Many of us use Out Of Office messages when we take time away from the office. Out of office (or OOO) messages are simply short email messages that are automatically sent in reply to every incoming message you receive whilst you’re away. They let your contacts know that you’re not just ignoring them, but will be in touch when you can.
What should an OOO message say?
A typical Out of Office message will say something like:
I will be out of the office starting (start date) until (end date). If you need immediate assistance during my absence, please contact (contact name) at (contact email address). Otherwise I will repond to your email as sson as possible upon my return.
If you need help setting up an OOO message, or will any other email issue, call us at the datamills office.
Security considerations
For your genuine contacts, it is helpful to have OOO replies set up when you’re not around. However, there is a security risk involved in doing so. Many attempts to extort money from businesses use clever social engineering to trick employees into transferring money. If the thief knows that you’re not around, they could impersonate you, remotely requesting that money be transferred, and knowing that you’re not in for anyone to double-check with you…
For this reason online security experts rec0mmend that if you use OOO, you need to significantly limit the amount of information you provide. Andy O’Donnell, responsible for network security at About.com offers 4 basic tips:
- Send one message to your colleagues, and another (far less detailed) one to those who don’t work directly with you.
- Set up an internal policy on OOO messages, so that everyone is clear about what can and cannot be shared.
- Don’t give your whereabouts. Simply state that you are unavailable and will get back to the recipient as soon as possible.
- Don’t use your usual signature block. This prevents thieves from phoning to check if you’re out of the country.
Have fun with your OOO!
Of course, you don’t have to use a standard message…
