outlook travel notice

How to set up automatic Outlook out-of-office replies

Are you taking time off during the holidays? Don't forget to configure automatic email replies to let people know you won't be available for a few days.

If you're thinking of using some of your vacation days during the holidays to travel, recharge, or spend some overdue quality time with family, one thing you may want to consider is configuring your work or personal Outlook to send automatic out-of-office replies.

Out-of-office replies let you automatically communicate relevant information when you're away on vacation or when you won't be near a computer for a few days.

Automatic replies are not complicated to configure and there is a number of ways to set the feature up, but the options available may be different depending on the application you're trying to use.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to configure automatic out-of-office email replies using Outlook 2016, Outlook.com, and the built-in Mail & Calendar app.

How to send automatic replies using Outlook app

How to send automatic replies using outlook web.

• How to send automatic replies using Mail & Calendar app

Note: These steps will only work if you have an Office 365, Outlook.com, or Exchange account. If you use another service, you can try this Microsoft recommended workaround .

When you're planning to take a break, you can configure automatic replies in a number of ways, but the option that offers the most flexibility is the desktop version of Outlook. Here's how to use it:

• Open the Outlook app.
• Click on File .
• Click on Info .
• Under "Account Information," select the email address you want to configure (if applicable).
• Click the Automatic Replies button.

• Select the Send automatic replies option.
• Check the Only send during this time range option.
• Use the "Start time" picker to select the day you're planning to leave work.
• Use the "End time" picker to select the day you're planning to return to work.

• Use the "Automatic replies" box to create a custom out-of-office message that senders will get in the automatic reply.

If you're setting up automatic replies for your work account, two messages boxes will be available, including Inside My Organization and Outside My Organization .

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• Click the Inside My Organization tab.
• Create a custom message that your work colleagues will receive during your time away.

• Click the Outside My Organization tab (optional).
• If you only want to send replies to people within the organization, clear the Auto-reply to people outside my organization option.
• My Contacts only — People in your contact list will be the only ones getting the custom reply.
• Anyone outside my organization — All emails outside your organization will receive a response.

• Create a custom message that everyone will receive during your time away. Quick Tip: You can always cut and paste the same text for both messages.

You can also create custom rules to send automatic out-of-office replies. You can learn more about this feature in our in-depth guide on the subject .

Once you complete these steps, depending on your configuration, emails you receive during your time away will get automatic out-of-office replies with your custom message.

You can also set up automatic out-of-office replies using Outlook on the web.

• Open Outlook.com on your web browser.
• Click the gear button in the top-right corner.
• Click the Automatic replies option.

• Check the Send replies only during this time period option.

• Block my calendar for this period.
• Automatically decline new invitations for events that occur during this period.
• Decline and cancel my meetings during this period.
• Send replies only to people in my Contact list — People in your contact list will be the only ones getting the custom reply.
• Send automatic replies to anyone who emails me — All emails will receive a response.
• Using the text box, create a custom out-of-office message that senders will get in the automatic response.

• Click the OK button in the top-right corner.

After completing these steps, during your time away, emails arriving in your inbox will get an automatic out-of-office reply with your custom message.

The only caveat is that "Automatic replies" is currently not available in the beta version of Outlook.com . If you must configure this feature in your account, you'll need to turn off the "try the beta" toggle switch that appears in the top-right corner.

How to send automatic replies using the Windows Mail & Calendar app

If you're using the Mail & Calendar app on Windows 10 , it's possible to send automatic replies to make sure anyone important who sends you a message will get a response, so they don't think you're ignoring them.

• Open the Mail app.
• Click the Settings (gear) button in the bottom-left corner.

• Click the Automatic Replies option.

• If you have multiple accounts, use the drop-down menu to select the email address you want to configure.
• Turn on the Send Automatic Replies toggle switch.

• In the "Inside my organization" box, create a custom message that your co-workers will receive during your time away.

• Check the Send replies outside of my organization option, if you want to send an out-of-office reply to every email you receive that wasn't originated within your organization.
• If you want to limit the replies to specific people, check the Send replies only to my contacts option.

Once you complete these steps, your account will send automatic replies based on your configuration.

Using the Mail app on Windows 10, you can't specify a time range to turn off the feature automatically, so on your return, remember to manually click the Turn off button in the banner that will appear in the account you configured.

If you must set a time range to stop sending automatic replies and you don't use the desktop version of Outlook, you may want to consider using the Outlook web instructions .

Wrapping things up

There are many ways to send automatic out-of-office replies, even though the available options will vary depending on the road you take. However, no matter which option you use, these settings will synchronize across the Outlook 2016 desktop application, Outlook.com, and the Mail & Calendar app for Windows 10.

If you'll be replying to every email you receive, you will also be automatically replying to newsletters, marketing emails, and spam messages, so make sure not to include a lot of personal information in the response message. It might be best to limit replies to only the people in your contact list.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Mauro Huculak is technical writer for WindowsCentral.com. His primary focus is to write comprehensive how-tos to help users get the most out of Windows 10 and its many related technologies. He has an IT background with professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA, and he's a recognized member of the Microsoft MVP community.

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April 21, 2019 By Michelle Maraj 1,396 Comments

5 Out of Office Examples for Traveling on a Business Trip

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that we will receive a commission if you click through and make a purchase. All opinions are those of the author.

When you need to travel for work, you might need to set an out of office message. Out of office messages are useful if you are not available during regular work hours. This may be necessary if you are out of the office in transport, such as on an airplane without WiFi, or if you are participating in a conference and cannot be online.

Out of Office Message Requirements

Your out of office message can be as detailed as you would like, but there is one requirement for your auto reply email: state when you will be back. You do not  need to explain why you are away, however you should at least communicate when you will be able to respond to your emails. Otherwise, you can be as creative as you would like.

A typical business travel out of office email will have the following components:

• Thank the person for their email.
• Let the person know when you will be returning.
• Provide an alternate contact person or emergency contact number.
• State that you will respond to emails when you return.

Additional components of your out of office message could include:

• Whether you are checking your email, versus if you are out of the country
• Why you are currently out of the office

See some of our business trip out of office messages below.

Out of Office on a Business Trip

If you are out of the office on a business trip, you can state so in your auto reply message. If you are traveling for a client, you do not want to get too specific on the location. Instead, leave your email vague. Put your location on your corporate calendar. If your coworker needs to know where you are, they can check your calendar for details.

