Automated out-of-office notification reminder
A method performed by a network element, and the network element, the method determining, according to a triggering event, whether out-of-office messaging is active for an electronic mail account; and providing a notification that the out-of-office messaging is active based on the determining.
1. A network element comprising:
a computer processor; and
a communications subsystem configured for sending and receiving electronic mail messages,
wherein the network element is configured to:
determine, via the computer processor, for a user of an electronic mail account, whether out-of-office messaging is active for the user of the electronic mail account;
upon determining that the out-of-office messaging is active, determine whether there has been use of the electronic mail account by the user of the electronic mail account prior to a return date configured for the out-of-office messaging;
upon determining that there has been use of the electronic mail account prior to the return date from a predefined location, provide a notification to the user of the electronic mail account that the out-of-office messaging is still active and restrict further notifications for a predetermined period; and
upon determining that there has been use of the electronic mail account prior to the return date from a location other than the predefined location, provide no notification to the user that the out-of-office messaging is still active.
2. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the return date is configured on a user interface during out-of-office messaging activation.
3. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the return date is parsed from a message sent within a user interface during out-of-office messaging activation.
4. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the notification is one of a pop-up message, an electronic mail message, an instant message, and a short message service message.
5. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the notification provides an option to deactivate the out-of-office messaging.
6. The network element of claim 1 , wherein a format for the notification is configurable within the electronic mail account.
7. The network element of claim 1 , wherein the network element is one of a server, a computing device, and a mobile device.
8. The network element of claim 1 , further configured to:
determine whether the return date has passed; and
upon determining that the return date has passed, send a notification to the user of the electronic mail account asking whether the out of office messaging should be extended.
9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a computer processor of a network element are configured to:
determine, via the computer processor, for a user of an electronic mail account, whether out-of-office messaging is active for the user of the electronic mail account;
upon determining that the out-of-office messaging is active, determine whether there has been use of the electronic mail account by the user of the electronic mail account prior to a return date configured for the out-of-office messaging;
upon determining that there has been use of the electronic mail account prior to the return date from a predefined location, provide a notification to the user of the electronic mail account that the out-of-office messaging is still active and restrict further notifications for a predetermined period; and
upon determining that there has been use of the electronic mail account prior to the return date from a location other than the predefined location, provide no notification to the user that the out-of-office messaging is still active.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the return date is configured on a user interface during out-of-office messaging activation.
11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the return date is parsed from a message set within a user interface during out-of-office messaging activation.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the notification is one of a pop-up message; an electronic mail message; an instant message, and a short message service message.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the notification provides an option to deactivate the out-of-office messaging.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein a format for the notification is configurable within the electronic mail account.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the network element is one of a server, a computing device and a mobile device.
16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to:
determine whether the return date has passed; and
upon determining that the return date has passed, send a notification to the user of the electronic mail account asking whether the out of office messaging should be extended.