Absence note template - tips, formulations and samples

Writing an out-of-office note - don't forget these points

Out-of-office notes are pre-formulated replies to incoming emails that are automatically sent by the email program. They help to maintain the flow of communication and avoid misunderstandings or delays. In addition, senders know that they cannot expect a reply within a certain period of time. This shows professionalism and a willingness to communicate, thereby creating trust.

You should always set up out-of-office notes when you are unable to access your emails - whether because you are ill or on vacation. vacation vacation, on a business trip or on parental leave. Even if you work part-time work or if it's a public holiday you should set up an absence note.

An absence note must contain the following elements:

1. Subject: The recipient of your note should be able to see immediately what to expect:
   • Out of office note
   • Notification of absence
   • Out of Office
   • Automatic response: Not available until [date]
2. Salutation and thanks: Greet the sender and thank them for the message:
   • Dear Sir or Madam, Thank you very much for your e-mail, which reached me in your absence.
   • Hello, thank you for your e-mail.
3. Date and duration of absence: State the exact period of your absence - you do not have to state the reason. However, a reason can provide transparency for longer absences.
   • I am not available from DD.MM. to DD.MM. You can reach me again by e-mail from DD.MM.
   • I am currently on parental leave and am devoting myself entirely to my family. You can (probably) reach me again by e-mail from DD.MM.
   • I am currently on a sabbatical. You can reach me again by e-mail from DD.MM.
4. Forwarding: Inform the sender whether the message will be forwarded or not:
   • Your message will not be forwarded or read.
   • Your message will be forwarded to my colleague [first name last name], who will stand in for me during my absence.
5. Representation: If you are standing in for a colleague during your absence, you should state the exact name and contact details.
   • Please contact my colleague [first name surname] with your request. You can reach him/her by e-mail [e-mail address] or by telephone [telephone number].
6. Final formula: You can end the out-of-office note with a standard closing formula:
   • Yours sincerely,
     Surname and first name
     E-mail signature

Out of office note in Outlook - how it works on the desktop

Outlook is still the standard program for sending emails. Here we show you how to set up an automatic out-of-office message for the desktop version of Outlook.

1. Open Outlook and select "File" in the top navigation.
2. Click on "Automatic replies (Out of office assistant)".
3. Select "Send automatic replies".
4. Activate the period in which you are absent by ticking "Only send during this period" and setting the start and end time.
5. Create your message:
   • Within your organization:
     • Enter the text for colleagues within your organization. This text can be more informal and contain special information that is only relevant for employees.
   • Outside your organization:
     • Switch to the "Outside my organization" tab and create the message for external contacts.
6. Optional settings:
   • You can also select whether the message should only be sent to your contacts or to all external senders.
7. Click on "OK" or "Save" to activate the out of office note.

Out of office note in Outlook - how it works with Office 365

If you are using the browser version of Outlook, proceed as follows:

1. Register with Outlook.com or Office 365.
2. Click on the gear icon (Settings) at the top right and select "Show all Outlook settings".
3. Go to "E-mail" and then to "Automatic replies".
4. Activate "Send automatic replies".
5. Defining the time period:
   • Activate "Send replies only during this period" and enter the start and end time.
6. Compose message:
   • Enter the text for your out-of-office message.
   • You can also set up separate messages for internal and external contacts here.
7. Additional options:
   • You can choose whether the replies should be sent to all or only to your contacts.
8. Click on "Save".

Out of office note in teams

Teams automatically synchronizes with your Outlook calendar and your automatic replies. If you have already set up an out-of-office note in Outlook, it will also be displayed in Teams. If you only want to set up an out-of-office note in Teams, proceed as follows:

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. Click on your profile picture or your initials in the top right corner.
3. Select "Set status message".
4. Enter your out-of-office message.
5. Check the box "Show this message during my absence".
6. Select the duration for which the message should be displayed. You can either select a preset duration or set a custom date and time by clicking on "Set custom period".
7. Click on "Done" or "Save" to activate the out of office note.

Absence note templates - formal and informal

Tastes are different, the content is the same. Here are three templates in slightly different tones - ready to insert into your mail program.

1. precise formulations always fit

Subject: Out of office note

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you very much for your e-mail. I will be absent from [DD.MM] to [DD.MM] and cannot be reached. Your message will not be forwarded or read. For urgent matters, please contact [first name last name] at [e-mail] or [telephone number].

Yours sincerely,
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

2. more flowery and wordy

Subject: I am currently out of the office

Dear business partners and friends,

Thank you for your message. I will be out of the office from [DD.MM] to [DD.MM] and will not be able to answer any e-mails during this time. However, your request is important to me and I will get back to you as soon as possible after my return.

If you need urgent assistance, please contact my colleague [first name last name] at [e-mail] or [telephone number].

Thank you for your understanding and I look forward to being there for you again soon.

Best regards
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

3. more informal formulation

Subject: Out of office note

Hello!

Thank you for your message! I will be out of the office from [DD.MM] to [DD.MM] and am enjoying a little break. Your e-mail will not be forwarded. I will process it as soon as possible after my return.

If it is urgent, you are welcome to contact my colleague [first name last name] in the meantime. You can reach him at [e-mail] or [telephone number].

See you soon and best regards
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

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Customize these templates according to your needs and fill them with your personal and company-specific information.

Out of office note English

If you have international contacts, you should always send an English out-of-office message together with the German out-of-office message.

A few points are important here:

• After the greeting line, the main part of the text always begins with a capital letter
• For time specifications, the month is given first, then the day
• A comma comes after the final or farewell line (this is not the case in German, by the way, even though it is often used incorrectly).