Thank you for your email. I am currently out of the office on a business trip, and I will be returning on [Date]. I will respond to your email upon my return. Sincerely, Michelle

The above should be the bare minimum included in your auto reply message. If there is the possibility of urgent matters coming up while you are gone, you should include a contact person or an emergency contact number in your message as well.

I am currently out of the office on a business, and I will be returning on [Date]. If your matter is urgent, please contact [Name] at [Name’s Email], or call me at [Number]. Otherwise, I will respond to your message when I return. Thanks, Michelle

Only include your phone number in your out of office message if you do not mind being reached. If you are traveling to a place without service or will be unable to talk, it is best to only leave a contact person.

Out of Office during Business Travel

Occasionally for work, you may find that you are in commute for an entire day and will have limited access to email. If many of your coworkers will wonder where you are, it may be ideal to set up an out of office message for business travel.

I am currently traveling with limited access to email. If you need immediate assistance, please contact [Contact]. Otherwise, I will respond to your email as soon as possible. Thanks, Michelle

You might also be traveling to work, but find yourself at a client with a poor Wifi connection. While you are working, many of your coworkers may be wondering why you do not appear online, or why you are taking longer than usual to respond. In these circumstances, you might want an auto reply message similar to the following:

I am currently on-site with limited access to Wifi. If your matter is urgent, please contact [Contact] or call me at [Number]. Thanks, Michelle

Out of Office Attending a Conference

If you are on a conference business trip, mentioning the conference in your out of office can be beneficial. If a client who is also attending the conference emails you, your client may notice the opportunity to meet up with you.

Thank you for your email. I am currently at the Tableau Conference in Las Vegas, with limited access to email. I will be returning on [Date]. If you need immediate assistance, please contact me on my cell at [Number]. Sincerely, Michelle

Auto Reply Messages for Business Travel

Depending on your company culture, your out of office messages may be more casual or fun. However, if you work in professional services, it is best to keep your auto reply messages as fluff-free and simple as possible. State that you will be out, say when you will be back, and include what to do if it is an emergency.

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How-To Geek

How to set up an out of office message in outlook.

Don’t let others wonder why you’re not responding to their emails.

Quick Links

Out of office in outlook on windows, out of office in outlook on mac.

An out-of-office (OOO) reply for your emails is a convenient way to let others know when you're away. We'll show you how to set up an out-of-office reply in Microsoft Outlook on Windows and Mac.

Whether you're going to be away for a few hours, a day, or a week, you can create an automatic reply using your own words. This lets others know you're gone and will reply to their email when you return. Plus, you can set the start and end dates, so Outlook takes over when the time comes.

Setting up an out of office reply in Outlook on Windows takes only a few minutes. To get started, open Outlook and select the File tab.

Related: How to Set Up an Out of Office Reply on Outlook.com

In the Info section, use the drop-down box at the top to select an account if you have more than one. Then, choose "Automatic Replies."

In the pop-up window, mark the Send Automatic Replies option at the top.

To automatically send replies during a timeframe, check the box for Only Send During This Time Range. Then, enter the dates and times in the corresponding boxes. If you don't mark this option, you can manually turn automatic replies off using the Do Not Send Automatic Replies setting at the top.

Enter your out-of-office message in the text box at the bottom. You can format the font style and size as well as use bold, italics, color, and additional options.

When you finish, click "OK."

Related: How to Sign Out of Microsoft Outlook

You can easily create an out-of-office reply in both the legacy and new version of Outlook on Mac . While the window you see to enter the automatic reply is the same in both versions, how you access it differs.

In the legacy version, open Outlook, select your account on the left if you have more than one, and head to the Tools tab. Click "Out of Office" in the ribbon.

If you're using the new version of Outlook, open the app and choose your account on the left if you have more than one. Select Tools > Automatic Replies in the menu bar.

In the pop-up window, mark the option at the top to enable automatic replies. Enter the message you want to use for others inside your organization.

To send the reply during a timeframe, check the box for Send Replies Only During This Time Period and enter the start and end dates and times. If you don't mark this option, you can turn off the replies manually by unchecking the box at the top.

Check the box for Send Replies Outside My Organization if you want to use that option. Choose your contacts or all external senders and then enter your message.

OOO replies are helpful to others who send you emails while you're away. So if you also use other email services, look at how to set up an out of office in Gmail and automatic replies in Apple Mail too.

How to Enable or Turn Off Outlook Notifications

It's all about what works for you

Microsoft Outlook’s mail alerts can be a double-edged sword. They help you stay on top of your emails but can also disrupt your focus and productivity. This tutorial will show you how to enable or turn off Outlook notifications and help you strike a balance between staying informed and avoiding distractions.

How to Enable or Disable Outlook Notifications in Windows

If you use Microsoft Outlook as the email client on your Windows 10/11 computer, you can configure the program to send you desktop notifications whenever your email accounts receive new mail. You must access the Outlook Options dialog to manage your mail notification settings. Here’s how:

• Select the File tab in Outlook.

• Select Options on the sidebar.

• Enable the checkbox next to Display a Desktop Alert under the Message arrival section. The option prompts Outlook to notify you about incoming mail as toast notifications above the Action Center.

You can also check the sub-option labeled Enable preview for Rights Protected messages (May impact performance) to receive notification previews for protected messages.

Next, check the boxes next to the following options if you need additional cues for incoming mail.

• Play a sound : Prompts Outlook to make a sound for new messages.
• Briefly change the mouse pointer : Changes the mouse pointer to indicate new mail.
• Show an envelope icon in the taskbar : Displays an Envelope icon on the system tray area to denote unread mail.

If Outlook’s new mail notifications distract you, re-open the Outlook Options dialog, select Mail , and disable Display a Desktop Alert and any other alert types you want. If you only want to pause notifications briefly, a better alternative is to activate Do Not Disturb or Focus Assist in Windows .

How to Enable or Disable Outlook Notifications in macOS

Like on Windows, Microsoft Outlook for Mac can send notifications when receiving new mail. Visit the Outlook Preferences pane to enable email alerts and manage how they work.

• Open the Microsoft Outlook app and select Outlook > Settings on the menu bar.

• Select the Notifications & Sounds category.

