Slack status scheduler
Schedule your Slack status, or as close as Slack lets you.
Slack can clear a status at a time you choose, but can't start one later. Write it now with the right back date, set it when you leave, and let Slack clear it the morning you're back.
The details
How your team sees it
Jordan Lee
Away ยท 9:41 AM local time
Set it like this
Set a status
Also pick Pause notifications from the same menu, so nothing pings you.
Status set. Here's the rest of the away kit.
Your out-of-office email
The auto-reply for Outlook or Gmail, with your dates and backup filled in.
Write itEvery office's holidays
Working across countries? See each office's public holidays side by side, and the days everyone is off.
Compare holidaysA status that sets itself
Forgot keeps your team's time off and holidays on one calendar. Next on the roadmap: setting everyone's Slack status from it.
Try it freeStatuses worth scheduling, with when to clear them.
Each one says what to pick under Clear after, so it disappears on time.
Vacation statuses
- On vacation, back Monday. Ask Sam for anything urgentClear the day you're back
- Out of office, back Monday. Sam is covering for meClear the day you're back
- PTO, back Monday. Urgent? Sam has itClear the day you're back
Public holiday statuses
Shown for Diwali in India. Pick your country in the generator and it fills in your own next holiday and back day.
- Public holiday in India (Diwali), back Mon, Oct 26Clear the day you're back
- Off for Diwali in India. Back Mon, Oct 26Clear the day you're back
- Diwali: our office in India is closed. Back Mon, Oct 26Clear the day you're back
Sick day statuses
- Out sick, back MondayClear the day you're back
- Sick day. Replies will be slowClear at the end of today
- Out on sick leave, back MondayClear the day you're back
Focus time statuses
- Focus time until 2 PM. I'll reply afterClear at the end time
- Heads down until 2 PM, notifications offClear at the end time
- Deep work until 2 PM. Urgent? Call meClear at the end time
Meeting statuses
- In meetings until 2 PMClear at the end time
- Back-to-back meetings until 2 PM, slow repliesClear at the end time
- Presenting until 2 PM. I'll reply after 2 PMClear at the end time
Parental leave statuses
- On parental leave, back Monday. Please contact SamClear the day you're back
- Parental leave until Monday. Not checking messagesClear the day you're back
Working hours statuses
- Working hours: 9 AMโ5 PM ETKeep it on
- Done for the day. Online again at 9 AM ETClear at the end of today
- Online 9 AMโ5 PM ET. Messages outside that wait for meKeep it on
Slack can't start a status later. It can end one on time.
Slack's status has a Clear after setting but no start time, so the trick is to set it as you leave with an end date that matches your back day. Teams goes further: Schedule out of office starts and stops on its own.
Plan a status that ends on time
- 1Write the status now, with the day you're back in it.
- 2Set it as you leave: profile picture, Update your status.
- 3Under Clear after, choose Choose date and time, and pick the morning you're back.
- 4Pause notifications until the same day, and set your email auto-reply to match.
Set it in Slack on desktop
- 1Click your profile picture, then Update your status.
- 2Click the smiley to pick an emoji, then type or paste your status.
- 3Under Clear after, pick when it goes away. For time off, choose Choose date and time and pick the morning you're back.
- 4Click Save. For time off, also pick Pause notifications from the same menu.
Teams can schedule it for you
- 1Click your profile picture, then Set status message, then Schedule out of office.
- 2Turn on the automatic reply and write your message.
- 3Turn on Send replies only during a time period and pick your dates.
- 4Click Save. Teams shows you as out of office for exactly those days.
On the Forgot roadmap
Your team's time off is already on the calendar. Soon it sets their Slack status too.
Forgot puts everyone's vacations, sick days and public holidays in every country on one calendar, with a morning Slack post of who's out. Next, each person connects their Slack once and their status follows their time off: set when they leave, cleared the day they're back.
Free for 14 days, no card. Then $9 once, no subscription.
Questions
Can you schedule a Slack status?
Partly. Slack lets you choose when a status clears (30 minutes, 1 hour, 4 hours, today, this week, or a date and time), but not when it starts. Set it when you leave and pick the day you're back, and it takes care of itself.
How do I make my Slack status clear automatically?
When you set the status, open Clear after and pick a time, or Choose date and time for a specific day. For vacation, choose the morning you're back.
Can Slack set my status from my calendar?
Slack's Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar apps can switch your status to "In a meeting" during events on your calendar. For vacations and holidays, you still set it yourself or use a third-party app.
Can I schedule out of office in Teams instead?
Yes. Teams has Schedule out of office under Set status message: pick the dates and an auto-reply, and Teams shows you as out of office for exactly those days.
Is anything I type saved or sent?
No. The statuses are written by hand and filled in in your browser. Picking a country loads its public holidays, the same list for everyone, and nothing about you is sent or stored.