Below we present two different absence notes in English: A formal and an informal one.

1st English absence note - Formal

Subject: Out of Office

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for your email. I am currently out of the office from MM/TT to MM/TT and will not be available during this time. I will respond to your email upon my return on MM/TT.

If you require immediate assistance, please contact [first name last name] at [email/phone number].

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

2nd English absence note - Informal

Subject: Out of Office

Hi there,

Thanks for your email! I'm out of the office from [MM/TT] to [MM/DD] and won't be checking emails regularly. I'll get back to you as soon as I can after I return on [MM/TT].

If it's urgent, you can reach out to [first name last name] at [email/phone number].

Cheers,
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

Leave of absence note

There are different opinions on whether you should explicitly mention that you are on vacation in an out-of-office note. Here are some considerations:

Reasons to mention the vacation:

1. Transparency: The reference to vacation shows that you are not available for a positive reason, which is often better understood and accepted.
2. Clarity: The note signals that no other urgent professional activities are taking place in the background and that you really are not available.
3. Preparation: Customers and colleagues can plan their requests accordingly and know that an immediate response is unlikely.

Reasons not to mention the vacation:

1. Data protection: Information about personal trips or vacations is private and does not necessarily have to be shared.
2. Security concerns: The reference to vacation can potentially pose a security risk - especially if the information is publicly accessible.
3. Professionalism: A general statement about the absence, without going into too much detail, can appear more professional.

Here are two templates of an absence note with a reference to vacation in German and English:

1st German leave of absence note:

Subject: Out of office note

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for your message. I am currently on vacation and will not be available from [DD.MM] to [DD.MM]. I will be available again from [DD.MM] and will answer your e-mail immediately. In urgent cases, please contact [first name last name] at [e-mail/telephone number].

Thank you for your understanding.

Yours sincerely,
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

2nd English absence note vacation:

Subject: Out of Office

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for your email. I am currently on vacation from [MM/TT] to [MM/TT] and will not be available during this time. I will respond to your email upon my return on [MM/TT]. If you require immediate assistance, please contact [first name last name] at [email/phone number].

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

Holiday absence note

In Germany, public holidays are basically a matter for the federal states. This means that there are public holidays in some federal states that do not exist in others. A company based in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern will certainly have problems reaching employees of a company based in Bavaria on August 15. To avoid misunderstandings, an absence note should therefore also be set up for public holidays.

Here are two absence templates for public holidays in German and English:

1st German holiday absence note

Subject: Out of office note

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for your message. Due to the public holiday on [DD/MM], I will not be available on that day. I will reply to your e-mail from the next working day, [DD/MM].

Thank you for your understanding.

Yours sincerely,
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

2. holiday absence note

Subject: Out of Office

Dear Sir or Madam,

Thank you for your email. Please note that I am out of the office due to a public holiday on [Date] and will not be available. I will respond to your email on the next business day, [Date].

[For urgent matters, please contact [first name last name] at [ email] or [phone number].

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

Sickness absence note

Should you really state that you are ill in an absence note?

On the one hand, mentioning an illness can create understanding for possible delays or longer absences. On the other hand, disclosing an illness can be perceived as stigmatizing.

Ultimately, this decision depends on how much personal information you want to share and what policies or security considerations apply within the company.

Here is a template for an absence note in the event of illness:

Subject: Out of office note

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for your message. Due to an illness I will not be available from DD.MM. until probably DD.MM. I will probably be available again from DD.MM. and will answer your e-mail immediately. In urgent cases, please contact [first name last name] at [e-mail/telephone number].

Thank you for your understanding.

Yours sincerely,
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

Parental leave note

Anyone taking parental leave should communicate this clearly in an absence note and provide alternative contact options.

Here is a sample for such an absence note:

Subject: Out of office note

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for your message. I am currently on parental leave and am devoting myself entirely to my family. I will not be available until DD.MM.YYYY.

For urgent matters or further assistance, please contact [name of representative] at [e-mail address of representative] or by telephone at [telephone number of representative]. Alternatively, you can also use [general contact e-mail address of the company].

Thank you for your understanding.

Yours sincerely,
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

Part-time absence note

Those who work part-time are often only available on certain days and times. To avoid misunderstandings and clearly communicate availability, it can be helpful and professional to set up an automatic response.

Here is a sample of such an absence note:

Subject: Restricted accessibility

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for your message. I work part-time and am available on the following days: [days, e.g. Monday, Wednesday and Friday] from [time, e.g. 9:00 am to 1:00 pm] each day. Outside of these times, there may be delays in replying to your e-mail.

In urgent cases, please contact [name of representative] at [e-mail address of representative] or by telephone at [telephone number of representative].

Thank you for your understanding.

Yours sincerely,
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

Leave of absence note Leave company

Anyone leaving a company must write an out-of-office note that both informs and forwards professional contacts. It can also be helpful to have incoming messages automatically forwarded to the successor.

Here is an example of such an out-of-office note:

Subject: Out of office note

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for your message. I would like to inform you that I left the company on DD.MM.YYYY and can no longer be contacted.

For urgent matters or further assistance, please contact [successor's name] at [successor's e-mail address] or by telephone at [successor's telephone number]. Alternatively, you can also use [general contact e-mail address of the company].

Thank you for your understanding.

Yours sincerely,
[first name last name]
[company name]
[address]

Conclusion

A well-worded out-of-office note helps to maintain the flow of communication and avoid misunderstandings or delays. A friendly tone and the listing of relevant information also show professionalism and willingness to communicate and create trust. General information often comes across as more professional than absence notes that go into too much detail. With Sawayo's free absence note templates, you won't forget any important information and will strike a professional tone.

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