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The Out of Office Assistant only works with servers equipped with Microsoft
Exchange software. If your mail client is POP3, etc., the OOA is
unavailable. You can, however, use the Rules Wizard to create a
auto-response message (ARM) that performs a similar function.
Caveats: This ARM is generated by your computer (not your ISP), so your PC
must be up and running in your absence. If your only computer is a notebook,
and you're travelling with it, you're out of luck. All the usual warnings
about PC security apply; firewall, disable file sharing, etc. Also disable
any Hibernation features, although screen savers are OK.
If you connect w/cable or DSL, skip this paragraph. For dial-up accounts,
set your mail options to check for messages frequently, then disconnect.
See Tools, Options, Mail Setup tab.
Empty your Inbox. Any messages residing here will receive your ARM as soon
as you enable it, even those you've read but not yet moved.
In Tools, Options, Mail Format, select Plain Text format, and uncheck Word
as editor. This step took Microsoft three hours of my phone time to figure
out.
From Inbox, create a new message. Confirm you are in plain text at the top
of the screen. Leave the To: and Cc: fields empty. Enter your Subject,
such as "out of office", then Tab down to the body and create the message
you wish to be sent to all persons sending you mail while this Rule is
active. Give this document a unique name. Save this message As Type
"Document Template". Save In: C:\Documents and
Settings\yourname\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
To active ARM, go to Tools, Rules Wizard. Apply Changes To Inbox. Choose
New, Start From Blank Rule, Check Messages When They Arrive, Next. Choose
by checkbox condition(s); I use "where my name is in the To: or Cc: box".
Click Next. Check the box "reply using a specific template". In the Rule
Description field, select the underlined A Specific Template. Look in the
drill-down menu for the path and filename you used in the preceding
paragraph. Select the file. Back in the Rules Wizard dialog box, your Rule
description should read something like, "Apply this rule after the message
arrives, where my name is in the To or Cc box, reply using, C:\Documents and
Settings\bernie\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\nov22.oft" Click
Finish. Check the box "where my name .", then choose Run Now. In the Run
Rules Now dialog box, select the rule to run, confirm the other info in this
dialog box, then click Run Now.
Upon your return, go to Rules Wizard and uncheck the rule and empty your
Outbox, which contains your ARM.
Exchange software. If your mail client is POP3, etc., the OOA is
unavailable. You can, however, use the Rules Wizard to create a
auto-response message (ARM) that performs a similar function.
Caveats: This ARM is generated by your computer (not your ISP), so your PC
must be up and running in your absence. If your only computer is a notebook,
and you're travelling with it, you're out of luck. All the usual warnings
about PC security apply; firewall, disable file sharing, etc. Also disable
any Hibernation features, although screen savers are OK.
If you connect w/cable or DSL, skip this paragraph. For dial-up accounts,
set your mail options to check for messages frequently, then disconnect.
See Tools, Options, Mail Setup tab.
Empty your Inbox. Any messages residing here will receive your ARM as soon
as you enable it, even those you've read but not yet moved.
In Tools, Options, Mail Format, select Plain Text format, and uncheck Word
as editor. This step took Microsoft three hours of my phone time to figure
out.
From Inbox, create a new message. Confirm you are in plain text at the top
of the screen. Leave the To: and Cc: fields empty. Enter your Subject,
such as "out of office", then Tab down to the body and create the message
you wish to be sent to all persons sending you mail while this Rule is
active. Give this document a unique name. Save this message As Type
"Document Template". Save In: C:\Documents and
Settings\yourname\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
To active ARM, go to Tools, Rules Wizard. Apply Changes To Inbox. Choose
New, Start From Blank Rule, Check Messages When They Arrive, Next. Choose
by checkbox condition(s); I use "where my name is in the To: or Cc: box".
Click Next. Check the box "reply using a specific template". In the Rule
Description field, select the underlined A Specific Template. Look in the
drill-down menu for the path and filename you used in the preceding
paragraph. Select the file. Back in the Rules Wizard dialog box, your Rule
description should read something like, "Apply this rule after the message
arrives, where my name is in the To or Cc box, reply using, C:\Documents and
Settings\bernie\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\nov22.oft" Click
Finish. Check the box "where my name .", then choose Run Now. In the Run
Rules Now dialog box, select the rule to run, confirm the other info in this
dialog box, then click Run Now.
Upon your return, go to Rules Wizard and uncheck the rule and empty your
Outbox, which contains your ARM.