About OOO Writer

OOO Writer writes out of office replies and tells you where to paste them. There are 400 replies across 40 pages, each written by hand to the same short rule set, then filled with your own dates and cover contact in your browser.

The rules every reply follows

Three facts: when you are away, who covers, and when you will reply.
One cover contact, never a list.
No more reason than the situation needs. No medical detail, no destination, no apology for being away.
No humor on sick leave or bereavement.
A return date only when you have one.

Where the set-up steps come from

The Outlook, Gmail, Teams, iPhone and Slack steps are checked against each vendor's own help pages, and every platform page names its sources and the date they were read.

What happens to what you type

Nothing leaves your browser. The writer keeps your details in the page link and, for the current tab only, in session storage so they follow you between pages. There is no account and no sign-up.

To: Everyone leaving soon
From: Department of Being Elsewhere
Re: Before you go

The auto reply is one of five things. The other four take about ten minutes and prevent most of the emails you will read when you get back.

Asked your cover person before putting their name in the replySurprise coverage is how coverage goes wrong.
Set an end time so the reply switches itself offOtherwise it keeps answering for you after you are back.
Blocked the dates in your calendar as out of officeTeams and Outlook read it; so do the people booking you.
Set your Slack or Teams status with an expiryChat does not read your auto reply.
Sent your cover person a three-line handoverWhat is live, what can wait, who to call.

0 of 5 doneWrite the reply