1. Adjust User and/or Group schedules

Both Users and Group Mailboxes use schedules in Response. The user schedule directs when emails are assigned to users if auto-assignment like Round Robin is turned on. Group mailbox schedules are more for reporting purposes, to measure performance based on your business hours. To ensure the integrity of your Response reporting don’t forget to adjust your schedules accordingly!

Bonus Tip: If your entire group mailbox team is off for a holiday, just mark that day as a holiday in your Group Mailbox schedule, rather than individually for each user.

2. Set an autoreply for your group mailbox.

It’s important to let your customers know it might take extra time to receive a reply from your team due to holiday hours. Set expectations by including your scheduled off-days and alternate contact information for urgent matters.

Bonus Tip: If you have multiple group mailboxes all have the same auto-reply message, then create a single system rule instead of several group mailbox rules.

For instructions to create a Standard Response for your autoreply message go to our documentation link here: https://emailtopia.com/docs/latest/admin/07_sysadmin/02_cat/#working-with-standard-responses

For instructions on creating a group mailbox (or system rule) for your auto-reply standard response see our documentation here: https://emailtopia.com/docs/latest/admin/06_rules/02_rule_editing/#adding-editing-and-deleting-mail-rules

3. Create an Out-Of-Office Exceptions list

It’s important to include an exception list when creating an autoreply rule to avoid returning from the holidays to a group mailbox with 1000’s of autoreplies. Adding an out off office word list to the exception portion of your autoreply rule will prevent any mail loops while you’re away.

See our recommended Out-Of-Office word list here: https://emailtopia.com/2016/11/30/out-of-office-exceptions-list/