Autoresponder Print

What is an Autoresponder?

Autoresponders are software applications that automatically send an email reply to incoming email messages. They can be simple or complex and are most commonly used in email marketing and personal email.

• Marketing Autoresponders
• Autoresponders are used as part of an email marketing campaign. As an example, marketing emails are sent to a list of subscribers. Recipients of the email who reply will receive an automated reply instructing them to take further steps. The automated replies - autoresponder - can be programed to deliver different messages depending upon various factors.
• Personal Email Autoresponders
• An automated reply typically used to inform senders that the owner of the email account is away or on vacation.

This article will focus on the use of Autoresponders for personal email accounts.

Email Autoresponders are convenient but have have some pitfalls that should be carefully considered before implimenting.

Pros

• Automaticlly Replies to Incoming Email Messages
• Configurable Options:
  
  • Character Set
  • Start and Stop Date/Time
  • Interval
  • From Address
  • Subject Line
  • Message - including HTML
• Easy to Setup, Configure and Use

Cons

• Let's Spammers Confirm that your Email Address exists
• Let's the local Cat Burgler know you're away
• Can create an email loop.
• Can get you on a Spam Blacklist

Add or Edit an Autoresponder

To add an autoresponder, perform the following steps:

1. Select the domain for which to add or edit an autoresponder from the Managing menu.
2. Perform one of the following actions:
   • To create a new autoresponder, click Add Autoresponder.
   • To edit an autoresponder, click Edit next to the autoresponder to edit.

3. Select a character set from the Character Set menu.

   Note:

   The Character Set value defaults to utf-8. Most internet users encounter the utf-8 character set. For more information, read our Guide to Locales - Why You Should Use UTF-8 documentation.

4. Enter the interval, in hours, for the autoresponder to wait between responses to the same email address.

   • For example, if you set up an autoresponder with an interval of 24 and you receive an email from user@example.com at 8:00 AM on Monday, the autoresponder immediately responds to the message. If, however, user@example.com continues to email you throughout the day, the autoresponder does not send another response for 24 hours after the initial email (in this case, 8:00 AM on Tuesday). If user@example.com emails you again after the 24-hour interval expires, the system sends them an autoresponse.

     Note:

     If you set the interval to 0, the system sends an autoresponse to each email.

5. In the Email text box, enter the email address for which to respond.
6. In the From text box, enter the username to appear in the response.
7. In the Subject text box, enter the subject to appear in the response.
8. If the message includes HTML tags, select the HTML checkbox.

9. In the Body text box, enter the text of the response.

   Note

   You can use tags in the body of the message to represent information, such as the incoming email's sender or subject. Tags use percentage signs (%) as markers.

   The following tags are available:

   • %subject% — The subject of the message that the autoresponder received.
   • %from% — The name of the sender of the message that the autoresponder received. If the sender's name was not in the original email's header, the %from% tag prints the sender's email address.
   • %email% — The sender's email address.
10. Select a start time. You can choose Immediately or Custom.

    • If you select Custom, a small calendar will appear. Use the arrows to navigate between months and click your preferred start date. Then, enter a start time at the bottom of the calendar, and select AM or PM from the menu. Finally, click anywhere outside of the calendar box to save the configuration and close the calendar. Your chosen date and time will appear next to the Start option.

      Notes

      • The system bases the time on the user's workstation operating system time and translates it into Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
      • This feature uses 12-hour notation and reformats times in 24-hour notation. For example, if you select 18:30 as the start time, the system automatically reformats the time as 6:30 PM.
11. Select a stop time. You can choose Never or Custom.

    • If you select Custom, a small calendar will appear. Use the arrows to navigate between months and click your preferred date. Then, enter a time at the bottom of the calendar and select AM or PM from the menu. Finally, click anywhere outside of the calendar box to save the configuration and close the calendar.

      Note

      You must select a stop time that is later than the start time.

12. Click Create/Modify to save the autoresponder.

Remove an autoresponder

To delete an autoresponder, perform the following steps:

1. Click Delete next to the autoresponder that you wish to delete.
2. Click Delete Autoresponder.

Add an Autoresponder in Webmail

You can add an autoresponder for your personal email address in Webmail.

To create an autoresponder, perform the following steps:

1. Log in to your Webmail interface at https://example.com:2096
2. From the user@example.com menu at the top right corner of the interface, select Autoresponders.
3. Click Add Autoresponder.
4. Choose the character set in which to send the email from the options in the Character Set text box.
5. Enter the interval, in hours, for the autoresponder to wait between responses to the same email address.
6. Enter your name in the From text box.
7. Enter the message's subject in the Subject text box.
8. If you wish for the email to display HTML code, select the HTML checkbox.

9. Provide a body for your message, for example:

   I am out of the office until July 2nd. You can reach me on my cell phone in case of emergencies.

10. Select a start time.

11. Select a stop time.

12. Click Create/Modify to save the autoresponder.

All email messages to your email account will receive this autoresponse until you remove it.