Exchange 2003 - automatic reply set-up
How do you setup an automatic reply from Exchange 2003?
We created a mailbox for employment application delivery and will post this new email address on our website. There will be various folks reviewing the contents of this mailbox.
I want each sender to automatically receive an email when they apply acknowledging receipt of their resume etc.
I can't use the Out of office or client based rules because the mailbox will not be running nor will Outlook - I want this to happen server side.
I know it can be done, but cannot remember how to do it. Does anyone out there know how to do this?
Thanks.
We created a mailbox for employment application delivery and will post this new email address on our website. There will be various folks reviewing the contents of this mailbox.
I want each sender to automatically receive an email when they apply acknowledging receipt of their resume etc.
I can't use the Out of office or client based rules because the mailbox will not be running nor will Outlook - I want this to happen server side.
I know it can be done, but cannot remember how to do it. Does anyone out there know how to do this?
Thanks.
Instead of mailbox -- set up the address to a public folder instead. You will need to use Outlook to create the rule on the folder that sends the automatic reply, but afterwards, Outlook does not need to be open for the reply to be sent.
ASKER
I am going the Public Folder route, makes sense to me. I am however stuck at the rule section. I created my folder, mail enabled the folder, setup the distribution group etc. - no problems there. Now I am working on the rule that will send the automatic reply back to the sender.
When I choose Template it pops open a blank email page. I put in my response, but i dont have a valid entry for the "To" field and it won't let me save as a result. How do you get that part to work when I have no idea where the mail will be coming from and being sent to?
When I choose Template it pops open a blank email page. I put in my response, but i dont have a valid entry for the "To" field and it won't let me save as a result. How do you get that part to work when I have no idea where the mail will be coming from and being sent to?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
I get as far as step 8 - I don't get the message about the rule firing, I get one that says "changes to the rule cannot be saved"
I am using Outlook 2007 - does that make a difference?
I am using Outlook 2007 - does that make a difference?
mmmmmmmm
I think the reason you are getting the above error is because you still need to allow auto-replies to the internet as per the microsoft articles listed in my previous posts.
I think the reason you are getting the above error is because you still need to allow auto-replies to the internet as per the microsoft articles listed in my previous posts.
On second thought try this out - Just tried this out on my own environment and it works...
On the mail enabled folder for the Permissions tab under directory rights
the owner must have Send As permissions and Exchange General tab under
Delivery Options owner must have Send on behalf permissions. (Not sure if
both are required but that's the only way it worked for me)
Under properties of public folder, folder management, add rule- Here leave
the Sent To and From boxes blank on that folder, if an address is added it
will not save the rule. Place check mark in reply w/ template box, click
Template button - edit subject line and body. Choose Save and close no
entries needed for the to, cc, bcc boxes. No need to save as (.oft, rtf, etc)
before closing window.
Select Yes for "This will fire autoresponse for all incoming messages" and
then finally OK will save the rule. Success.
The key was under the conditions of the rule for Sent to or From those
needed to be blank, also after applying those permissions in Exchange it sort
of takes a few minutes or longer for it to apply properly or work. So if
someone applied the permissions and then jumped over to outlook to create the
rule- It could possibly bomb out for them like it did for me.
On the mail enabled folder for the Permissions tab under directory rights
the owner must have Send As permissions and Exchange General tab under
Delivery Options owner must have Send on behalf permissions. (Not sure if
both are required but that's the only way it worked for me)
Under properties of public folder, folder management, add rule- Here leave
the Sent To and From boxes blank on that folder, if an address is added it
will not save the rule. Place check mark in reply w/ template box, click
Template button - edit subject line and body. Choose Save and close no
entries needed for the to, cc, bcc boxes. No need to save as (.oft, rtf, etc)
before closing window.
Select Yes for "This will fire autoresponse for all incoming messages" and
then finally OK will save the rule. Success.
The key was under the conditions of the rule for Sent to or From those
needed to be blank, also after applying those permissions in Exchange it sort
of takes a few minutes or longer for it to apply properly or work. So if
someone applied the permissions and then jumped over to outlook to create the
rule- It could possibly bomb out for them like it did for me.
My BAD :( Oversight on my part - My previous posts bare testimony to this. But alas - won't happen again ;)
http://groups.google.co.za/group/microsoft.public.exchange.admin/browse_thread/thread/8ebcc2cf9f80e63/12fd5ec8820e762e?lnk=st&q=On+the+mail+enabled+folder+for+the+Permissions+tab+under+directory+rights+&rnum=2&hl=en#12fd5ec8820e762e
http://groups.google.co.za/group/microsoft.public.exchange.admin/browse_thread/thread/8ebcc2cf9f80e63/12fd5ec8820e762e?lnk=st&q=On+the+mail+enabled+folder+for+the+Permissions+tab+under+directory+rights+&rnum=2&hl=en#12fd5ec8820e762e
ASKER
Ok, I am getting closer...
All goes well and my mail delivers, but I did not get the reply nor was I prompted when exiting the rule setup with the message "This will fire autoresponse for all incoming messages" it just let me close it without any prompts.
All goes well and my mail delivers, but I did not get the reply nor was I prompted when exiting the rule setup with the message "This will fire autoresponse for all incoming messages" it just let me close it without any prompts.
Excellent! I supposed things have changed slightly with Outlook 2007. Like I said, I have tried it and it works without a hitch. Let me know how things go?
ASKER
It worked! Thanks for all your help and patience with me while I worked through this.
EXCELLENT! It's only a pleasure!
By Default automatic replies, automatic forwards and Out of Office to Internet recipients are disabled in Exchange 2000 Server and in Exchange Server 2003 as it can be a security risk in many ways
However, to modify the settings for automatic replies, for automatic forwards and for Out of Office responses, follow this link:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/266166
This may help out as well:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/840158
I hope this will suffice?