How to automate away messages and auto-responders?

Automating away messages and auto-responders during after-hours or while you're out of the office on TheraSaaS is simple and efficient. Below is a step-by-step guide on setting up an automation for away messages:

1. Create a New Automation

1. Navigate to Automations:

   • Log into your TheraSaaS account.

   • Go to Automations from the main menu.

2. Add a Trigger:

   • Every automation begins with a trigger.

   • In this case, select the Reply Trigger, which activates when someone sends an email to you.

     • Set the trigger to “Customer Replied via Email.”

3. Apply Filters:

   • Apply a filter to ensure the automation only triggers for emails.

     • Set the filter to Reply Channel > Email.

2. Set Up the Away Message

1. Create an Email Response:

   • In the automation, select Send an Email as the action.

   • Draft a simple auto-response email, such as:

     • Subject: "After-Hours Notification"

     • Body: “Thank you for your email. Our office is currently closed. We will get back to you during regular business hours.”

   • You can use a pre-designed email template or write a plain text response.

2. Test the Email:

   • Always test your email before publishing the automation to ensure it works correctly. Send a test email to yourself to verify the response.

3. Configure Time-Based Settings

1. Set the Time Frame for the Automation:

   • In the automation settings, configure the specific hours for when this automation will run.

   • For example, set the automation to activate only after office hours:

     • Start Time: 5:00 PM

     • End Time: 9:00 AM the following morning.

   • Select the appropriate days (e.g., Monday to Friday) or any other specific range.

2. Choose the Time Zone:

   • Choose whether to use your time zone or the contact’s time zone for when the away message will trigger.

4. Optional Settings

1. Allow Re-entry:

   • If you want the same person to receive the away message every time they email after hours, enable the setting to Allow Re-entry into the workflow.

2. Mark as Read:

   • You can configure the automation to mark the email as read so it doesn’t clutter your inbox with unread messages.

5. Test the Automation

• Test the automation by sending a message after hours to see if the auto-response works properly.

• Check whether the email is marked as read (if you enabled this option).

6. Set Up Auto-Responders for Text Messages (Optional)

1. Create a Separate Automation for Texts:

   • It’s recommended to set up a separate automation for text messages rather than combining it with email.

   • Create a new automation with the trigger Customer Replied via Text Message.

   • Follow similar steps as above to create a text-based auto-response.

     • Example message: “Thank you for your text! Our office is closed, but we’ll get back to you as soon as possible during business hours.”

7. Set Up an Out-of-Office Message

1. Create an Out-of-Office Automation:

   • If you plan to be away for an extended period, such as a vacation, create a separate out-of-office automation.

   • Set up a similar trigger (email or text) and configure the automation to run for the entire duration you’re away.

2. Deactivate When You Return:

   • When you're back in the office, simply unpublish the out-of-office automation to stop it from sending responses.

Summary

To automate away messages and auto-responders in TheraSaaS, start by setting up an automation triggered by customer replies, configure the response emails or texts, and specify the time frame for after-hours. Optionally, you can set up a separate automation for text messages or create a full out-of-office auto-responder for extended absences.