# Vacation message

Using this option you can set a message that is automatically sent to the sender of a message that is personally addressed to you. Typically it is used to alert a sender that you are away (not necessarily on vacation) and will be replying after you return.

When you first enter this screen, it will look like this:-

## Vacation Messages

| Enable Vacation Message | Aliases: |  | Interval (in days): |

If you already have a vacation message in place the form will show your current message and the Enable Vacation Message box will be checked.

If you have a manually maintained `.forward` file on __SERVICE__ this cannot be updated from this interface. In this case the you will not see the form but a status message reading

> Error: Manually maintained .forward file?

To make changes to a manually maintained file you will need to connect to __SERVICE__ using an SSH or Telnet client and use the menu interface.

### Aliases

Vacation messages are only sent out in response to "personal" messages which have been sent directly to your __SERVICE__ account, rather than via mailing lists or other means. This is determined by looking to see whether your email address appears in the "To:" and "Cc:" headers of a message.

The Aliases dialogue can be used to define a comma separated list of additional email addresses which will trigger vacation messages in this way. This is normally used in conjunction with "friendly" email address associated with an institution.

### Interval

Once a vacation message has been sent, no further vacation messages will be sent to the address in question until the given number of days have passed. Please note: This is true even if one vacation message is cleared and a new vacation message is set up. This option does not automatically clear your vacation message after the given number of days.

### Setting up a vacation message

If you do not already have a vacation message then check the Enable Vacation Message box, enter your text into the form immediately beneath it and finally select the Apply button. You will be returned to the main Account Management screen.

If you have a message and wish to change it just make the relevant changes in the form and select the Apply button.

If you do not wish to save any changes then select Cancel at any point and you will be returned to the main Account Management screen.

### Cancelling your vacation message

Uncheck the Enable Vacation Message box and select the Apply button.