PURPOSE An out-of-office message tells senders when you are unavailable and what to do next. INCLUDE The dates you are away, whether you will monitor email, who to contact for urgent matters, and when the sender can expect a response. KEEP IT SAFE Avoid giving unnecessary personal details, travel plans, or internal-only information to external senders. EXAMPLE Thank you for your message. I am out of the office until [date] and will respond after I return. For urgent matters, please contact [name or team contact]. BEST PRACTICE Use a shorter external version if your email system supports separate internal and external replies.