21.3 Replying to Email

Use Reply to respond to an item. You can reply to everyone who received the original item or to the sender only. You can also include a copy of the original message in your reply. Your reply includes Re: preceding the original subject text. You can modify the subject text if you want. If you just want to send a quick reply an item, you can use quick response to quickly give your input on the item.

21.3.1 Replying to an Email

There are two different methods for replying to email.

Option 1:

  1. Open the item you want to reply to.

  2. Click Reply on the toolbar to send the email just to the sender.

    or

    Click Reply All on the toolbar to send the email to the sender and all recipients.

  3. Type your message, and then click Send on the toolbar.

Option 2:

  1. Right-click the item you want to reply to.

  2. Click Reply.

    The Compose view opens, and the compose options appear in the Options slide-out.

  3. Select to sender to send the email to just the sender.

    or

    Select to all to send the email to the sender and all recipients.

  4. Type your message, and then click Send on the toolbar.

If the original item included BC or CC recipients and you selected to reply to all, your reply is sent to the CC recipients but not to the BC recipients.

21.3.2 Including the Sender’s Message or Attachments in a Reply

When you reply to an email, you can include the sender’s message and any attachments included with the message by selecting those options in the Compose Options slide-out.

  1. Select the email you want to reply to, and then click Reply on the toolbar.

  2. In the compose view, open the Options drop-down menu in the Options slide-out.

  3. Select whether to reply to the sender or reply to all.

  4. To include the sender’s message, select Include message from sender.

  5. To include the sender’s attachments in the reply, select Include attachments from sender.

  6. Type your message, and then click Send on the toolbar.

21.3.3 Setting the Default Reply Format

To configure the default reply format:

  1. Click Tools > Options.

  2. Double-click Environment, and then click the Reply Format tab.

  3. If you use the Plain Text reply format, select from the following format options:

    GroupWise classic: Provides separator characters, original sender, date, and time.

    Include headers: Allows the selection of the separator character; provides the original sender, recipient, date, time, and subject.

    Internet standard: Allows the selection of the separator character; allows you to choose to include the original sender, email address, date, time, and message identifier.

    Text color: Available only for the Internet standard option. Allows you to select a reply color. This color appears on the original text, cut not on any new text you enter.

    Type my reply: Select Top or Bottom if you selected Include headers or Internet standard above.

  4. If you use the HTML reply format, select from the following format options:

    GroupWise classic: Provides separator characters, original sender, date, and time.

    HTML enhanced: Allows the selection of the separator character; allows you to choose to include the original sender, email address, date, time, and message identifier. Select Include headers to provide the original sender, recipient, date, time, and subject instead.

    Type my reply: Select Top or Bottom if you selected HTML enhanced above.

  5. Click OK.

21.3.4 Setting Up an Automated Reply

If you plan to be out of office for an extended period, you can create a rule to reply to messages you receive while you are away. For setup instructions, see Creating an Out of Office Rule.

21.3.5 Replying to an Email in a Shared Folder

To reply to an email in a shared folder:

  1. Open or select an item in the shared folder.

  2. Click Reply on the toolbar.

    or

    Right-click an item, and then click Reply.

  3. In the Compose Options slide-out, click a reply option.

    You can reply to the original discussion topic or to any follow-up reply in the discussion thread. In both cases, these replies are posted in the shared folder and not sent to individuals.

    If you reply privately to the individual who wrote the item, your reply is not posted to the shared folder.

  4. Click OK.

  5. Type your reply, and then click Post or Send on the toolbar.

21.3.6 Using Quick Response

Quick response lets you reply to an item without having to manually send a response. This is found in the bottom right of the read view. When a quick response is selected, the sender of the item receives a notification that you sent a quick response. They can then see your quick response in the header of the sent item.

  1. In the lower right corner of the read view for an item, click no selection next to quick response.

  2. Select the response you want to send from the pre-formed list.

  3. (Optional) Selecting Respond with comment... lets you add personal comments, along with the selected response. After you enter your comment and select the response, click OK.