SETTING UP AN AUTO REPLY OR AUTO FORWARD IN OUTLOOK

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY FUND [Rev. 05/2023] Setting up an Auto Reply or Auto Forward in Outlook – Page 1

Lawyers can use the Automatic Replies (Out of Office) or Auto Forward functions in Outlook to

ensure an immediate response to an email if you’re unavailable, such as to notify senders that

you are out of the office and when you will be returning, or to automatically forward emails to a

legal assistant or a different email account. These instructions are for desktop and web-based

versions of Microsoft Outlook for Microsoft 365, but the steps described may be helpful in

creating client folders in other email programs.

at the bottom right of the screen. If you are using an Exchange account, the status bar

should say “Connected to Microsoft Exchange.”

1. Exchange Account

a. With Microsoft Outlook open, click the File tab, and then click the Info tab in the

menu.

b. In the Automatic Replies dialog box, select the Send Automatic Replies check

box.

c. If you want to specify a set date and time range for the auto reply, select the

message that you want to send outside your organization. Then click OK.

2. Non-Exchange Account

a. The Automatic Replies (Out of Office) function is not available on non-

exchange accounts. However, you can combine an email template with the rules

function to achieve a similar result.

b. Click New Email on the ribbon. On the Format Text tab, click Plain Text. Then

type the information that you want to have in your auto reply message. Click File

on the ribbon, and then click Save As.

Rules tab.

f. In the Rules Wizard under Start from a blank rule, click Apply rule on

messages I receive, and then click Next.

g. Under Which condition(s) do you want to check, select any conditions you

want, and then click Next. If you wish to send an auto reply on certain messages,

SETTING UP AN AUTO REPLY OR AUTO FORWARD IN OUTLOOK

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY FUND [Rev. 05/2023] Setting up an Auto Reply or Auto Forward in Outlook – Page 2

select conditions for each type of message. If you want all your messages to

respond with an auto reply, leave everything unchecked.

h. Under What do you want to do with the message, click to select the Reply

using a specific template check box.

i. Under Step 2: Edit the Rule Description, click the underlined phrase a specific

template.

j. In the Select A Reply Template dialog box, click the template that you saved

previously (it should be located in “User Templates in File System”) and then

click Open.

k. Complete the Rules Wizard instructions, click Finish, and then click OK.

b. Be sure that Mail is selected from the left-hand menu. Click Automatic Replies.

c. Click the toggle to Automatic replies on.

d. If you want to specify a set date and time range for the auto reply, check the box

for Send replies only during a time period. Then set the Start time and the

End Time. If you do not choose a specific date and time range, the auto replies

will continue to be sent until you go back to the Automatic Replies dialog box

and select the Do not send automatic replies option.

e. In the Inside My Organization tab, type the message that you want to send

within your organization, and in the Outside My Organization tab, type the

message that you want to send outside your organization. Then click OK.

can be accessed remotely.

Desktop-based Outlook:

a. With Microsoft Outlook open, click the File tab, and then click the Info tab in the

menu.

b. Click Manage Rules & Alerts, and then click the New Rule button on the email

Rules tab.

c. In the Rules Wizard under Start from a blank rule, click Apply rule on

messages I receive, and then click Next.

f. Under Step 2: Edit the Rule Description, click to select the people or public

group. This will open your address book. Search for the email address(es) to

SETTING UP AN AUTO REPLY OR AUTO FORWARD IN OUTLOOK

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY FUND [Rev. 05/2023] Setting up an Auto Reply or Auto Forward in Outlook – Page 3

which you would like to forward your email. You can also just type the full email

addresses in the To field. Then click OK.

g. You will be returned to the Rules Wizard, and click Next. The box to set up

exceptions appears. Select any exceptions you would like to apply to this rule,

and click Next.

h. Under Specify a name for this rule, give your rule a name. Then check the box

for Turn on this rule if you would like to start forwarding messages now. Check

Run this rule now on messages already in “Inbox” if you would like to forward

everything that is already in your Inbox. Then click Finish.

Web-based Outlook:

d. Click +Add new rule.

e. In prompt 1, enter a name for your rule.

f. In prompt 2, click Select a condition, and from the menu of conditions select

From. Type the email address for the person or group sender you want to apply

your rule to (i.e., section@osbar.org, or sender@americanbar.org). In addition,

you can add other conditions, such as the inclusion of language included in the

subject, by clicking Add another condition.

g. In prompt 3, click Select an action, and from the menu of actions select

Forward to. Enter the email address to which you will forward the email. You

can add other actions, such as designating the importance of emails, by clicking

IMPORTANT NOTICES

Professional Liability Fund, except that permission is granted for Oregon lawyers to use and

modify these materials for use in their own practices. © 2023 OSB Professional Liability Fund