Server auto reply on Exchange 2007

Why would you want to hide the mailbox from GAL, I'd normally allow the mailbox to be visible in GAL.

Create the rule afresh.

What is the category of the rule, screenshot please.

Regards,
Exchange_Geek

Firstly i guess you created the rule from Outlook profile ?

Creating the Outlook Auto-Reply
The second part is to write an Outlook rule that uses this template whenever it processes an incoming email that meets your criteria. In our example, the criteria are an email from someone in your contacts folder AND it was sent to the old email address.

1. From the Tools menu, select Rules and Alerts.
2. In the Rules and Alerts dialog, click New Rule…
3. In the Rules Wizard, click “Check messages when they arrive”. This is under Start from a blank rule.
4. Click Next.
5. In Step 1, check “with specific words in the recipient’s address”.
6. In the lower pane, click the hyperlink for “specific words”.
7. Enter the email address you are retiring.
8. Click Add.
9. Click OK.
10. Scroll down and check “sender is in specified Address Book”.
11. Click the hyperlink “specified” in the lower pane.
12. Highlight your address list and click Add.
13. Click Next.
14. For action, select “reply using a specific template”.
15. Click the hyperlink “a specific template” in lower pane.
16. In the Select a Reply Template, change the Look In: value to “User Templates in File System”.
17. Select the template you made.
18. Click Open.
19. Click Next.
20. Add any exceptions you wish and click Next.
21 Give your rule a name.
22. Click Finish.

- Rancy

I've hide it because I'd like to avoid people sending email to that mailbox. Only people who knows the address can send.

Here is how the rule is create:

1. strart from a blank rule (Apply rule on message I receive)
2. No Condition (Apply to every incoming message)
3. Action : Have server reply using a specific message
4. I write the message which need to be send
5. No Exceptions

Rancy, your solution works but it needs to have outlook open to make it works. And I'd like to have this rule running even when outlook is closed.

I'm not sure if the fact this mailbox is part of a distribution list it make it not working.

Kind regards,
Christian

@stonehage

Fair enough, your answer makes sense.

You can have the mailbox respond with auto reply even if the client is closed. that is what the server side rule is for

Regards,
Exchange_Geek

This will only work if the email is sent to the Mailbox itself .... if you want such a configuration i would say create a transport rule that says any email sent to ****@mydomain.com should be replied with ***************

- Rancy

use the option for with specific words in the message header

Click on the specific words and type the email address of the DL.

That should be it.

Regards,
Exchange_Geek

Thank you for all your responds.

@Exchange_Geek: I tried to put a condition like you advised to set specific words in the message header and I still get the error message when running the rule.

@Rancy: The transport rule doesn't have the option to reply. Or I missed it ?

Thank you,
Chris

You don't need to run the rule, it should run automatically.

Help me with the screenshot of the rule that you created please cause the rule I created on my lab works absolutely fine.

Regards,
Exchange_Geek

@Exchange_Geek, here is the screenshot.

I tried to run it manualy as it doesn't work automaticaly.
Regards,
Chris

The email address that's mentioned is email address of your DL correct?

Regards,
Exchange_Geek

Yes, it is the email address of the DL.

Regards,
Chris

I have tried to create a new Exchange mailbox and it worked.

I have removed the mailbox I used to send the auto replies and recreate it and it is now working fine...

I don't know why it didn't work from the beginning.

Thank you for your help.

Regards,
Chris