Hey everyone! I'm looking for some advice on enforcing a standardized template for out of office (OOO) and auto replies in Exchange Online. I'm not aware of any built-in features that would allow me to do this, so I suggested providing a template for users to modify themselves. However, I'm open to any alternatives or solutions that might help enforce a more consistent approach. Thanks for your input! Update: I appreciate all the responses. I think it's best to just get a template ready and ask people to manage their own settings.
4 Answers
If you're looking for a centralized solution, CodeTwo offers a tool that allows you to manage automatic replies on a larger scale. It's not built into Outlook, but it could save a lot of time and help enforce consistent policies. Just keep in mind that it's third-party software.
In my experience, trying to centralize OOO replies isn't really effective. People often just copy and paste their old messages or might forget to set anything up at all. It can be a hassle to keep track of, so sometimes it's best to just let it slide and focus on more important tasks.
It sounds like you've already done the right thing by informing your team that there isn't a built-in method for this. If you're willing to put in the effort, you could create a template and have users apply it via a rule. But honestly, I think it's better to let them manage their out of office replies themselves. It's more of a policy issue than a technology one.
I checked out the CodeTwo Autoresponder, and it does seem like a solid option for businesses looking to streamline their email replies. But, you should definitely weigh the pros and cons regarding adopting third-party solutions.