Understanding and troubleshooting Out of Office (OOF) replies

  • Article
  • 10 minutes to read
  • Applies to:
    Commutation Online

OOF replies tin be a bit of a mystery. How do they piece of work? Why do they sometimes not become delivered to other users, and what do yous practice if they don't? This article discusses the bits and pieces of OOF replies from the perspective of an Exchange Online configuration. Withal, much of this discussion also applies to an on-premises configuration.

(If you've e'er wondered why "Out of Office" is abbreviated as "OOF" instead of every bit "OOO," run across this blog post).

What are Out of Part replies?

OOF, or automatic replies are Inbox rules that are set in the user'due south mailbox past the client. OOF rules are server-side rules. Therefore, they are triggered regardless of whether the client is running.

Automated replies tin be configured as follows:

  • Past using the automated answer feature from within Outlook as explained hither
  • By using other clients, such every bit Outlook on the web (OWA)
  • Past running a PowerShell command (Prepare-MailboxAutoReplyConfiguration)

Admins can set OOF replies from the Microsoft 365 Admin Portal on behalf of users.

If automatic replies are enabled, only one answer is sent to each sender even if a recipient receives multiple letters from a sender.

In addition to using the built-in OOF functionality in their client, people sometimes use rules to create an Out of Role bulletin while they are away.

By design, Commutation Online Protection uses the loftier risk delivery pool (HRDP) to ship OOF replies, because OOF replies are lower-priority messages.

Types of OOF rules

In that location are three types of OOF rules:

  • Internal
  • External
  • Known Senders (contact listing)

These rules are set individually in the user's mailbox. Each rule has an associated message course and proper noun. The rule name is stored in the PR_RULE_MSG_NAME holding. The following table lists the bulletin class and name that are associated with each OOF dominion.

Type Message course PR_RULE_MSG_NAME
Internal IPM.Dominion.Version2.Message Microsoft.Commutation.OOF.KnownExternalSenders.Global
External IPM.Rule.Version2.Bulletin Microsoft.Exchange.OOF.AllExternalSenders.Global
Known Senders IPM.ExtendedRule.Message Microsoft.Exchange.OOF.KnownExternalSenders.Global

Annotation

In addition to the OOF rules, other rules (such as the Junk Electronic mail rule) also accept the IPM.ExtendedRule.Message bulletin course. The MSG_NAME variable determines how the rule is used.

OOF rule details

All Inbox rules can exist viewed past using the MFCMapi tool:

  1. Log on to the tool.
  2. Select the profile that's associated with the mailbox that has the OOF rules.
  3. At the top of the information store, select Inbox, and then right-click Open up associated contents tabular array.

OOF rules in MFCMapi:

Screenshot of OOF rules in MFCMapi.

OOF rules templates in MFCMapi:

Screenshot of OOF rules templates in MFCMapi.

OOF response history

An OOF response is sent 1 time per recipient. The list of recipients to whom the OOF response is sent are stored in the OOF history, which is cleared out either when the OOF state changes (enabled or disabled) or when the OOF rule is modified. OOF history is stored in the user's mailbox, and can be viewed by using the MFCMapi tool at: Freebusy Data > PR_DELEGATED_BY_RULE.

Screenshot of the OOF response history that's stored in the Freebusy Data.

Note

If you desire to send a response to the sender every time instead of just ane fourth dimension, you can apply the "have server answer using a specific bulletin" mailbox server-side dominion instead of using the OOF rule. This alternative rule sends a response every time that a bulletin is received.

Troubleshoot OOF issues

The following sections hash out some of the scenarios in which OOF replies aren't sent to the sender. They include possible fixes and some more often seen OOF configuration problems that you may take experienced.

If an OOF reply appears not to have been sent for all users in the tenant, a send dominion is ordinarily to blame. Check all the transport rules that may use to the affected mailbox by using stride 2 of this article.

If you doubtable a delivery problem, run a message trace from the Office 365 tenant. For OOF messages, the sender of the original message becomes the recipient during tracking. You should be able to decide whether the OOF reply has been triggered and sent to an external or internal recipient. The message trace will conspicuously indicate whether a transport rule is blocking the OOF response.

In that location'southward i scenario that's worth highlighting when it comes to send rules blocking OOF replies. Let's assume that you moved the MX record to a third-political party anti-spam programme. Yous have created a transport dominion to reject any email message that'south sent from any IP address other than the third-party anti-spam program.

