Should I set an out of office status on Slack when I’ll be away from my desk for an extended period of time?

Yes. Setting your out of office status will let team members and clients know why you’re not responding to messages and when you’ll be back at work to do so.

Should I leave an out of office message on my status?

It depends. If you want to add additional information, you should do so; however, if you prefer to keep these details private, you don’t have to add a message.

Should I add a return date to the out of office status?

Yes. Adding a return date/time lets individuals know when you’ll be back in the office and available to answer their questions or calls.

How to Set an Out of Office Status in Slack

While Slack is great for the office, everyone needs time off. Set an out-of-office Slack status when on vacation or out for appointments, PTO, or part of the day/week. Here's how and why.

May 1, 2026

Why You Should Use the Out of Office Tool

Slack is the perfect communication platform to use with your team members and clients. There are many tools you can put to good use with Slack, including the out of office tool. It’s important to use the out of office component when you’ll be away from your desk, whether it’s for a few hours during the day or for a week’s vacation. By using the out of office feature, your team and/or clients will know you’re unavailable and when you’ll be back in the office. In addition, this tool provides you with the ability to relax knowing that people won’t be looking for you during the workday as you’ve updated your status.

Reasons You May Need to Use Your Out of Office Status

The out of office tool on Slack can be used for many reasons. You can update your out of office status when you’re going to be away for an extended business lunch period, have a doctor’s appointment, will be working half-days, or are going away on a vacation for some rest and relaxation. This provides your team and clients with the information they need in case they’re trying to reach you and will then know that you are out of office until a set time/day.

How to Set Your Out of Office Status in Slack

Setting your out of office status in Slack is easy to do with a few simple steps. Here’s how to set your out of office status in Slack and what you can include in this notification:

Go to your profile picture located in the sidebar and click on it.
Find the “Update your status” field and click it.
Select “Out of office” from the list.
Go to the drop-down menu to the section that says “Remove status after” and choose when you want the out of office status to end.
You can pause notifications until you return to the office.
You have the option to display an out of office message.
Click the save button.

Once you set up your out of office status in Slack, you can head out for your appointment or go on your family vacation with peace of mind knowing that your office status is clear and people know when you’ll be back at your desk.

Organize Your Business Slack with Chronicle App

Knowing how to navigate Slack is one necessity. You should also keep organization features in mind when you use Slack. Fortunately, Chronicle can help you achieve your organization goals with the Slack platform. The Chronicle app enables users to monitor messages and events, remove inactive channels, and compile organization-centric reports. With help from Chronicle, you can use Slack in the most efficient way.

Visit the Chronicle website to learn more about how its organization strategies can make a noticeable difference in how you communicate with your team.