How to set an out of office message on Teams, Gmail

You deserve a break. Whether it is for the end-of-year holidays, to get away for a while on a boat or you want a few days for yourself road trip or staycation, you’ve earned some time off.

Before you leave, don’t forget to let your colleagues or clients know that you won’t be responding to their emails or messages! Many companies use an internal messaging system like Teams or Slack, so that’s a useful starting point when setting up an out-of-office message.

If you want to take your disconnect from work to another level, consider this too create a focus mode on your iPhone that will hide work-related notifications on your phone.

Watch this video to see how to set an out of office message on Slack and Teams.

What does OOO mean at work?

OOO stands for ‘out of office’. You can use this terminology when you are on leave, taking a day off, traveling or temporarily out of work. OOO messages are automatic replies that let people know that you are not answering or are delayed.

How to be out of office in Outlook, Teams

If you use Microsoft Tools software, Teams is one of the easiest ways to set up your OOO.

Click on your profile photo in the top right corner of the app.
Click Set status message.
Click Set up away message.
Enable the setting.
Add your custom out of office message.
Click To rescue.

You can also set the message to be sent within a specific time frame or create a separate message to send to people who are not part of your company.

If you use Teams and Outlook, your status will also be synced from the messaging platform to your email, but you can also set this up in the Outlook app.

Click Tools on your menu bar.
Click Automatic replies…

Some steps may vary depending on which version of the software you are using and whether you access the service through a browser instead of through the apps. If so, visit their website for more specific details.

How to be out of office in Gmail

To set up an OOO in Gmail:

Click the settings cog.
Click View all settings.
Scroll down until you find Holiday care provider.
Enable the setting and complete the message box.

How to Get Out of the Office in Slack

To set your out of office message Clearance:

Click on your profile photo.
Click Update your status.
Select Outside the office.
Fill in the date range and add a message.