To All I have tried to send this mail to the list but every time I include the correct phrase it does not deliver the mail to the list. If the porblem sounds a little cryptic that is why. When you leave the office you can switch on an automatic reply to email received to notify the sender you are not there. This works on internal email but not on external email. In exchange 5.5 there was a tick box to allow this reply to external mail. Can any one point me to the tick box in Exchange 2000? Many thanks for your help. Frustrated Admin