Thank you for contacting me. I'm out of the office until and will respond on my return. For time-sensitive matters, reach out to at .
Professional · short · 1 of 6
Also for your time off
Where does it go?
A professional out of office message confirms the email arrived, gives the return date and hands urgent matters to one named colleague, as in "Thank you for contacting me. I'm out of the office until October 14 and will respond on my return. For time-sensitive matters, reach out to Priya Nair at priya.nair@yourcompany.com."
Professional here means complete and calm rather than stiff: no reason for the absence, no apology for it, and no promise about reply times that you cannot keep.
All 12 replies on this page
Type your details in the writer and every reply below fills itself in.
Professional 12
Thank you for contacting me. I'm out of the office until [Back on] and will respond on my return. For time-sensitive matters, reach out to [Who covers] at [Their email].
Short
You caught me between [Away from] and [Back on], when I am away from my desk. Your message has been received and will be answered when I return. [Who covers] ([Their email]) is available in the interim.
Short
I am currently away from the office and will return on [Back on]. During my absence, [Who covers] is managing my accounts ([Their email]).
Short
Your message arrived while I am away from the office, returning [Back on]. Should you require assistance before then, [Who covers] at [Their email] will be glad to help.
Short
This is an automated notice: I am unavailable from [Away from] to [Back on]. For matters requiring prompt attention, please direct your message to [Who covers] ([Their email]). I will reply upon my return.
Short
Many thanks for your message. I am out of the office until [Back on] with no access to email. [Who covers] is covering my client work at [Their email]; I will be in touch after I return.
Short
I appreciate your email. I'm out of the office from [Away from] to [Back on] and will not be monitoring messages during this period. If your inquiry concerns an active project or a deadline before my return, write to [Who covers] at [Their email], who is fully briefed on my accounts. I will respond to all other correspondence on [Back on].
Longer
I am away from the office until [Back on]. Your message has been received, and I will review it carefully when I return. In the meantime, [Who covers] is managing my responsibilities and can assist with orders, scheduling and account questions; they can be reached at [Their email]. I appreciate your patience and look forward to continuing our work together.
Longer
Please accept this automatic reply as confirmation that your email has been received. I am away from the office between [Away from] and [Back on], and my inbox will not be reviewed until I return. For any matter that cannot wait, [Who covers] is the designated contact and is available at [Their email]. I will follow up on outstanding items promptly upon my return.
Longer
From [Away from] until [Back on] I am away from the office, and responses from me will resume on my return. Clients with urgent requests should contact [Who covers] directly at [Their email]; they have access to all current files and can act on my behalf. Everything else will receive a full reply from me on [Back on]. Thank you for reaching out.
Longer
I am currently out of the office and will be back on [Back on]. While I am away, my email is not being forwarded, so please resend anything requiring action to [Who covers] at [Their email], who is covering my portfolio. Messages left here will be answered in order of receipt after I return.
Longer
Thank you for your patience while I am away. I am out of the office from [Away from] to [Back on] and unable to respond during that time. For contracts, invoices or anything with a deadline, [Who covers] at [Their email] has authority to help. I will review your message personally when I return and reply within two business days.
Longer
What to leave out
Stock openers like "I hope this email finds you well". They add length and read as filler.
Apologizing for being away. Clients expect you to take time off; thank them for their patience instead.
Internal detail in an external reply. Project code names and team news belong in the internal version.
A personal phone number. Give the colleague's work email; your phone invites calls you will not take.
Casual sign-offs like "Cheers". Close with "Best regards" and your name, or with nothing.
Filling it in
Pick a reply, enter the dates and the colleague who covers your clients, and copy it into the external reply box of your mail client. If Outlook or Teams offers a separate internal reply, use a warmer one from the situation pages there.
Questions people ask
How do you write a professional out of office message?
Confirm receipt, give the dates you are away, name one colleague for urgent matters with their work email, and say when you will reply. Keep it to three or four sentences in plain, complete language. Leave out the reason for your absence, any apology and any promise to check email while away.
What should you not say in a professional out of office?
Avoid the reason for the absence, apologies, your personal phone number, internal project names and vague timing like "when I can". Each one either overshares or leaves the sender unsure what happens next. A client reading the reply should know exactly who to contact and when you will answer.
Is it unprofessional to have a funny out of office?
With clients, strangers or anyone who might be upset by the delay, usually yes. With a team inbox that knows you, a light joke is fine as long as the dates and the cover contact are still there. If Outlook offers a separate internal reply, keep the joke there and the plain version outside.
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.