The transport rule will look like this case:

Description:
If the message: Is received from 'Outside the organization' Take the following actions: reject the message and include the explanation 'You are not permitted to bypass the MX tape!' with the status code: '5.seven.i' Except if the message: sender ip addresses vest to one of these ranges: '1xx.1xx.7x.3x'
ManuallyModified: Fake
SenderAddressLocation: Envelope

Because OOF rules accept a blank (<>) return path, the OOF rule unexpectedly matches the transport rule, and OOF responses get blocked.

To fix this outcome, change the "Match sender accost in message" transport rule belongings to "Header or envelope", so that the checks will also be washed confronting the From(likewise known every bit "Header From"), Sender, or Answer-To fields. For more information almost mail flow rule weather condition, meet the "Senders" section of this article.

Screenshot to select Header on the Match sender address in message page.

JournalingReportNdrTo mailbox setting

If the afflicted mailbox is configured under the JournalingReportNdrTo setting, OOF replies won't exist sent for that mailbox. Additionally, journaling email messages may also be affected. A recommended exercise is to create a defended mailbox for the JournalingReportNdrTo setting. Alternatively, y'all can set the dedicated mailbox to an external accost.

For more than information nearly how to resolve this issue, see Transport and mailbox rules in Exchange Online or in on-premises Exchange Server don't piece of work as expected.

Forwarding SMTP address is enabled on the mailbox

If the afflicted user mailbox has SMTP forwarding enabled, OOF replies won't be generated. It can exist checked in any of the following locations:

  • In the user mailbox settings in the customer (such as Outlook on the web):

    Screenshot of checking forwarding SMTP address using the client.

  • In PowerShell:

                      Become-Mailbox -Identity Daniel | fl DeliverToMailboxAndForward, ForwardingSmtpAddress, ForwardingAddress

    Screenshot of checking forwarding SMTP address using PowerShell.

  • In User Properties in the Microsoft 365 Portal:

    Screenshot of checking forwarding SMTP address using the Microsoft 365 Portal.

For data about how to resolve this consequence, see this commodity.

OOF reply type that is set on remote domains

Pay attending to which OOF answer type is set on remote domains, because it volition touch on the OOF reply. If the configuration of the OOF reply blazon is incorrect, an OOF respond may non be generated at all.

There are 4 OOF reply types:

  • External
  • ExternalLegacy
  • InternalLegacy
  • None

For more information about these OOF types, see the AllowedOOFType entry in the "Parameters" section of Set-RemoteDomain.

You tin check the OOF reply blazon from Exchange Admin Center > Mail menstruum > Remote domains.

Screenshot of Out of Office automatic reply types.

Alternatively, you can run the following PowerShell cmdlet:

              Get-RemoteDomain | ft -AutoSize Name, DomainName, AllowedOOFType

Screenshot of checking OOF reply using PowerShell.

Every bit an example, assume that you lot accept a hybrid organization that includes mailboxes that are hosted both in Exchange on-premises and Commutation Online. By pattern, only external messages in this scenario volition be sent to Exchange on-premises if AllowedOOFType is set to External. To send internal OOF letters to Substitution on-bounds in a hybrid environment, set AllowedOOFType to InternalLegacy.

You also accept the option at the mailbox configuration level (ExternalAudience: Known) to send external OOF replies only to people who are listed equally your Contacts. Run the post-obit control to cheque the configuration:

              Get-MailboxAutoReplyConfiguration daniel | fl ExternalAudience

Screenshot of checking OOF reply configuration using PowerShell.

Remote domain blocks OOF replies

Another setting on remote domains is one that you apply to allow or prevent letters that are automated replies from client electronic mail programs in your organization.

This setting tin can be institute in Substitution Admin Eye > Mail menses > Remote domains.

Screenshot of Automatic replies setting.

Alternatively, you can run the post-obit PowerShell cmdlet:

              Get-RemoteDomain | ft -AutoSize Proper noun, DomainName, AutoReplyEnabled

Screenshot of checking OOF reply blocking using PowerShell.

Note

If the value of the setting is false, no automatic replies will be sent to users in that domain. This setting takes precedence over the automatic replies that are set up at the mailbox level or over the OOF type (equally discussed earlier). Keep in mind that true is the default value for new remote domains that you create and the built-in remote domain named Default in Substitution Online. And false is the default value for the built-in remote domain named Default in on-premises Exchange.

