How to create an autoresponder in Outlook Express

Next, you'll create an e-mail rule.

1. In Outlook Express, click the Tools menu, click Message Rules, and choose Mail. A four-part dialog box will open up.
2. Under Select Conditions for your rule, scroll to the bottom of the list and add a check mark by For all messages.
3. Under Select Actions for your rule, check Reply with message.
4. Under Rule description, the following items should now be listed:
1. Apply this rule after the message arrives
2. For all messages
3. Reply with message
5. You'll notice that the word "message" in the last line is underlined. Click on it and a dialog box will open.
In the files of type box, choose Text (*.txt).

If all goes well, your outofoffice.txt file will be there. If not, click the pull-down menu and choose the C: drive, then go into the email-files folder. Select the outofoffice.txt file, and click the Open button. You’ll go back to the New Mail Rule dialog box where you created the rule. Under the item Name of the rule, enter a description of what the rule does. You can simply call it Out of the Office.

The rule is now set up, so click OK. You’ll see the rule with a check mark next to it now listed in the Message Rules dialog box. When you’re in the office, be sure that box is unchecked. When you’re heading out of the office, put a check mark next to it to activate it.

To find the rule again if you want to change it:

1. Start with the Tools menu, choose Message Rules, then Mail.
2. Select the rule by clicking on it, then click the Modify button. Just like you'd update an answering machine message, you also need to keep you auto-responder up to date.

Also, don't be afraid to be a little creative. The example above was pretty boring, but you could create something more informative. Let's say you were buying more birds for your emu farm. You could tell people this in your auto-responder: "Hi friends and colleagues. I'm headed to Australia in February to find sixty emus to add to the forty we already have. While I'm away, urgent business emails can be sent to lotsofemus@hotmail.com. All other issues can be directed to Jose, my chief emu tender at jose@emufarmer.com or call us at 1-800-EMU4YOU."

Here are other related how-tos:

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