Formatting issues with Gmail's "Vacation responder" setting

Submitted by Leslie Marinelli

I just discovered a formatting issue with the Vacation responder setting in Gmail that I want to bring to everyone’s attention. 

If you don’t use the Vacation responder feature, you can skip this post. Otherwise, keep reading for more information on how to prevent an oddly formatted out of office reply. 

Apparently our new email signature formatting does not work properly when Vacation responder is turned on. Gmail’s Vacation responder setting only has two formatting options: Rich Text and Plain Text. Neither plays well with some of the fancier HTML formatting in our new email signature template. This can result in an auto reply with an email signature that might be double spaced, unformatted, and/or contain unembedded links. Like this: 

If you do use the Vacation responder feature and don’t want your automated reply to look like this, you have two options.

1. Set your default email signatures to “No signature” before you leave for vacation, like this: 

and include your basic contact information in the Vacation responder text box like this: 

2.) Create a supplemental, plain text email signature to use when you are out of the office.  

Name it something like "Out of Office" and make sure it is just your basic contact information, single spaced, with no fancy formatting. Like this: 

Best regards,

Leslie Marinelli

Communications Manager

Forsyth County Public Library

585 Dahlonega Street

Cumming, GA  30040

678-513-9392

marinellil@forsythpl.org

forsythpl.org

Then right before your out of office time begins, set your default email signatures to your plain text "Out of Office" signature and turn on your Vacation responder. 

If you go this route, don't include your signature in your Vacation responder text, just write one or two sentences about your away time and immediate assistance contact info. 

For both Vacation responder options, it is fine to omit the Open Records Act disclosure statement. This is just for your automated out of office replies, not for emails you intentionally send during your work day.

If you have any questions about this or experience any trouble with spacing issues, please submit a help desk ticket.