Auto reply with POP3 - rules and contact folder

[Guest]

Dear reader,

I am using Outlook for Vista (07 version I guess).

As my email provider uses a POP3 server, I cannot use "Out of office auto
reply", so I have set up a rule to auto reply to any emails which are inbound
whilst I am on holiday.

The conditions are simple,
Where my name is in the To or Cc box
and sender is in Contacts Address Book
and on this machine only.
reply using c:\users\raj\appdata\roaming\microsoft\templates\rr.oft

My question is, how does Outlook know who and who isn't in my Contacts list?

When I am on holiday my computer will be switched off, so the emails that I
receive will only go as far as my email provider's server, and will not reach
my computer. So how will the auto reply know whether the inbound email is
from someone in my address book when the data is surely stored on my computer
and NOT on my email provider's server?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

In addition, I have no idea what "and on this machine" means.

Thank you very much

Rajen

 

[Vince Averello [MVP-Outlook]]

If your machine is off nothing will happen since the rule only runs when
your machine receives the item. So, the items will sit on the mail server
with no replies. You might want to check with your ISP if their mail server
has the option to automatically reply to incoming messages.

 

[Guest]

Many thanks for your reply, in fact, just 20 mins ago I tested it with the
machine off and it didn't work.

If the ISP does not offer this service, is there another way around it ?

Thanks

Raj

 

[Vince Averello [MVP-Outlook]]

Leave your machine running & collecting email while you're gone.

 

[Guest]

Good answer,

Many thanks for clearing that up. If anyone, or indeed yourself Vince,
think of any other method to achieve this then please feel free to express.

Thank you again

Raj