• Enable the box next to Display an alert on my desktop to receive Outlook desktop notifications. Additionally, select between the Show message subject only and Show message subject and preview sub-options depending on whether alerts should show a message preview or not.

Other options related to incoming email that you can enable include:

• Bounce Outlook icon in Desktop : Makes the Outlook icon bounce on the Dock for new mail.
• New Message : Prompts your Mac to chime for new messages.
• Badge count : Displays a badge count on the Outlook icon for unread mail within Focused Inboxes or all inboxes.

To disable Outlook notifications, revisit the Notifications and Sounds screen within the Outlook Preferences and uncheck Display an alert on my desktop and other alert types. You can also eliminate distractions by putting your Mac on Do Not Disturb/Focus .

How to Enable or Disable Desktop Notifications in Outlook.com

If you use the web version of Outlook on your Windows or Mac computer, you can enable desktop notifications for instances when you don’t have the web app open in a tab. To do that:

• Visit Outlook.com , sign in with your Microsoft Account, and select the Gear icon on the top-right corner.

• Scroll down the Setting sidebar and turn on the switch next to Desktop notifications .

• Select Allow on the browser’s site permissions pop-up.

Optionally, select View all Outlook settings (underneath the Desktop notifications option) and choose General > Notifications . Then, decide between receiving desktop notifications for all incoming messages ( Messages in Inbox ) or emails from your favorite contacts only ( Messages from favorite people ).

To disable Outlook.com’s desktop notifications on your PC or Mac, re-open the web interface’s Settings sidebar and deactivate the switch next to Desktop notifications .

How to Enable or Disable Outlook Notifications on Android

If you miss or skip the prompt that enables notifications after installing Outlook on your Android, you can activate alerts through the app’s built-in Notifications management pane. However, before you do that, you must check if Outlook has system permissions to send you new mail alerts. To do that:

• Go to Android Settings and tap Apps .
• Locate and select Outlook among the list of apps on your phone.
• Tap Notifications and enable the switch next to All Outlook notifications .

With Outlook notifications active on your Android device, you must:

• Open the Outlook app, tap your account icon or initials, and choose Settings .
• Select Notifications .
• Enable the switch next to Allow notifications under the Mail tab. Then, use the following options to customize your email alerts:
• Notifications from : Choose what incoming messages you want to receive alerts for. Available options include All mail , Focused inbox only , and Favorite people .
• New mail sound : Let your Android phone ring or vibrate when you receive new mail.

If you want to disable email notifications in Outlook on Android, go to the app’s Notifications screen again and set Notifications from to None . Or, put your Android phone in Do Not Disturb mode .

How to Enable or Disable Outlook Notifications on iPhone

Before setting up and customizing Outlook alerts on your iPhone or iPad, you must give the app permission to send notifications. Here’s how:

• Open the Settings app, scroll down, and tap Outlook .
• Tap Notifications .
• Enable the switch next to Allow Notifications .

Once you’ve done that, visit Outlook’s Notifications management screen to enable and manage new email alerts.

• Open the Outlook app on your iOS or iPadOS device, select your profile icon, and tap Settings .
• Select between the following notification types for each email account you’ve signed into:
• Focused and Other Inboxes : Sends alerts for all email messages.
• Focused Inbox : Sends notifications for mail you receive on your Focused Inbox only.
• Favorite People : Sends notifications from your favorite contacts only.

Additionally, tap Sound for New Mail to set up a sound for incoming mail.

To disable email notifications in Outlook on iOS, visit the same screen as above and select None under each email account. Alternatively, enable Do Not Disturb or use Focus on your iPhone .

Enable Outlook Email Alerts or Turn Them Off

Keeping track of incoming emails is important, but so is maintaining your focus. It’s all about finding what works best for you, so enable, customize, or disable email alerts in Outlook per your needs and preferences.

Dilum Senevirathne is a freelance tech writer and blogger with three years of experience writing for online technology publications. He specializes in topics related to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Google web apps. When he isn't hammering away at his Magic Keyboard, you can catch him binge-watching productivity hacks on YouTube. Read Dilum's Full Bio

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Stay on top of your travel and deliveries with Outlook

• The Microsoft 365 Marketing Team

Places to go, people to see. Pack your bags.

Travel can be stressful, even when you’re planning to go somewhere for fun. Staying on top of travel plans and package deliveries can become time-consuming and a hassle.

First, Outlook began automatically adding events from your email to your calendar. Now, we have more new experiences to help you stay on top of your travel plans and package deliveries, including the ability to:

• Verify your travel reservations and package delivery details with ease using simplified summary cards in your inbox and calendar.
• Check in for flights, change hotel and rental car reservations or track packages at the touch of a button.
• Stay on top of your flights with reliable reminders.

These features are rolling out to Outlook for Mac and Outlook on the web today and will soon be coming to Windows, iOS and Android, as well as the Windows 10 Mail and Calendar apps.

Smarter email, simpler reservations

Travel itinerary emails are complicated to read because they contain so much more than just your reservation. It especially gets complicated when the itinerary includes multiple flights, hotel reservations and rental car confirmations. Outlook now displays the most important information from travel itineraries and puts them in an easily readable summary on top of your email.

Quick actions at your fingertips (or a click of your mouse)

In addition to helping you see your travel plans at a glance, the summary cards provide you with quick actions for the key things you need to do. No more hunting for the check-in link in a long confirmation email or trying to find where to change your hotel reservation. It’s now just a tap or click away in the summary card above the email to go directly to the provider’s specific web page for the action.

All your travel info, automatically added to your calendar

In addition to smarter email experiences, Outlook automatically adds travel events to your calendar with the same summary cards for each step of your trip detected in the reservations. The events include everything you need to know, such as date, time, locations, confirmation number and a few other key pieces of info you might need at your fingertips. You can go to the original booking email with a single click from the calendar event in case you need to look up more details.

Travel updates and cancellations happen—for good or not so good reasons. Either way, Outlook automatically keeps the events on your calendar updated with new information from your travel provider.

Helpful check-in reminders to keep you on time

Timing is everything and it can mean the difference between getting the seat you want or settling for one you really don’t want. Not all airlines are great at notifying and reminding you when it’s time to check in for your flight. Outlook will always send you a reminder email exactly 24 hours in advance with a link to the airline’s check-in experience. What’s more, you can set an Uber ride reminder so you always get to airport on time.

