Out of Office — Email Wording
An out-of-office message should quickly tell senders that you are unavailable, when you expect to return or respond, and where urgent requests can go if an alternate contact is appropriate. Keep personal detail optional and the response expectation realistic.
A clear version is: “I’m out of the office through 22 September and will reply when I return. For urgent billing questions, please contact the finance team.”
Key details
Important caveats
Tone Boundary
An out-of-office message can be brief and professional; it does not need a detailed explanation of why you are away.
Further guidance
Essentials
State the dates or return point clearly enough that the sender knows when normal replies resume.
Routing
Provide an alternate contact only when it is useful and that person or team is prepared to receive the requests.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- 10 Out-of-Office Message Examples: Tips for OOO Messages (opens in a new tab)Grammarly · Professional out-of-office message essentials, availability dates, return expectations, and alternate contacts
- How to Write a Proper Email — Email Writing Tips (opens in a new tab)Grammarly · Professional email clarity and cliché-avoidance context