How to Get Out of Office on Teams

Contacting Out Headquarters on Microsoft Teams: A Step-by-step Guide

As a Microsoft Teams user, you may have wondered how to set up an out-of-office message or automatically respond to colleagues when you’re unavailable. In this article, we’ll explore the process of contacting out headquarters on Microsoft Teams using both computer and app versions.

Why Set Up Out Headquarters on Microsoft Teams?

Before diving into the tutorial, let’s discuss why setting up out headquarters is useful. When you’re on vacation or unavailable, it can be frustrating for colleagues to try reaching you only to find your account inactive. By setting up an out-of-office message or automatic response, you can notify colleagues of your unavailability and provide them with essential details.

Requirements For Contacting Out Headquarters

To contact out headquarters on Microsoft Teams, you’ll need to have a subscription to Microsoft 365, specifically the Business plan. This plan costs €5.60 Per user/month + VAT and offers various features, including the out-of-office functionality. If you’re not already subscribed to this plan, we recommend checking our guide on how to activate Microsoft 365.

Contacting Out Headquarters on Computer

To set up out headquarters on your computer, follow these steps:

1. Access Microsoft Teams: Open the Microsoft Teams application on your Windows or macOS device and log in with your Microsoft account credentials.
2. Click on Your Photo: In the top right corner of the screen, click on your photo or initial letter. A menu will appear.
3. Select ‘Enforce Message of State’: From the dropdown menu, select ‘Enforce Message of State.’
4. Choose Out Headquarters: In the new window that appears, select the option ‘Out headquarters.’
5. Activate Automatic Answers: Move the toggle next to ‘Qualify automatic answers’ to ON.
6. Set Up Your Message: Enter your desired message in the ‘Message out headquarters’ field. You can personalize this message up to 256 characters.
7. Choose Forward Options: Select whether you want to forward messages to external contacts, internal contacts, or all contacts.
8. Schedule Activation And Deactivation: If needed, schedule the activation and deactivation of your out-of-office message by setting dates and times in the ‘Initiate’ and ‘End’ dropdown menus.
9. Save Changes: Click ‘Save’ to activate the out headquarters feature.

Contacting Out Headquarters on App

To set up out headquarters on your smartphone or tablet, follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Teams App: Launch the Microsoft Teams app on your Android device (available on Google Play Store) or iOS device.
2. Tap on Your Photo: In the top left corner of the screen, tap on your photo or initial letter.
3. Select ‘Out Headquarters’: From the menu that appears, select ‘Out headquarters.’
4. Activate Automatic Answers: Move the toggle next to ‘Enforce automatic answer’ to ON.
5. Create Your Message: Enter your desired message in the ‘Create here your message of automatic answer’ field, keeping in mind the 280 character limit.
6. Schedule Activation And Deactivation: If needed, schedule the activation and deactivation of your out-of-office message by setting dates and times in the ‘Initiate’ and ‘End’ dropdown menus.
7. Save Changes: Tap ‘Save’ to activate the out headquarters feature.

Contacting Out Headquarters Without a Message

If you prefer not to set up an automatic message, you can simply erase the existing message by pressing the X button on your computer or tapping it on your smartphone or tablet. On devices, this will suffice for setting up out headquarters without a message.

Why Can’t I Contact Out Headquarters on Free Microsoft Teams Version?

The out-of-office functionality is not available in the free version of Microsoft Teams. To access this feature, you need to subscribe to the Business plan of Microsoft 365, which starts at €5.60 Per user/month + VAT.

Conclusion

In conclusion, contacting out headquarters on Microsoft Teams is a straightforward process that can be done using either your computer or mobile device. By following these steps, you can set up an automatic response or message that notifies colleagues of your unavailability and provides them with essential details. This feature is particularly useful when you’re on vacation or unavailable for extended periods.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What Are The Requirements For Contacting Out Headquarters on Microsoft Teams?
A: You need a subscription to the Business plan of Microsoft 365, which costs €5.60 Per user/month + VAT.

Q: Can I Contact Out Headquarters Without Setting up an Automatic Message?
A: Yes, you can simply erase the existing message by pressing the X button on your computer or tapping it on your smartphone or tablet.

Q: Why is The Out-of-office Functionality Not Available in The Free Version of Microsoft Teams?
A: The out-of-office feature is exclusive to the Business plan of Microsoft 365.

Q: How do I Schedule Activation And Deactivation of my Out Headquarters Message?
A: Use the ‘Initiate’ and ‘End’ dropdown menus on both computer and app versions to set dates and times for activating and deactivating your out-of-office message.