And three hours before your flight takes off, we’ll remind you again, so you can plan to be at the airport on time.

And never miss package deliveries!

We know travel is not the only thing you need to keep track of, so we are also adding package tracking experiences. When you receive a shipping confirmation email, we’ll summarize the most important info in a card above the email and automatically add an event to your calendar (for non-commercial accounts) to provide quick actions.

Frequently asked questions

Q. When will these features be available?

A. We’ve started the roll out in North America and will be expanding globally next. Some Outlook on the web and Outlook for Mac users will see these features today. If you don’t, you can expect to see them soon.

Q. Which users have access to these features?

A. These experiences will be available for users with Office 365 subscriptions that include Exchange Online and those users with new or upgraded Outlook.com accounts.

Q. What do I need to do to start using these features?

A. There is nothing you need to do. The features will automatically start working in your Office 365 account or your new Outlook.com account when you receive a travel reservation or package delivery email from a supported provider.

Q. What settings are available for the automatic calendaring feature?

A. In Outlook on the web, click the Settings (gear) icon, Options and then Calendar . The settings are in “Events from Email.” Changing the setting on the web will change all Outlook clients. Travel events are on by default for all account types. Package delivery events are on by default for Outlook.com accounts, but not for commercial accounts.

Q. If I share my calendar with someone, will they see my flight information?

A. Only if you want them to. The events are marked private by default, so the details will not be visible to someone with whom you shared your calendar. You can change the default in the Settings mentioned above.

Jul 6, 2022

New Notifications pane in Outlook helps you stay on task

Corina Arama

• Add our blog to your RSS feed reader" href="/rss/blog.xml" data-bi-name="RSS Subscription" data-bi-id="rss_feed" data-bi-bhvr="120" data-bi-socchn="RSSSubscription" title="Microsoft 365 Insider Blog RSS" target="blank" class="d-inline-block">

Hi, Office Insiders! I’m Corina Arama, a Product Manager on the Outlook team. I’m here to introduce a new Notifications pane in Outlook for Windows! Now you can stay on top of your work and life with notifications that specifically focus on you, ensuring that important content does not get buried in your inbox.

New Notifications pane

The Notifications pane allows you to stay connected, delivering notifications that are relevant to you in the context of your regular email. The pane gives you the ability to customize the types of notifications you wish to receive, including email and document @mentions, travel updates, deliveries, and more.

This experience may look familiar if you use Outlook for the web, as the feature is already available to users on that platform.

How it works

2. Click an email @mention notifications card in the Notifications pane; this opens the email related to that notification in a popped-out email window.

3. Select  Customize in the top-left corner of the Notifications pane of notifications you want to see going forward.

NOTE: Items remain in your Notifications pane list for 30 days, after which they expire.

Known issues

• Clicking a document @mention Notifications card will open the document in Word for the web, not in Word for Windows desktop. We hope to resolve this issue in the near future.
• The Notifications Pane is only currently available for commercial customers.

Scenarios to try

• Click an email @mention notifications card in the Notifications pane; this opens the email related to that notification.
• Click a Word comment @mention card in the Notifications pane; this opens the Word document related to that notification.

Tips and tricks

• Clicking the Dismiss all  button at the top right of the Notifications pane will clear the list of notifications.
• To turn off all notifications, select Customize at the top left of the Notifications pane.

Requirements

The new Notifications pane will initially be available only to enterprise customers. We will open access to consumers in the near future. 

Availability

We will be rolling out the Notifications pane to Office Insiders running Windows Beta Channel Version 2208 (Build 15408.10000) or later.

Don’t have it yet? It’s probably us, not you.

Features are released over some time to ensure things are working smoothly. We highlight features that you may not have because they’re slowly releasing to larger numbers of Insiders. Sometimes we remove elements to further improve them based on your feedback. Though this is rare, we also reserve the option to pull a feature entirely out of the product, even if you, as an Insider, have had the opportunity to try it.

We want to hear from you! Please click Help > Feedback to submit your feedback about this feature.

Learn what  other information you should include in your feedback  to ensure it’s actionable and reaches the right people. We’re excited to hear from you!

Sign up for the Office Insider newsletter  and get the latest information about Insider features in your inbox once a month!

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How to Write an Out-of-Office Message For Business Travel

Table of Contents

While many enjoy the stability of not needing to travel as part of their job, this is some people’s reality. Traveling on business trips requires adequate preparation.

You have to pack your backpack, documents, and other work-related items. Although the aforementioned are important, you must also not forget to have an  out of office message for business travel  prepared. This message helps colleagues, partners, and business associates know that you’re out of town. In addition, it also helps them to know if you’ll be back soon or not.

This article explains the various parts of writing a good  out of office message for business travel .

How to Create a Great Out of Office Message for Business Travel

Business trips are unavoidable in some industries. Nevertheless, in this era of constant communication, you must put measures in place to let others know you’re away. It isn’t a good idea to leave tons of emails without a response. Here is a simple explanation of how to create one for yourself.

Like your regular email, your out of office message should start with a salutation. Remember that this is an automated message. Hence, you don’t know the identity of the person sending you a message. Simply use the word sender. So, a salutation like “Dear Sender” will suffice.

State the Reason for Your Absence

After the salutation, indicate the reason for your absence. In this case, it’s a business trip or work travel. 

Absence Period

It is also important to include the dates you’ll be absent from the office. Doing this makes it easy for them to know when to check on you again. Make sure to end the email by saying that you’ll be back after the absence period and how to contact you back.

Include a Contact for Urgent Matters

For issues that can’t wait till you return, you can include a contact they can reach out to. If the person is unavailable, you can include your phone number if they need to follow up with you.

The closing is down to your personal preference. You may thank them for reaching out and close with something like “Kind regards” or “Sincerely.” Don’t forget to include your name after.

Examples of Good Out of Office Messages

We have a few examples of good out of office messages you can use. Take a look at them and pick the one that best meets your needs.

Hello, 

 I’m currently out of the office on business travel and will be back [DATE]. I will respond to your email during that time as soon as I can. If you require immediate help, please contact [NAME] at [EMAIL]. Thank you for your patience.

