With Theory7.net, we make sure your emails continue to work professionally and smoothly, even when you're temporarily unavailable. An absence message (or auto-reply) is a convenient way to inform your contacts that you can't respond immediately. Below, we explain step by step how to easily set up an absence message through DirectAdmin.
Step 1: Login to DirectAdmin
- Go to the DirectAdmin login page. You will find it via the link you received from Theory7.net upon delivery of your hosting package.
- Log in with your username and password.
(Tip: Can't find your login information? Then contact us via our support page.)
Step 2: Go to E-mail Management
- Once you are logged in, click on Email Management (Email Manager) in the main menu.
- From the drop-down menu, choose Autoresponders (Automatic Reply).
Step 3: Set up a new absence message
- Click the Create Autoresponder (or “Create a new autoresponder”) button.
- Fill in the following fields:
- Email address: Choose the e-mail address for which you want to set up the absence message.
- Reply to: You can often leave this blank; DirectAdmin automatically fills in the appropriate information.
- Subject: Write a clear subject for the automatic reply, for example: “Out of Office”, “I am temporarily unavailable”, or some other professional message.
- Message Text: Write your absence message here. See an example of a professional message below.
Step 4: Write a professional absence message
A good absence message is short, professional and informs the sender of your absence. Don't forget to include:
- When you can be reached again.
- Whether the e-mail will be forwarded.
- Who the sender can reach in case of urgent questions.
Here are two examples:
Example 1: Without forwarded emails
Subject: Thanks for your message
Message body:
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I am currently absent and unable to answer my email. I will be available again from [date].
Your e-mail will not be forwarded. For urgent questions, please contact my colleague [name of colleague], who you can reach at [email address or phone number].
Thank you for your understanding and I will get back to you as soon as I am available again.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Your position]
[Company name - Theory7.net]
Example 2: With forwarded emails
Subject: Thank you for your message
Message text:
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I am currently absent and unable to answer my email. I will be available again from [date].
In the meantime, your message will be automatically forwarded to my colleague [colleague name], who will take care of your question. You can also reach him/her directly at [email address or phone number] for urgent matters.
Thank you for your understanding and I will get back to you as soon as I am available again.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Your position]
[Company name - Theory7.net]
Step 5: Customize additional settings
- Interval: Here you set how often the same sender receives the automatic message. For example: every 24 hours. This prevents people from receiving the same response multiple times.
- Start and end date: Set when the automatic reply should be active. This is especially useful for vacations or planned absences.
Step 6: Save and activate
- Check all the settings one more time.
- Click Create (or “Save”) to activate the absence message.
Congratulations! Your absence message is now active. Test it by sending a test email to the set email address.
Step 7: Manage or disable absence message
Want to edit or disable the message?
- Go to Autoresponders in DirectAdmin again.
- Click the pencil icon to change the settings or the trash can icon to delete the message.
Need help?
Theory7.net is always here for you! Contact us through our support page. Our experts will be happy to help you. 😊