With absentify, HR admins can centrally manage Outlook out-of-office message templates for individual users and specific leave types. This allows precise communication while offering optional user-level customization of the automatic reply sent during an absence.
This feature requires the Outlook out-of-office reply integration to be active under Settings > Microsoft, and is only available with the Plus plan.

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How to access and edit a user’s Outlook out-of-office message template

1

Navigate to user settings

Go to Settings > Users, then select the user you wish to manage. This opens the individual’s profile where you can configure various preferences, including Outlook out-of-office message templates.
2

Open the OOO message template section

In the user’s profile, open the OOO Templates tab. You will see a dropdown list of available leave types.
3

Select the leave type and configure the message

Choose a leave type from the dropdown (e.g., Vacation, Sick Leave). You can now edit the associated automatic message template using placeholders like {firstName}, {returnDate}, etc.Decide whether the employee is allowed to customize their message by checking or unchecking the box labeled Allow customization of the out-of-office message by employees.
4

Edit templates for internal and external senders

For each leave type, you can configure two versions of the automatic message:
  • Inside organization template: The message shown to internal contacts (colleagues within your organization).
  • Outside organization template: The message shown to external contacts.
When editing the outside organization template, you can also control delivery:
  • Enable or disable Send replies outside your organisation.
  • If enabled, choose whether to send replies only to contacts or to all external senders.
These settings ensure appropriate messaging and privacy when communicating with recipients outside your company.
5

Save your changes

After configuring the message templates and settings, click Save to apply your changes.

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Admin control and user permissions

As an HR admin, you benefit from centralized control with these options: When using the Plus plan, you can:
  • Fully manage the out-of-office message template contents for each user and leave type.
  • Decide per leave type whether users may customize their automatic reply.
  • View the user’s personal message template as long as customization is not disabled for the selected leave type. For details on how users manage their own messages, see the employee guide on automatic replies.

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Benefits of individual-level control

Tailoring Outlook out-of-office message templates per user and leave type enables clearer and more consistent external communication. It ensures clients and colleagues receive precise information depending on the leave context (e.g., sick leave vs. vacation). For managing messages in bulk, see the company-wide message template guide.