Dear Sender,

I’m out of the office on business travel from April 1-5. I will have limited access to email and will reply as soon as possible.

I will be out of the office on business travel from Wednesday, the 3rd, through Tuesday, August 9th. If you need any information during that time, please contact my assistant at xxx-xxx-xxxx. 

Good communication is important, and setting guidelines for out of office messages is crucial for businesses . The end goal of this article is to provide a template you can use and show you how to do it.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Automatically add events from your email to your calendar

Many different events in your day-to-day life flow through email. From airline tickets to car rental reservations and package delivery information, you receive a vast amount of information in Outlook that you might want to keep track of.

Outlook automatically retrieves important events from your email for supported senders and adds the items to your calendar so you don't have to.

Important:  This feature is only available in North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Australia, UK, Switzerland, India, Japan, Korea, and Latin America.

Events from email is available in Outlook, Outlook.com, and Outlook on the web. It can be used only with Microsoft accounts, such as an Outlook.com or Microsoft 365 account.

This feature isn't available for accounts in Office 365 operated by 21Vianet, Office 365 Germany, or in Office 365 Government plans.

Some types of events won't be supported starting in mid-August 2020.

What you'll see

The first time Outlook creates an event for you, you'll receive the following message, along with a list of the events being added.

You don't have to do anything to allow Outlook to add events from your email. If you want to turn off this feature, see changing your event settings .

Past events or events from unsupported providers won’t be added to your calendar automatically.

Supported types of events

Outlook can create events from email that contains the following information:

Flight reservations

Hotel reservations

Rental car reservations

Package deliveries

Bills (This type of event won't be supported starting mid-August)

Dining reservations (This type of event won't be supported starting mid-August)

Event reservations - music, sports, or others (This type of event won't be supported starting mid-August)

Service reservations - doctor appointment, car maintenance, or others (This type of event won't be supported starting mid-August)

For a full list of supported providers, see Supported senders for events from email in Outlook . 

Flight, car, and hotel reservations are automatically added to your calendar. You can have other events, such as bills and dining reservations, automatically added to your calendar by changing your event settings .

If you've selected Bills, Outlook uses machine-learning algorithms to find upcoming bills. It doesn’t access your financial information or track your financial activity to find these events.

Currently, the Bills event type is only supported in North America.

Change your event settings

You can turn events from email on or off and choose which information is added automatically through your Outlook on the web or Outlook.com options. You can't change your events from email settings in Outlook for Windows, but a link to the Outlook on the web or Outlook.com options page is included in the email you receive the first time an event is created automatically.

Tip:  To find your Outlook on the web address, choose File . On the Info tab under Account Settings , the address is shown under Access this account on the web .

Note:  If the instructions don't match what you see, you might be using an older version of Outlook on the web. Try the Instructions for classic Outlook on the web .

At the top of the page, select  Settings   .

Select  Calendar > Events from email .

Under each event type, select one of the following:

Don’t show event summaries in email or on my calendar:  You won't see summary cards for these events in your inbox and events won't appear on your calendar.

Only show event summaries in email:  You'll see summary cards for these events in your inbox, but these events won't appear on your calendar.

Show event summaries in email and on my calendar:  You'll see summary cards for these events in your inbox and these events will appear on your calendar.

By default, events created from email are marked as private so their details are only visible to you. You can choose to make your events public by unchecking the Mark events as private so only I can see them box.

Restore Events from email

If you notice that Outlook is no longer retrieving the events you've chosen to receive summaries for, Events from email might have been turned off for your account. You can turn them back on by following the steps below.

At the top of the page, select Settings   .

If you see a message in that says "Events from email aren't turned on for your account.", select Turn on events from email to start receiving them again.

Note:  After you select Turn on events from email , events won't be created for past messages, nor will email summaries.

Instructions for classic Outlook on the web

Select  Options or Mail .

On the left sidebar, select  Calendar > Events from email .

Do one of the following:

To turn off events from email, choose Don't add events to my calendar from email .

To control what events are added to your calendar, check or uncheck the boxes for Flights , Hotel reservations , Car rentals , Package delivery , Dining reservations , Events , or Bills .

Note:  If you're using a Microsoft 365 for business account or other commercial account with Outlook, package delivery information won't be added to your calendar automatically.

By default, any events created from email are marked as private so their details are only visible to you. You can choose to make your events public by clearing the Mark events as private so only I can see them box.

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Thanks for stopping by. We’re Outlook Travel, and for the past five years, we’ve been uncovering the best-kept travel secrets, destinations and recommendations with tourism boards and location experts from across the globe.

Upholding a commitment to sustainable travel that doesn’t compromise on comfort, our content caters to a new age of travellers.

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Larissa Hale, one of the first Indigenous women rangers in Queensland, Australia, speaks about the inspiration behind the Queensland Indigenous Women Ranger Network and the trailblazing work she and the organisation are doing to further both the environment and women.

As the first Caribbean artificial reef snorkelling attraction in Sint Maarten, we dive headfirst into Under SMX with Managing Director, Nick Cambden, to learn more about the immersive eco-experience that empowers communities to harness the value of the ocean.

When it comes to places to see cherry blossoms, Setouchi is truly blessed with variety. For each of the region’s prefectures, we showcase the spots to consider for cherry blossom viewing.

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How to Add Travel Time to Outlook Meeting

If you often feel rushed throughout the day, adding travel time to your calendar can be a  simple yet powerful solution. It’s one thing to mentally note how long it takes to drive from point A to point B — and another thing to actually block that time in your schedule.

In this quick guide, you’ll learn how to schedule travel time in your Microsoft Outlook calendar. Let’s start!

Benefits of adding travel time

Unless you’re using an AI-powered tool like Clockwise , adding travel time to a meeting does require a step or two. But here’s why it’s worth it for your time management:

• Your calendar becomes a more realistic depiction of your day or week ahead
• You can better communicate your availability to your team
• It makes it easier to plan your day and manage your schedule
• It helps you avoid the stress of rushing or running late
• It helps you prevent overbooking yourself and potentially missing out on important opportunities or events

Now that we’ve covered the benefits of scheduling travel time, let’s talk about how you can do it in Microsoft Outlook.

Enabling travel time in Outlook calendar

Travel time isn’t a native MS Outlook feature. You can try a Microsoft Teams add-in like Emma.ai , which automatically adds travel time to meetings (but with no reviews on the Microsoft app store, we can’t exactly vouch for it). Instead, we suggest scheduling travel time as its own calendar event.

