensure you have the correct permissions.

1.2. Steps to set up an out-of-office message:

Open your preferred web browser and go to the Outlook Web App (OWA) login page (usually located at mail.lgflmail.org
Sign in with your account credentials.
Click on the profile icon located in the top right corner, then click on "Open another mailbox."
Enter the shared mailbox's email address and click "Open."
In the shared mailbox, click on the gear icon in the top right corner to open the "Settings" menu.
In the "Settings" search bar, type "automatic replies" and click on the "Automatic replies" option that appears in the search results.
In the "Automatic Replies" dialog, choose "Send automatic replies."
Configure the automatic reply settings as needed:
1. Set the start and end dates for the out-of-office message
2. Compose the desired out-of-office message in the provided text box
3. If desired, select the "Send replies only during this time period" checkbox to limit the automatic replies to a specific time frame.
Click "Save" to activate the out-of-office message for the shared mailbox.

Section 2: Setting up an Out-of-Office message in Microsoft Outlook (Desktop Application)

2.1. Accessing the shared mailbox:Before you can set up an out-of-office message, you need to have the necessary permissions to access the shared mailbox. Check with your IT administrator to ensure you have the correct permissions.

2.2. Steps to set up an out-of-office message:

Open Microsoft Outlook and sign in with your account.
Click on your profile icon located in the top right corner, then click "Open another mailbox."
Enter the shared mailbox's email address and click "Open."
In the shared mailbox, click on "File" in the top left corner.
Select "Automatic Replies (Out of Office)" from the menu.
In the "Automatic Replies" dialog, choose "Send automatic replies."
Configure the automatic reply settings as needed:
1. Set the start and end dates for the out-of-office message by selecting the "Only send during this time range" checkbox and choosing the desired dates.
2. Compose the desired out-of-office message in the provided text box under "Inside My Organization."
3. If desired, configure a separate out-of-office message for senders "Outside My Organization" by selecting the "Auto-reply to people outside my organization" checkbox and composing a message in the provided text box.
Click "OK" to activate the out-of-office message for the shared mailbox.