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Creating a Vacation Rule

Rules are instructions GroupWise follows based on how the rule is set up. The next three pages have instructions on how set up a Vacation Rule. This rule will reply to most (not all) the people who send you e-mail while you are gone from the office.

See also:
STEP 1b:  Make Important Choices for Vacation Rules
STEP 2:    How to Exclude Replies with "Define Conditions"
STEP 3:    Composing the Auto-Reply

STEP 1a: Create the Rule

From the GroupWise main window:

Click Tools, then click Rules, then click New...

Type a name ('Vacation Msg') in Rule name: (see below).

Place a check mark in the 'Received' box (shown above)

Place a check mark in the 'Mail' box (shown above).

STEP 1b: Make Important Choices for Vacation Rules

Please exclude 'EVERYONE' and 'PUBLIC'!
Imagine needing to send multiple messages about campus construction work to EVERYONE during the summer, and getting 37 automated 'Vacation' replies in your In-Box! Please exclude EVERYONE and PUBLIC so people who use those groups do not repeatedly receive multiple auto-replies.
Do you want your CO-WORKERS to receive your 'Vacation' replies?
If not, you can exclude recipients from being automatically replied to by your Rule. See the example below and notice how 'Russ Rinker' and 'Vern Smith' were excluded from getting automated replies .
NEWS LISTS / LIST-SERVES:
Be SURE to exclude these, if necessary! If you don't, you may cause a repeating 'loop' of emails, and return from vacation with 5000 messages in your In-Box, and some not-too-happy list serve members (you'd probably have to re-SUBSCRIBE)!

The example that follows shows how to do these three things.

STEP 2: How to Exclude Replies with "Define Conditions"

Click the 'Define Conditions' button
(You should see a screen similar to this one. Be sure to scroll down for further instructions).

How to exclude Co-workers is shown on the first line.
   -Place the word 'From' in the top left box, as shown above.
    (If you do not see it: select All Fields and it will be there!)
   -Choose 'Does not Contain' in the drop-down menu to the right of the From field.
   -Type in names separated by 'or', as shown.
   -Choose "Or" from the drop-down menu at the far right (see example).

How to prevent auto-replies to messages sent to many recipients is shown on the second line.
   -Place 'Total Recipients' in the left box (as shown above)
   -Choose '<' (the less-than symbol) from the drop-down menu to the right
   -Type a number of total recipients you're comfortable with.
   -Choose "Or" from the drop-down menu at the far right (see example).

How to exclude EVERYONE and PUBLIC is shown on the third line.
   -Place the word 'To' in the left box (as shown above)
   -Choose 'Does not Contain' in the drop-down menu to the right of the 'To' field
   -Type in 'Everyone or Public', as shown.

If you DO NOT belong to any Newslists choose "END" from the drop-down menu at the far right (see example) and move on to Step 3.

If you DO belong to any Newslist choose "Or" from the drop-down menu at the far right (see example) and follow instructions below.

How to exclude your News Lists is shown on the fourth line.
   -Place the word 'To' in the left box (as shown above)
   -Choose 'Contains' in the drop-down menu to the right of the 'To' field
   -Type in your name, as shown.
   -Choose "End" from the drop-down menu at the far right (see example).
    (Unless your name is in the To: field of incoming messages, a reply will not be sent).

STEP 3: Adding an automated Reply to your Vacation Rule.
   -Click 'Add Action'
   -Click 'Reply' from the pop-up menu that appears
   -In the Reply box, click 'Reply to Sender', then click OK.
   -Type in your reply, then click OK.
   -Click the Save button.
IMPORTANT:
To turn your Rule On or Off, place a check-mark in its box as shown below.
Also, this rule can be re-used by changing the text in your reply.

BE SURE TO TEST YOUR RULE BEFORE YOU LEAVE!