- FAS IT Support Program
- What is the email auto-reply (vacation) tool?
What is the email auto-reply (vacation) tool?
As the semester winds down and summer plans begin to be made, email is usually the furthest thing from your mind. Fortunately, ITS has developed a convenient web-based tool that allows users to set up an automated email reply notifying senders of his/her absence. The new web-based vacation tool has replaced the Pantheon server vacation tool, so it is no longer necessary (or possible) to logon to your account and manually create a .forward file.
Once the auto-reply program is enabled, and an email is received, the program will immediately send a message to the sender. The automated response is customizable, so users can personalize their reply greeting to the sender. For example, a user can create a message giving specific dates of departure and return, emergency contacts, or additional pertinent information.
Access the email account management tool
The tool can be accessed here.
Once logged into the web account tool with a valid NetID and Password, a page will display verifying that the user has successfully logged in and is authenticated. Click the Continue button to proceed.
The next page will be the Email Account Management Tool itself, containing information about the user's email account, along with a number of email tools.
Configuring the email auto-reply (vacation) progam
To activate the auto-reply email message, use the mouse pointer and click Configure on the Email Auto-Replay (Vacation) row under the Configure/Details column.
Email Account Management Tool users are able to edit the auto-reply message on-line. User's should feel free to modify the Name, Subject and Automated Reply fields to his/her liking. Once the changes have been completed, click on the Activate Vacation button to enable the program. Notice that the auto-reply indicates enabled under the Current Status column. Click the Logout button when finished.
Notes
- While the email auto-reply program is enabled, users will still receive incoming mail. In other words, the program will not bounce mail back to a sender, rather only send the auto-reply message of the user's absence. Thus, the user can still view all received mail at a later date.
- The vacation program keeps track of whom it has replied to, only sending one reply per person per week. Keep in mind that a user who is testing his/her own vacation setup will receive only one reply per the first test email.
- Remember to deactivate the auto-reply. To disable the program, enter the configuration page, choose either the "Deactivate vacation and keep my message for future use" or the "Deactivate vacation and delete my vacation message" radio dial and click the Make Changes button.
- While in the account tool, authentication credentials will expire after 5 minutes of inactivity, or when the logout button is clicked. If time should expire, the user need only log in again.
- For additional assistance and instruction, use the Email Account Management Tool help by clicking on the Help button after logging in.