Below, we’ll guide you step-by-step in creating travel time blocks. We’ll also show you a few bonus tips to keep your calendar organized as you start to include travel time in your schedule regularly.

Adding travel time to a meeting

Blocking off travel time is easy once you get the hang of it! In fact, it’s a lot like your standard meeting scheduling process. Follow the steps below to schedule travel time in the web version of Outlook.

Step 1: Open Outlook calendar

Visit Outlook.com , log in, and switch to calendar view. You can do that by clicking the calendar icon on the left sidebar menu. If you haven’t already added your meeting to the calendar, do so now.

Step 2: Create new event

Make sure your calendar is set to Week view, then create a new event by clicking into the space right before your meeting. You can also use the New event button. 

Step 3: Enter details

Name the event Travel Time . Adjust the start and end times if needed. You can use a navigation app like Google Maps to estimate how much time you should block off.

(Hint: Tack on a little buffer time for parking, traffic, or a few minutes to gather your thoughts before heading into your meeting.)

Step 4: Adjust “Show As” settings

Click on More options . In the top navigation bar, click Busy , then select Away in the drop-down menu. If someone tries to request a meeting with you during that time, they’ll see your “ Away” status and know you aren’t available.

Step 5: Categorize as travel time

Click Categorize > Manage categories . In the Settings window that opens, create a new category dedicated to travel time. This assigns a color to all events categorized as travel time, helping your schedule to stay visually organized.

Exit out of the Settings window. Then, categorize the event with your new Travel Time label.

Step 6: Save your work

Click Save , and repeat this process to create a travel time block after your meeting, too. Voilà! You’ve successfully scheduled travel time. You should end up with something like this:

Tips and best practices to add travel time in Microsoft Outlook

• Assign a color category to travel time. Creating a “Travel Time” category allows you to color-code future travel blocks in just a few clicks. From then on, you can easily identify travel time on your schedule at a glance.
• Use calendar icons. Did you know you could add icons to your calendar events? Like color-coding, adding the car icon to travel time events makes it easier to scan your calendar and see what’s coming up. (It also makes things more fun!)

• Leverage the Show As setting. I n this setting, you can specify whether you’re free, working elsewhere, tentative, busy, or away during a particular event. This lets your colleagues know your status during any given time, without necessarily giving away all the details of your schedule. For travel time, set the Show As setting to “Away” or “Busy,” so that no one tries to schedule with you during that time.

Going forward

Unfortunately, Microsoft Outlook doesn’t offer any features designed specifically for travel optimization. To schedule travel time in your calendar, you need to add it as its own event. Not a fan of manual scheduling? Try Clockwise, which uses machine learning to identify meetings that require travel, understands how much time to block off, and automatically holds an intelligently determined amount of time on your calendar. Sign up for the Clockwise here .

About the author

Judy Tsuei is a Simon & Schuster author, speaker, and podcast host. She’s been featured in MindBodyGreen, BBC Travel, Fast Company, Hello Giggles, and more. As the founder of Wild Hearted Words, a creative marketing agency for global brands, Judy is also a mentor with the Founder Institute, the world's largest pre-seed accelerator. Judy advocates for mental and emotional health on her popular podcast, F*ck Saving Face. Follow along her journey at WildHeartedWords.com.

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Outlook on the Web will soon let users book travel time and transportation between meetings

Rabia Noureen

April 20, 2021

Microsoft’s Outlook e-mail service is getting some important updates in the coming months. The news comes from a recent update to the Microsoft 365 roadmap, which lists these new capabilities as in development for Outlook on the web.

First of all, Microsoft is actively working on a feature that will allow business users to book travel time appointments and transportation between meetings. “Now when you need to go to a different building or place between meetings, Outlook will enable you to book travel time and way of transportation between the places you need to go,” the company explained on the Microsoft 365 roadmap. The feature is planned for release in August this year.

The other new feature is emoji reactions, which is also coming to iOS and Android . This update will enable users to messages with love, laughter, celebration, sadness, or surprise emojis when accessing their inbox in Outlook through a web browser. Emoji reactions are expected to roll out to both mobile and web users in June 2021 .

Next up, Microsoft Outlook is adding an option to start meetings late. The feature will bring the ability for users to opt for appointments and meetings to start 0 -15 mins after the specified time. The Microsoft 365 roadmap listing suggests that the company is planning to roll out this update to the Web and Windows clients later this month.

Apart from the aforementioned features, Outlook on the web is making it easier to add OneDrive and SharePoint files to emails. Lastly, Microsoft also announced some new time management features for Outlook on the web and mobile last month, and you can learn more details in our separate post .

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Delta Expects Summer Travel Demand to Produce Record Second-Quarter Revenue

Delta Air Lines planes are seen at John F. Kennedy International Airport on the July 4th weekend in Queens, New York City, U.S., July 2, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/FILE PHOTO

By Rajesh Kumar Singh and Deborah Mary Sophia

CHICAGO (Reuters) -Delta Air Lines said on Wednesday it expects the highest second-quarter revenue in its history thanks to buoyant demand for spring and summer travel and what it called the "most constructive backdrop" for the airline industry.

The Atlanta-based carrier forecast a strong profit in the current quarter after reporting better-than-expected earnings in the first quarter.

CEO Ed Bastian said Delta's core consumers are in a healthy position and travel remains a top priority for them. He also highlighted an acceleration in corporate travel spending as well as the efforts by airlines to protect their pricing power in key markets.

"This may be the most constructive backdrop that I've seen in my airline career," Bastian told analysts on a conference call.

Delta shares initially gained 4% before turning negative on Wednesday after hot inflation data that pressured the broader market. The shares, which have gained about 17% so far this year, were down 0.3% at $47.16 in afternoon trading.

The International Air Transport Association IATA expects 4.7 billion people to travel in 2024, compared with 4.5 billion in 2019. In the United States, passenger traffic is estimated to reach an all-time high this year, according to trade group Airlines for America (A4A).

Airline executives say consumers are cutting spending on goods in favor of experiences after the pandemic. Hybrid work arrangements are also allowing Americans to travel more, leading to a surge in spending on air travel, according to A4A.

