Outlook 2003: Auto-reply stored in Exchange 2003

[Lito Kusnadi]

Dear Outlook/Exchange 2003 Users,

I have problem in setting up auto-reply message for a client running Outlook
2003 and Exchange 2003.

My client is asking to set up an auto-reply so that everytime a message
arrives, there will be a thank you email being sent to the sender.

I have enabled Exchange to allow send auto-reply (inside Internet Message
Format).

The first time I set up an auto-reply, it works. What I did:
Open outlook 2003, select Exchange Mailbox
Open Rules wizard, and specify blank rule, condition: none, reply with
template
When I click the template link, I got a new message windows and I can
compose the template and save it as oft file.
I tested the auto-reply, and it worked.

Now it's the real thing, same server, I deleted the test oft file I created
previously. I do exactly the same steps as above. When I click the template
link, it forces me to select mail.oft. And at the end of the process, Outlook
inform me that it will send auto-reply only when Outlook is running.

Why I could get such inconsistency? Outlook 2003 build: 1.5608.5606.

I tried to create the oft manually (i.e. disable word 2003 as editor, and
save it as oft file), but still Outlook says "auto-reply only works when
Outlook is running".

Any suggestion please?

Lito

 

[Jon]

Not sure why you got the new window option in the first place but you can
open a new mail message. type the message and save it as an oft file and
choose it that way.

 

[Lito Kusnadi]

Hi,

That confuses me too. But the auto-reply works when Outlook 2003 behaves
like that (i.e. display a new window to type in my auto-reply message).

I tried to make the auto-reply manually as you described, but Outlook 2003
always tells me the rule will be run if Outlook is opened. Any hints where I
should look so that the rule is not for local workstation, but to be saved in
Exchange?

Thank you.

 

[Lito Kusnadi]

I found the answer. The rule that has to be chosen is Have server reply with
specific message .... I misunderstand the rule: reply using a specific
template as a server side reply.

Apologise for the confusion.