How to configure Google Workspace for a vacation

3 years ago 260

Change settings successful Google Calendar, Gmail and Google Chat to bespeak that you're connected a holiday.

Palm histrion emoji adjacent to the connection Vacation, with arrows pointing to drawn icons for Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Chat

Before you instrumentality a interruption from work, configure 3 Google Workspace apps for abrogation (or, connected holiday, arsenic they accidental successful immoderate parts of the world). You person a fewer choices to marque successful Google Calendar, Gmail and Google Chat, depending connected however you privation each app to grip incoming events, email and messages portion you're away.

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To hole each of these apps for your absence, marque definite you're signed successful with your Google Workspace enactment account, past travel the steps below. You whitethorn docket a Google Calendar out-of-office lawsuit and configure your Gmail abrogation responder astatine immoderate time. However, I suggest you hold to set your Google Chat presumption to vacationing arsenic 1 of the precise past things you bash earlier your break, since that presumption alteration goes into effect immediately.

Schedule a Google Calendar out-of-office event

Open Google Calendar, either connected the web oregon successful the Google Calendar mobile app connected Android oregon iOS.
Select the + fastener to make a caller event.
Select the Out of Office lawsuit benignant to bespeak you'll beryllium unavailable (Figure A).
Add an due rubric (e.g., "On a overmuch needed vacation").
Configure the dates and times to bespeak your abrogation days.
By default, the strategy volition automatically diminution each existing and caller events connected your calendar during the selected period. Unless you indispensable capable your clip disconnected with meetings, I powerfully urge you permission the mounting arsenic the default.

Figure A

Event rubric (Out of office), benignant (Out of office), Dates (Dec 8 - Dec 12), All time events, configured to Automatically diminution each caller and existing meetings during those dates.

If you want, modify the connection radical volition person to explicate your lack (Figure B). The default reply reads "Declined due to the fact that I americium retired of office," but you whitethorn edit it to elaborate arsenic due (e.g., "I americium connected abrogation until Dec. 8. Please interaction (name) astatine (email/phone) if you request assistance portion I'm off.")
Make definite to prime Save to sphere your changes and adhd the lawsuit to your Google Calendar.

Figure B

How to configure a Gmail abrogation responder

On the web, spell to Gmail.
Select Settings (the sprocket, successful the precocious close area), past See All Settings.
On the General tab, scroll to the bottommost to entree the Vacation responder (Figure C).
Select the archetypal and past dates you privation your responder to beryllium active.
Enter the Gmail taxable and connection you privation the strategy to nonstop portion you're connected vacation.
By default, if you bash not prime immoderate further options, Gmail volition reply to each incoming email with the abrogation taxable and connection you enter. However, I powerfully suggest that you prime the checkboxes adjacent to "Only nonstop a effect to radical successful my contacts" and "Only nonstop a effect to radical successful (your organization)." This ensures that lone radical you cognize oregon enactment with volition person your abrogation responder message. While your colleagues and contacts are presumably radical you trust, there's typically nary request for your responder to divulge your abrogation presumption to each azygous entity that sends you an email portion you're away.

Figure C

Screenshot of Gmail Vacation responder settings connected the web, showing First time (Dec 8, 2021), Last time (Dec 12, 2021), Subject "Out of office", Message substance "Add your abrogation oregon retired of bureau email connection and details here! Andy", and options checked to lone nonstop a effect to radical successful my contacts and lone nonstop a effect to radical successful WolberWorks (i.e., your organization).

Note: To entree the Vacation responder connected an Android oregon iOS device, unfastened the Gmail app, pat the 3 horizontal enactment paper (upper left), pat Settings, past pat your workspace relationship (e.g., successful my case, andy@wolberworks.com) past pat connected the Vacation responder option. Configure your options arsenic desired (Figure D).

Figure D

Screenshot of Vacation responder connected Android, with First time Dec 8, 2021, Last day, Dec 12, 2021. Subject tract filled with "On vacation" and Message tract filled with "Add your abrogation connection here…" arsenic good arsenic options checked to nonstop lone to my contacts and nonstop lone to WolberWorks (i.e., your organization).

Set your Google Chat presumption to Vacationing

On the web, spell to Gmail (or, alternatively, to Google Chat).
In the precocious close area, prime the Status drop-down and take Add a Status from the paper options (Figure E).
Select Vacationing, past adhd immoderate details you privation to disclose successful the presumption substance country (e.g., "Vacationing for the archetypal clip successful years").
Select the Clear Status After drop-down enactment paper and take Custom.
Choose the day and clip you program to beryllium disposable again, past prime the Set button. Your vacationing presumption volition beryllium removed astatine the day and clip you specified.

Figure E

Note: On an Android oregon iOS device, the Add a Status enactment is disposable successful the Gmail app (if you entree Chat wrong Gmail) arsenic good arsenic wrong the abstracted Google Chat app (Figure F). In either case, unfastened the app, past pat the 3 horizontal enactment paper successful the precocious left. Tap the Add a Status enactment that displays (immediately beneath your existent Google Chat status).

Figure F

Screenshot of presumption connected an Android device, acceptable to Vacationing and Clear presumption aft tract acceptable to 11/28/21 08:59.

What's your experience?

Do astir radical successful your enactment marque the supra changes earlier they instrumentality a vacation? Are determination different apps and/or settings you typically change, successful summation to the 3 above? Let maine cognize however you configure your systems for extended holidays, either with a remark beneath oregon connected Twitter (@awolber).

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