Delegate work when you're out of office

Choose your communication tool depending on who you're corresponding with (for example, send an email to your boss or a quick message to teammates).

	Open Gmail.
	On the left, click Compose.
	(Optional) To change your window size, in the upper corner, click Maximize  or Exit full screen .
	Add recipients and a subject.
	Enter your message. Email you start writing but don't send are automatically saved in Drafts on the left.
	(Optional) Add attachments, such as Drive files  or photos .
	Click Send.

Tip: To cancel sending an email, at the bottom of the window, click Undo. This option appears briefly, but you can change how long it lasts. See Undo sending your mail.

Send a direct message to someone:

1. Go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
2. If the name isn’t already under "Chat," click Start a chat .
3. Enter a name or email address. Suggestions appear as you enter text.
   • To send a 1:1 message to someone outside of your organization, enter their email address.
4. Click the person you want to message.
5. Enter a message, then click Send .

Start a group conversation:

1. Go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
2. Under "Chat," click on an existing group conversation, enter a message click Send .
3. If the group conversation isn’t under "Chat,” click Start a chat Start group conversation.
4. Enter a name or email address. Suggestions appear as you enter text.
5. Click Done .
6. Enter a message, then click Send .

If you’re out of the office, update your Google Calendar so co-workers know you’re away from work.

1. In your calendar grid, click the first day that you're away from work.
2. Click Out of office and select a time period.
3. (Optional) To explain you're away from work, enter a message in the Decline message section.
4. In the Visibility section, choose an option:

   • Public
   • Default visibility
   • Private

5. Click Save. Any new and existing meetings during this time will be automatically declined.

You also need to make sure you decline or reschedule any meetings. You can send a note to your guests to explain your absence or reschedule a meeting.

Decline a meeting and send a note to guests:

Note: All guests can propose a new time, except for events with more than 200 guests or all-day events.

Reschedule a meeting:

Note: If the event organizer has given you access to modify an event, you can reschedule it directly without proposing a new time.

In Gmail, set up an automated reply to incoming messages so co-workers know you’re unavailable.

Turn your vacation responder on or off:

Note: To use Vacation responder, your account must be at least 24 hours old.

1. Open Gmail .
2. At the top right, click Settings See all settings.
3. Scroll down to Vacation responder and select Vacation responder on or Vacation responder off.
4. If you turned on the vacation responder, enter the dates you're away and add a message. Then, select who should get a response.
5. At the bottom, click Save Changes.

Create a transition document in Google Docs or Google Drive—explain you’re out of the office, list the contacts who are taking over your work, and any relevant project files.

Choose an option:

• In Docs, click Create .
• In Drive, click New and then next to Google Docs, point to the Right arrowand click Blank document or From a template.

If you’re handing over a project and you need to find other people in your organization, such as reviewers or managers, you can search for people in Google Cloud Search.

Assign tasks in the project plan:

1. In Docs, Sheets, or Slides, select the text you'd like to comment on.
2. Click Add comment .
3. Enter your comment in the box.
4. (Optional) To direct your task or comment to a specific person, enter a plus sign (+) followed by their email address. You can add as many people as you want. Each person will get an email with your comment and a link to the file.
5. (Optional) To assign the comment to a specific person, check the Assign to box.
6. Click Comment or Assign.

Note: If a file reaches the maximum number of comments, you can make a copy of the file without copying over any comments.

Share a file or folder with specific people:

1. Select the file you want to share.
2. Click Share or Share .
3. Under Share with people and groups, enter the email address you want to share with.

   Note: If visitor sharing is on for your organization, you can invite someone who doesn't have a Google Account to collaborate on your Google Drive files and folders. See Share documents with visitors.

4. To change what people can do to your file, on the right, click the Down arrow Viewer, Commenter, or Editor.
5. Choose to notify people:
   • If you want to notify people that you shared a file with them, check the Notify people box. If you notify people, each email address you enter will be included in the email.
   • If you don't want to notify people, uncheck the Notify people box.
6. Click Share or Send.

Share a link to a file or folder:

1. In Drive, right-click the file or folder you want to share and select Share .

   In Docs, Sheets, or Slides, at the top, click Share.

   Note: You can only share files that you own or have edit access to.

2. (Optional) To specify what people can do with your file when you share it, under your organization name, click Change:
   • To change the permission, at right, click the Down arrow  and select Viewer, Commenter, or Editor.
   • To allow sharing the link outside of your organization, next to your organization name, click the Down arrow Public.

     Note: If you don't see this option, contact your administrator.

3. Click Copy link.
4. Click Done.
5. Paste the link in an email, on a website, or wherever you need to share it.

After you establish who you need to contact, compose an email or send a message to stakeholders.

	Open Gmail.
	On the left, click Compose.
	(Optional) To change your window size, in the upper corner, click Maximize  or Exit full screen .
	Add recipients and a subject.
	Enter your message. Email you start writing but don't send are automatically saved in Drafts on the left.
	(Optional) Add attachments, such as Drive files  or photos .
	Click Send.

Tip: To cancel sending an email, at the bottom of the window, click Undo. This option appears briefly, but you can change how long it lasts. See Undo sending your mail.

While you’re away, you might need to check in occasionally by email or a direct message (DM) to see how projects are progressing.

	Open Gmail.
	On the left, click Compose.
	(Optional) To change your window size, in the upper corner, click Maximize  or Exit full screen .
	Add recipients and a subject.
	Enter your message. Email you start writing but don't send are automatically saved in Drafts on the left.
	(Optional) Add attachments, such as Drive files  or photos .
	Click Send.

Tip: To cancel sending an email, at the bottom of the window, click Undo. This option appears briefly, but you can change how long it lasts. See Undo sending your mail.

Send a direct message to someone:

1. Go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
2. If the name isn’t already under "Chat," click Start a chat .
3. Enter a name or email address. Suggestions appear as you enter text.
   • To send a 1:1 message to someone outside of your organization, enter their email address.
4. Click the person you want to message.
5. Enter a message, then click Send .

Start a group conversation:

1. Go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
2. Under "Chat," click on an existing group conversation, enter a message click Send .
3. If the group conversation isn’t under "Chat,” click Start a chat Start group conversation.
4. Enter a name or email address. Suggestions appear as you enter text.
5. Click Done .
6. Enter a message, then click Send .