Demand is particularly strong for premium travel, benefiting carriers like Delta, which is trying to attract travelers who are willing to pay for something other than just a seat.

"Generational shifts and evolving consumer preferences are driving secular growth in premium experiences," Bastian said.

Consumer demand is booming at a time when airlines are struggling with aircraft shortages, constraining their ability to supply more seats during peak travel periods, translating into stronger pricing.

Delta expects unit revenue - a proxy for pricing power - to be flat compared with last year in all geographies except Latin America.

It also reported an improvement in the U.S. market as its domestic unit revenue turned positive in the March quarter, with an improvement of 7 percentage points from the previous quarter.

"Despite all of the aircraft issues in the industry, demand is still healthy and Delta's guidance is reflecting that," said Christopher Raite, senior analyst at Third Bridge.

While Delta's operations are not impacted by Boeing's safety crisis, the airline said industrywide supply-chain constraints have forced it to keep flying older, less fuel-efficient jets and spend more on repairs. The company did not retire any aircraft in the last two years.

It forecast an adjusted profit of $2.20 to $2.50 per share in the quarter through June, compared with analysts' expectation of $2.23 per share, according to LSEG data. It expects to post an operating margin of 14% to 15%, with a 5% to 7% year-on-year increase in second-quarter revenue.

Adjusted profit for the first quarter was 45 cents a share, compared with analysts' expectations of 36 cents per share.

(Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh in ChicagoAdditional reporting by Deborah Sophia in BengaluruEditing by Pooja Desai, Chizu Nomiyama and Matthew Lewis)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

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Add Travel Time to a Meeting within Outlook Calendar

I would like to add Travel Time to meetings within the Outlook Calendar - is this possible please?

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• Microsoft Agent |

Dear Michelle Hayden1 ,

Thanks for posting in Microsoft Community.

I understand that you about your requirement . Based on your current need I did my own research ,however I am afraid to say this currently there is no any direct specify setting to achieve this task by outlook client.

In other words , this option is not available additionally for future update you can check on our Microsoft 365 roadmap

Furthermore , It may achieve by some VBA script therefore you can post your questions on Microsoft Q&A

NOTE : For your security and privacy , kindly don't mention any email address / password or other confidential information.

We look forward to your response. Thanks for your cooperation.

Amul | Microsoft Community Moderator

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Dear Michelle Hayden1 ,   Good day ,   Thanks for posting in Microsoft Community.   I understand that you about your requirement . Based on your current need I did my own research ,however I am afraid to say this currently there is no any direct specify setting to achieve this task by outlook client. In other words , this option is not available additionally for future update you can check on our Microsoft 365 roadmap Furthermore , It may achieve by some VBA script therefore you can post your questions on Microsoft Q&A   NOTE : For your security and privacy , kindly don't mention any email address / password or other confidential information.    We look forward to your response. Thanks for your cooperation.   Sincerely, Amul | Microsoft Community Moderator   ***Note: In the event that you're unable to reply to this thread, please ensure that your Email address is verified in the Community Website by clicking on Your Account Name > "My Profile" > "Edit Profile" > Add your Email Address > tick "Receive email notifications" checkbox > click on "Save".***

There is power automate? There was also an old flow that did it here. https://github.com/wortell/PowerAutomate-AutomatischeReistijd  but unfortunately it's out of date it seems. I can get it uploaded as of today.

Would be great if we could find a newer version of this or someone may have developed something they could share maybe?

11 people found this reply helpful

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What happens if it's cloudy for the April 8 solar eclipse?

Though everyone is hoping for clear skies, here's what might happen if an eclipse-chaser's worst enemy — clouds — decides to make an appearance.

If you cannot watch the eclipse in person or the weather is unfavorable, you can watch the total solar eclipse live here on Space.com . And keep up with all the actions with our total solar eclipse 2024 live updates blog.

It's now less than a week until the total solar eclipse on April 8 .

While many people will strive to be within the path of totality , where the moon's shadow completely blocks the sun's face. But even if you're within this path, it doesn't guarantee you'll have clear skies on eclipse day. 

So what happens if it's cloudy where you are on April 8? Will you notice anything as the moon's shadow sweeps over you?

That depends on how thick and how extensive the clouds are. Regardless, you will certainly notice some very unusual effects when the moon's shadow passes by. I have had the misfortune of being completely clouded out of two of the 13 total solar eclipses I have journeyed to, and in a third case, I managed to sneak in a view of the corona even though virtually the entire sky was clouded over. 

Related: How to give yourself the best chance of clear skies for April 8's solar eclipse

So, based on those three experiences, here is what you can expect to see if the weather does not work in your favor and you ultimately must utter those two words every eclipse chaser does not want to hear: "Clouded out!"

Passage of the moon's shadow

Available in a handy four-pack to kit out the whole family, these Celestron EclipSmart Solar Eclipse Glasses will keep you well protected while you view the eclipse. And don't miss our full guide to the best solar eclipse glasses and the best solar viewing kits to make the most of your experience.

Should there be considerable cloud cover on "E-Day," the clouds may actually have an advantage: They will provide a projection screen of sorts to view the rapid approach and departure of the moon's dark umbral shadow. Isabel Martin Lewis described the effect in her 1924 book "A Handbook of Solar Eclipses."

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"At the time of eclipse when the shadow of the moon sweeps over us we are brought into direct contact with a tangible presence from space beyond and we feel the immensity of forces over which we have no control," Lewis wrote. "The effect is awe-inspiring in the extreme. In fact, the passing of the moon's shadow, if one is fortunate to observe it, will be one of the most impressive features of the eclipse."

Mid-to-high-level clouds

If your sky is covered with mid-to-high-level clouds — cirrostratus, altostratus and/or cirrocumulus — you will likely be able to see the forward edge of the elliptical shadow move rapidly toward you and then over you just prior to and at the onset of totality. And with its passage may come a remarkable change in the overall quality of light on the surrounding landscape and a dramatic change in the clouds' color. 

On July 10, 1972, at my very first total solar eclipse , my family and I were located just outside Cap-Chat, Quebec, a sleepy Canadian community of 2,000 whose population swelled to nearly 30,000 on eclipse day. The eclipse began under bright sunshine, mixed with some wispy high clouds. But as more and more of the sun became covered, the high cloudiness quickly increased and began to lower so that, at the onset of totality, virtually the whole sky was covered by a swath of battleship-gray clouds. 

