Setting up an out-of-office autoresponder

Simple to switch on, and still the source of three recurring problems.

What it should contain

The period, a stand-in with contact details, and whether mail is being monitored or not. That last point is what people actually want to know.

Do not say too much

No home address, no holiday destination, no details about who else is away at the same time. These messages also go to senders you do not know.

Do not reply to spam

A good autoresponder replies once per sender per period, and never to mailing lists. Otherwise you confirm to spammers that your address is active.

Watch for loops

Two autoresponders answering each other fill two mailboxes in a night. The one-reply-per-sender limit prevents that.

Switch it off

Set an end date the moment you enable it. An out-of-office still running in October is the worst impression you can make.