.. _groupware-absence:

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Setting out-of-office messages
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If you are absent for vacation, sick leave or similar, you can add an out-of-office message in the **Absence** section of the **Availability** settings.

The interface asks for the time of absence, a short and a long message and an optional replacement user. This data is used for the following purposes:

1) Your user status will change to the short message when your absence starts and reset when it ends.
2) And event with status *busy* will be created in your personal calendar. This allows others to see that you are not available when they use the free/busy feature.
3) If enabled, the Mail app will apply an autoresponder using the long message.
4) The Talk app will show the long out-of-office message to others when they try to reach you in a 1:1 chat during your absence as well as the replacement user if set.