But upon the arrival of the moon's shadow, we saw its distinctly sharp edge move in. For those of a certain age who might remember the long-running television soap opera "The Edge of Night," whose opening showed an animation with a line of darkness sweeping over a city, that's exactly what I was reminded of as we were enveloped by the moon's umbral shadow. Once you actually experience it for yourself, it becomes easy to understand why this sight was so terrifying to ancient people. 

Along with the sudden darkness came a change in the clouds' color. Behind the forward-moving edge of the moon's shadow were strange and exotic colors. The dull gray suddenly became yellow-orange and tints you'd see while looking through a beer or iodine bottle. Indeed, along the very edge of the disappearing sun at the start and end of totality, an arc of ruby red or fuchsia associated with the solar chromosphere appeared. It looked bright red because the hydrogen in the sun was emitting a reddish light at high temperatures, and some of this light may become evident in the clouds at the beginning and end of totality.  

Some final comments regarding my 1972 eclipse experience. Despite the heavy cloud cover, we managed to catch sight of the totally eclipsed sun through a fortuitous opening in the overcast sky, some 30 seconds after totality began. As totality was ending, we saw the back edge of the shadow distinctly, projected on the clouds, racing away to the northeast. I remember my grandfather calling out to my grandmother, "Inez! Look, look! It's going that way." Meanwhile, my sister Lisa, taking this all in, said simply, "That was weird! " 

"Incredible sight!"

Interestingly, in March 1970, during special coverage of the total solar eclipse on CBS TV , correspondent Bill Plante (1938-2022) was stationed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, under cloudy skies. Yet he was quite attentive to the changes taking place as the lunar shadow swept in. 

"In the last 30 seconds we have witnessed the most incredible sight — in spite of the fact that we cannot see the sun — for it has become as dark as night!" he said. "The light has fallen so quickly, from an acceptable twilight or reading level or cloud-cover level, to virtual night. And just off to the north and to the east, beneath this layer of dark, dark sky, there is a lovely pink and orange horizon; an orange and gold color. We say again, it was just an incredible and fascinating phenomenon, to have the skies go so suddenly dark, in less than 30 seconds, and now we have this totality of an eclipse!"

It sounds like Plante was impressed, despite the clouds.

Just a few clouds  

Sometimes, you're lucky enough to get a mainly clear sky. But even then, unfortunately, one of the few clouds in the sky might happen to be in front of the sun during the total phase of the eclipse. 

That happened to me on Oct. 12, 1977, in Colombia, South America. During the 38-second interval of totality, a single rag of cloud drifted in front of the sun. Should something like that happen to you, the best you can do is look around the darkened sky for some of the brighter stars and planets and try to watch for the passage of the moon's shadow. 

As I noted in my personal journal later on, "When totality arrived, virtually the entire sky was clear and the seeing and transparency were close to excellent. We were able to easily see seven stars and were awed at third contact by the passage of the moon's umbral shadow cone retreating rapidly to the east. And in the east, part of a rainbow changed to all red just as totality began. 

"There was only one thing wrong: The sun was behind a cloud! It began encroaching upon the sun a few minutes before totality and left just a minute or two after the sun began to reappear. As if to rub salt into the wound, not another cloud interfered, even as the partially eclipsed sun set behind the Andes! For me, Colombia was Cap Chat in reverse. What goes around, comes around!"

For more on this misadventure, read my colleague Glenn Schneider's comments . 

Thick, low clouds 

Finally, there is the possibility that on eclipse day, your view will be covered by clouds at low altitudes, generally below 6,500 feet (1,980 meters). They tend to be thick, low, flat clouds that cover large areas and often bring precipitation. 

In December 2021, my wife Renate and I were on board an icebreaker, sailing off the coast of Antarctica, when we encountered the moon's shadow for a total eclipse lasting just over a minute and a half. Unfortunately, our skies were heavily overcast with low clouds and spotty, light precipitation. 

In such a situation, the effects of a total solar eclipse can best be described as being in a lighted room where someone turns a dimmer switch down and then turns it back up, causing the light to return. 

As I noted in my story for Space.com , "Totality lasted 97 seconds. No distinct shadow or cone of darkness was noted. Rather, just an amorphous darkening of the sky — like someone turning down a rheostat or dimmer switch. No colors were seen and the end of totality seemed more pronounced as the light seemed to come back quicker than it when it faded away. During totality, it actually began to drizzle very lightly and a few minutes after third contact it actually started to snow lightly. The air temperature hovered at around 0°C (32°F), but factoring in the winds made it feel noticeably colder."

Final thoughts 

I suppose Antarctica was the most disappointing of all my eclipse experiences; aside from getting dark and light again, there really wasn't much more to see. I hope everyone who positions themselves in the path of the moon's dark shadow will get a clear view of the April 8 eclipse. But as you can see, unless the clouds are low and thick with some rain or snow falling, the moon's shadow racing by and the eerie colors accompanying it should still make for quite a show!

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Joe Rao is Space.com's skywatching columnist, as well as a veteran meteorologist and eclipse chaser who also serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmers' Almanac and other publications. Joe is an 8-time Emmy-nominated meteorologist who served the Putnam Valley region of New York for over 21 years. You can find him on Twitter and YouTube tracking lunar and solar eclipses, meteor showers and more. To find out Joe's latest project, visit him on Twitter.

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• FranRouse I was lucky enough to live downtown Charleston, S.C. in 2017 and witness the Total Solar Eclipse. It was a sight to see for sure and I hope to see this one. Only thing is now I live near Pittsburgh, Pa. and not in the direct path. And the weather is unpredictable this time of year with rain and still even snow possible. Ive seen a few eclipses in my lifetime and the one thing I want to stress is PLEASE WEAR EYE PROTECTION!!!!!!!!! When I was younger and seen my first one as kids we thought we were invincible and well being Gen X our parents weren't always around and a lot of us didn't have a clue about not looking directly into the sun. And some of us have really bad eyesight and as we get even older it's failing rapidly. I made that mistake back then so my eyes aren't good anymore. In 2017 I wore protection and made sure all my family wore it to witness the Eclipse. And all of them will wear it if we get the chance to see it this time also. Reply
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