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When an out-of-office reply says when the contact is back, their sequence waits for them. The next step goes the day they return, or a few business days later if you choose.
A sequence's Settings tab with the Out-of-office replies section: the Wait until they're back switch turned on, and a Send next step menu set to The day they're back.

The Out-of-office replies section of a sequence's Settings tab.

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Choose when the next step goes

Open a sequence from Sequences and go to its Settings tab. The Out-of-office replies section holds two controls:
  • Wait until they’re back is on for every sequence. Turn it off and the cadence carries on as planned.
  • Send next step picks The day they’re back, or 1 to 5 business days after it.
The step goes at the first opening of the sequence’s sending window on that day. The message is sent as written.

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Know which steps move

Only a next step due before they’re back moves. A step already due later keeps its date.
  • A return more than 30 days away counts as 30 days.
  • A reply naming no date waits 7 days.
  • Every sequence the contact is in waits, if its setting is on.
  • Email and LinkedIn steps wait alike.

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See who is away

On the Audience tab, a waiting contact reads Out of office, and the Next step column shows when it goes. A banner above the list says “Contacts are out of office.” Choose Resume all 3, counted for your sequence, to send to them now.

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Good to know

It was already due after their return, or the sequence’s Wait until they’re back is off. A step already in a sender’s LinkedIn queue, or waiting for approval in Tasks, also keeps its place.The reply must also be read as an out-of-office reply. Check that its conversation carries the Out of office label in the Inbox.
Monday to Friday. Public holidays are not skipped, so a step set for one business day after a Friday return goes on Monday.
The one the sending window reads its hours in for that contact’s sender. With no sending hours set, the step goes at 9:00 in the morning in the window’s timezone.
Later out-of-office replies leave the cadence alone. Contacts already waiting keep their new date. Choose Resume all 3 on the Audience tab to send to them now.
A reply from the contact themselves stops their follow-ups, as any reply does. Read it in the Inbox.
Yes. Ask it to stop waiting for out-of-office contacts, or to send two business days after they’re back, and it shows the change for you to approve.

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Next steps

Reply with AI

What each kind of reply does to a contact’s follow-ups.

Schedule and sending window

The hours and days a sequence sends in.