Templates
Out-of-Office Note – & workplace-ready free
Free absence note template for Excel and Google Sheets. Ready-made out-of-office text for Outlook and email—holiday, sick leave, and travel. Download now.
- 100% free
- Workplace-ready
- Excel & Google Sheets
What is an out-of-office message and why do you need a template?
An out-of-office message (absence auto-reply) tells senders you are unavailable—on holiday, sick leave, or travelling. It sets expectations, cuts follow-up mail, and looks professional. An out-of-office template saves time: reuse proven text for Outlook, Gmail, or Microsoft 365 instead of rewriting each absence.
The Ordio absence note template is an Excel workbook: enter dates, reason, and cover contact, copy the generated text, and paste it into your mail client. In a few minutes you have a consistent reply for customers, colleagues, and partners. With Ordio absence management you plan leave digitally; for formal requests, use the vacation request template. The auto-reply complements email; it does not replace HR approval workflows.
Regular absences benefit from a short, factual message—senders know whom to contact and when you return. Without it, clients may assume silence means neglect.
Download the free absence note template and use it immediately in Outlook or other systems.
Set up out-of-office in Outlook: step-by-step
An Outlook out-of-office template supplies the text—you paste it into Outlook’s automatic replies.
Outlook desktop (Windows/Mac): Go to File → Automatic Replies, turn on "Send automatic replies", set start and end dates, and enter your message. You can use different text for people inside and outside your organisation.
Outlook on the web (Microsoft 365): Open settings (gear) → Mail → Automatic replies, enable the switch, choose the period and audience.
Copy the text from the Ordio Excel file into the reply box. Activate on your last working day before leave—not so early that you miss mail that still needs a personal reply.
For teams using digital leave: Ordio absences shows who is away in scheduling; the email auto-reply informs external contacts.
Desktop vs. web
Both support separate internal and external messages. The Ordio template works with either path.
Structure of a professional out-of-office message
| Element | Content |
|---|---|
| Greeting | "Dear …" (external) or "Hello" (internal, if culture allows) |
| Thanks | "Thank you for your email." |
| Period | "From [date] to [date] I am out of the office." |
| Cover | "For urgent matters, contact [name] at [email] or [phone]." |
| Close | "Kind regards, [name]" |
For email addresses in the body, write "(at)" instead of @ to reduce scraping. The Ordio template lists all fields; cover details can also live in your employee files for HR consistency.
Example
"Thank you for your email. I am out of the office from 15 March to 22 March. For urgent matters, please contact Alex Morgan (alex.morgan(at)company.com, +1 555 0100). Kind regards, [your name]"
Internal vs. external: differences in wording
For external recipients (customers, vendors): use formal, neutral wording—"Dear Sir or Madam" or "Dear [Name]" and "Kind regards". Avoid slang and inside jokes.
For internal recipients ( colleagues): you may use a friendlier tone—"Hi team", "Best"—depending on company culture. Both versions should state dates and cover contact clearly.
Outlook and Microsoft 365 allow separate internal and external replies. External gets the polished version; internal can be shorter. The Ordio template has space for both.
For international contacts, add an English "Out of office" variant if you receive mail in multiple languages.
By occasion
Holiday, illness, business travel, parental leave—the reason may shape wording. "Out of the office" is enough for annual leave; illness replies often stay vague ("unavailable") without clinical detail. The Ordio template includes a dropdown for occasion.
Tips and common mistakes
Tips: Activate on the last working day before leave; check spelling and year in dates; keep text short; name a specific cover person; use (at) for email addresses in the body.
Mistakes: Oversharing health or location; emojis in client-facing replies; forgetting to set an end date; no cover contact; replies so long that mobile clients truncate them.
Enable internal auto-reply too— colleagues then see cover details without guessing.
English-only reply? Useful if you regularly get international mail; many clients allow separate internal and external languages.
