How to Guides - Set Up an Auto Response E-mail

This process allows a user to set up an e-mail account so that it provides automatic responses to certain incoming messages. A list of addresses of those who send messages to the user is maintained and an automatic response is sent only once a week regardless of how many messages are received from that sender's address. This prevents deluging mailing lists with superfluous copies of the automatic message.

Additionally, an auto response message will not be sent to the original sender if the original message has at least one of the following conditions:

a. Your e-mail address in not in the 'To:' field or the 'Cc:' field.
b. The string '-REQUEST@' is in the 'From:' field.
c. The message header includes the string 'Precedence: bulk' or 'Precedence: junk'.
d. The e-mail address of the sender is either 'postmaster' or 'Mailer-Daemon'.

To set up the auto response message, perform the following steps:

1. Telnet to your OWU UNIX account as follows:

From your personal computer:
a. Click on the Start button and select Run.
b. In the Run dialog box type telnet cc.owu.edu and press the enter key.
c. At the login prompt, type your username and press enter. Your username must be entered in all lowercase
d. Type your password and press enter. This is your email password.

From a public access computer lab:
a. Double-click to open the "Internet & Network Services" folder.
b. Double-click to open "CC.OWU.EDU". This will start a telnet session with the UNIX server on campus.
c. At the login prompt type your username and press enter. Your username must be entered in all lowercase.
d. Type your password and press enter. This is your email password.

2. At the $ prompt, type menu and press the enter key.

The Ohio Wesleyan University Account Menu will be displayed.

3. Type 4 and press the enter key, selecting [4] Start an auto response message.

The default message will be displayed unless you have used this process before, in which case your previously personlized message will be displayed.

From: userid Subject: Auto Response This is an auto response message.

4. Modify the message as desired.

This is the e-mail message that will be sent in response to received e-mails so make it informative. For example, make the subject line more description such as Out of the office. In the body of the note indicate when you will be returning to the office and how requests are to be handled in the meanwhile. You can include your name at the bottom of the note.

From: OWU User Subject: Out of the office This message is an auto reponse to the e-mail message you sent to me. I will be out of the office until mid August. If your e-mail concerns a matter that needs attention before that time, please contact someone else at xxx-xxx-xxxx or by e-mail at xxxxxx@xxxxxx. Thank you. OWU User

5. Save the modified file.

When you are done updating or creating the message, hold down the Ctrl key on the keyboard and press and release the letter X on the keyboard. This will close the file and present a message: Save modified buffer (Answering "No" will destroy changes)? Type a "Y" to save changes. The message: File Name to Write: .vacation.msg will be presented. Press the enter key to complete the creation of this file.

The Account menu is displayed again. Note that option 4 has now changed to Stop and autoresponse message.

6. Type Q to Quit and press enter or make another selection.

To stop the vacation messaging process:

1. Telnet to your account (see step 1 above for directions, if needed).

2. At the $ prompt, type menu and press the enter key.

3. Type 4 and press the enter key to select [4] Stop an auto response message.

4. Type Q to Quit and press enter or make another selection.