If the email bulletin is marked as spam and sent to Junk, an automatic reply isn't generated at all

This is self-explanatory.

Bulletin trace shows delivery failure

When y'all investigate an OOF reply result, you might find the post-obit error entry in the message trace:

"550 5.vii.750 Service unavailable. Client blocked from sending from unregistered domains."

If you observe this entry, contact Microsoft Support to learn why the unregistered domain block was enforced.

Bulletin trace shows a Drop consequence

In the bulletin trace, you may see a Drop event with a description that resembles the following example:

250 2.i.five RESOLVER.OOF.IntToExt; handled internal OOF addressed to external recipient

This is a normal log entry.

When Commutation Online generates OOF replies, it generates and sends both internal and external replies. When the replies are delivered, letters that don't apply will be dropped. For example, if the type of OOF replies that tin be sent to recipients in the remote domain is set to External or ExternalLegacy, the internal answer will exist dropped, and the Driblet event will be logged. For replies that are sent to internal recipients, a similar ExtToInt outcome will occur.

Additional OOF issues

When you create, configure, or manage OOF replies, you lot might also feel the following bug.

An old or indistinguishable OOF message is sent

If either an old or indistinguishable OOF reply is sent, bank check for a duplicate Inbox rule, and delete it if you find one.

If at that place isn't an additional Inbox rule, this upshot may also occur if the OOF history reaches its limit. The OOF history has a limit of 10,000 entries. If this threshold is reached, new users can't be added to the history list. In this situation, OOF replies will continue to be sent to recipients who are not already in the listing – one reply for every message sent by the recipients. All users who are already in the list will not receive duplicate OOF replies.

To resolve this effect, use one of the following methods.

Method i

  1. Remove the OOF rules and the OOF rules templates from the mailbox. To locate the rules, come across the OOF rule details section.
  2. Disable and then re-enable the OOF feature for the mailbox.
  3. Cheque once again whether the OOF feature works as expected and the symptoms practise not occur.

Method 2

If Method one doesn't resolve the outcome, remove the OOF response history.

  1. Disable automatic replies in Outlook if currently enabled and leave Outlook.

  2. Log on to the MFCMapi tool and select Tools > Options.

  3. Select the following check boxes:

    • Utilise the MDB_ONLINE flag when calling OpenMsgStore
    • Apply the MAPI_NO_CACH flag when calling OpenEntry

  4. Select Session > Logon.

  5. Select the Outlook profile for the mailbox and double-click to open up it.

  6. Aggrandize Root Container and then select Freebusy Information.

  7. In the Other Names column, right-click the PR_DELEGATED_BY_RULE holding that has the 0x3FE30102 tag, point to Edit as stream, and then select Binary.

  8. Select all the text in the Stream (Binary) box and delete it.

Two different OOF letters are sent

If two unlike OOF letters are sent, and you lot don't find an boosted Inbox rule, the culprit is likely an OOF rule in the Outlook client. To cheque for and delete such a rule, follow these steps:

  1. In the Outlook client, select File > Automatic Replies > Rules.

  2. Select the OOF rule and so select Delete Rule.

    Screenshot shows steps to delete the automatic reply rule.

Automated replies cannot be enabled and an error message is received

When you try to access automatic replies from the Outlook customer, you lot receive the post-obit fault message:

"Your automatic reply settings cannot be displayed because the server is currently unavailable. Endeavour over again afterward."

To assist narrow down this outcome, follow these steps:

  • Verify that the EWS protocol is enabled on the mailbox. OOF replies rely on this protocol. (Notice that information technology might have several hours for the protocol to be re-enabled.)

  • Enable the OOF feature by running the following cmdlet:

                      Set-MailboxAutoReplyConfiguration <identity> -AutoReplyState Enabled

  • Cheque whether the OOF feature works equally expected.

  • If the effect however exists, review the rules quota on the mailbox:

                      Go-mailbox -identity <mailbox> | fl RulesQuota

    Screenshot of checking mailbox identity.

    By default, the RulesQuota parameter has a maximum value of 256 KB (262,144 bytes). This is determined past the size of the rules, not the number of rules.

  • Remove the OOF rules and the OOF rules templates from the mailbox. To locate the rules, see the OOF rule details department. Subsequently you lot remove the rules, you can re-enable the OOF characteristic and and so test again.

An automated respond is sent even if OOF is disabled

In some scenarios, OOF messages are still sent even though the characteristic is disabled. This might occur if the rule is created manually by using the out-of-part template.