Checklist before activation
Spelling, year in dates, cover confirmed, end date set—run through these before you turn automatic replies on. Typos or wrong years look unprofessional.
Out-of-office note template from Ordio
The free out-of-office template from Ordio is an Excel workbook: personal details, absence period, reason (holiday, illness, business travel), and cover person. Pick the reason from a dropdown, copy the generated text, paste into Outlook or your mail tool—no registration required.
Ordio absences: Teams that manage leave in software use Ordio absences for requests and balances; the email auto-reply still informs people who only reach you by mail.
The file includes a guide sheet and a data sheet. Store a copy in your employee files if HR wants a record of cover arrangements.
Multi-site companies can connect scheduling, time tracking, and absence planning in Ordio—the Excel template is the quick start for email wording.
Manage absences with Ordio
Automatic balances and approvals save time
Automatic leave calculation
Track entitlements without manual spreadsheets
Digital approvals
Submit and approve leave requests online — no paperwork
Overview for everyone
Staff see balances; managers approve in one click
Linked to scheduling
Approved leave updates shift plans automatically
With Ordio:
See how Ordio digitizes leave management
See digital approvals simplify your workflow · No obligation · 15 minutes
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Frequently asked questions about Out-of-Office Note – free & workplace-ready
How do I set an absence in Outlook?
Outlook Desktop: File → Automatic answers, enable, set start and end date, enter text. Outlook Online: Gear → E-Mail → Automatic Answers, Activate Switch, Select Period. You can use different texts for internal and external recipients. The Ordio template delivers the finished text - you copy it and insert it.
What belongs to a professional absence notice?
cover letter, thanks for the message, absence period, representation (name and contact) and final formula. Short and objective - 40 to 80 words. No personal details, no emoticons. For e-mail addresses in the representation: (at) instead of @, which reduces spam. The Ordio template contains all fields structured - you fill them out and copy the text.
How do I formulate a good absentee?
In short, clear, objective. Name the period, the representation and a contact path. Formula for customers (Very Dear Ladies and Gentlemen), looser for colleagues (Hello). Check spelling and annual number. The free Ordio Subdivision Template will take you through all steps - you fill out the Excel fields and copy the text.
Absence Note Outlook Template Free?
Yeah. The Ordio Deficiency Note template is free - Excel structure for filling, immediately usable, no registration required. You enter period, reason and representation, copy the text and insert it in Outlook. Download templates/abesity notes template. For holidays, illness or business trip - all occasions covered.
Difference of absence notice internally and externally?
External (customers, partners): formal, "Very Dear Ladies and Gentlemen", "With kind regards". Internal (college): looser, "Hello", "Many Greetings". Both should call representation and contact. Outlook allows separate texts. The Ordio template provides space for both variants.
When should I activate an absentee?
On the last working day before vacation or absence - not days before, otherwise you will miss emails that need to be edited. Do not forget to disable: Set an end date in Outlook to automatically run the note. So you avoid sending automatic answers after return.
Do you need an absence certificate internally?
Yes, colleagues see who your representation is and can leave you alone. Internally you can easily formulate as external - "Hello" instead of "Very Dear Ladies and Gentlemen". Outlook allows separate texts for internal and external. Use this for clear information in both directions.
Do you need to be an absentee in English?
Only if you regularly receive international emails. Outlook allows multiple answers - you can use internal German, external English. The Ordio template helps you create both versions structured. German is enough for purely German contacts. An out of office note in English works professionally with international partners.
Absence note for holiday template?
The Ordio template is suitable for holidays, illness, mission and other occasions. You select the reason from a drop-down list, fill out the fields and copy the text. For holidays "not accessible" - no details necessary. Free download.
Typical errors in absence notes?
To personal reasons (e.g. "in hospital"), emoticons or word games, forgotten end date, missing representation, too long text. Avoid this: Keep short (40-80 words), check spelling, call representation, (at) instead of @ at email addresses. The Ordio template with checklist helps you avoid typical errors.