To set up an auto-responder, log in to the webmail interface to manage the email account you want to set up an autoresponder for;
| Log in to your webmail at | http://webmail.yourdomain.net.au (substitute "yourdomain.net.au" with your actual domain) |
|
| Username | The full email address that you're accessing | |
| Password | The password that you created when setting up this email box. |
When you've logged in, click on the "Auto Responders" icon at the bottom of the page, and then click on the "Add Autoresponder" button.
In the "Email" field, enter the name of the address to which you wish to add an autoresponder, for example "sales".
In the "Interval" field, set the number to 8. More info on the interval field is at the bottom of this page.
In the "From" field, enter the address from which you wish the autoresponder's emails to come from.
In the "Subject" field, enter the subject of your autoresponder's emails.
Set the "Character Set" box to utf-8, unless you have particular needs (for people writing in Asian languages, for example).
If you are creating an HTML autoresponder, click the "HTML Message" box. If you tick this box, you must write your message as an HTML message - if necessary create your message in an email client and then copy the HTML code.
In the "Body" field, enter your autoresponder's message, in plain text unless you ticked the "HTML Message" box.
Now click the "Create" button. You can test your autoresponder by sending an email to the email address you're setting up an autoresponder for. However, your autoresponder may not respond any more after several consecutive messages, so as not to flood people's inboxes when they send you several messages in a row.
The "interval" field
Please ensure that you have set the ‘Interval (hours)’ to 8. Why? here's an example....
John Doe sends you an email on Monday morning at 10 A.M. He receives your autoresponder message immediately saying that you're on vacation. John is also on vacation however, so your reply goes to him, and then his autoresonder sends an email back. If you have your "Interval" set to 0, both of your auto-responders send emails back and forth every minute for the next week or so, quickly filling up your mailbox.
What should happen....
John Doe sends you an email on Monday morning 10 A.M. He receives your autoresponder message immediately saying that you are on vacation. After a couple of hours, he sends another message. Cpanel doesn't send the vacation message again to John Doe as only a couple of hours have passed. If John Doe sends a third email at 7 P.M, then cpanel sends the message again (as 8 hours have passed).
This setting is VERY important as it stops your auto-responder from getting stuck in a loop and filling up your mail box.