How to Set Up an SMTP to Send an Automated Email
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is what an email client uses to send outgoing messages through your email server; as such, the options for setting up an automated email vary between email clients. Automated emails are perfect for when you're on vacation, or when you want to send a message that lets the sender know that her email has arrived and will be addressed in a certain amount of time.
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Instructions
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Microsoft Outlook
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Create the email template for your automated email by going to "New Message" and filling out the template like a regular email. If it is a vacation email, include when you will return and any alternative forms of contact for emergencies, if you're comfortable doing so. For business emails, consider including an estimated time before reply.
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Save the template by going to "File" > "Save As." When saving the template, select "Outlook Template (*.oft)" from the "Save as Type" drop-down menu on the bottom of the Save window.
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Select the "Home" tab and click the "Rules" button, typically located on the far right-hand side of the Home Menu. Choose "Manage Rules & Alerts."
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Click "New Rule" under the heading "Start from a blank rule," choose "Apply rule on messages I receive" and click "Next."
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Select "Sent only to me," and click "Next."
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Choose "Reply using a specific template." On the lower half of the window you will see the options enabled for the rule; there should be an underlined link with the words "a specific template." Click this link to select the template that you created for your auto-responder.
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Click "Finish" once your template has been selected. Once on the previous Rules page you will see your rule as the top option. Make sure that the checkbox next to the rule is selected. Click "Apply" to complete the auto-reply setup.
Mozilla Thunderbird
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Create your automated email by clicking the new message button. Include how long you will be gone and additional forms of emergency contact (if applicable) for vacation auto-responders, and estimated time for reply for office and business auto-responders.
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Save your auto-reply by going to "File" > "Save As" > "Template." Select a file name that will be easy to identify, such as "Out of Town." Close your template.
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Go to "Tools" > "Message Filters" and select "New." Choose a descriptive name for your filter; choosing the same name for your filter and template may simplify identification later.
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Start in the "For Incoming Messages That" section. Select "To" from the first drop-down menu and "contains" for the second. Put the email address to set up the auto-responder for in the third field.
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From the "Perform These Actions" section, select "Reply with template" from the first drop-down menu and select the template name from the second. Press the "OK" button.
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Make sure that your filter is selected on the "Enabled" column.
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Tips & Warnings
While automated emails are great for when you're on vacation or have a large inbox volume, they do lack a certain personal touch.
The default mail client in Mac OS X does not have a feature for sending automated email, however, Thunderbird does work on OS X.
Many webmail services, such as Gmail and Yahoo! Mail, allow you to set up auto-responders from the web interface.
