ASAP, request approval for vacation by sending email to Marla and Jim. The NETS Administration will then be notified to create a Meeting Maker banner upon approval.

ASAP before the vacation, create an entry in your Meeting Maker, and "refuse" any existing meetings that conflict with your trip. Delegate any meetings that must be attended.

Will your timecard be due while you're gone? If so, fill out your timecard(s) in advance or arrange to have Jim or Marla do it if gone for more than 2 weeks. Detail how the timecard(s) should be submitted.

Set up your email so that if people send you a message while you're gone, they automatically receive a reply that says you'll read the message when you get back. You can use the web interface to turn the vacation feature on and off.

To turn it on when you leave for vacation:

• web to the Communigate mail system at https://mail.ucar.edu
• Log in with your UCAS username/password.
• Click Mail Control
• Under Vacation Message
  1. Fill in the "Vacation Message" field with a message like

     I'm out of the office until April 1. I won't read email until I return.

  2. Set the "Ends" date.
  3. Click Enable
  4. Click on the little check mark at the upper left near the X. The check mark means Update.

To turn it off when you return from vacation:

• web to the Communigate mail system at https://mail.ucar.edu
• Log in with your UCAS username/password.
• Click Mail Control
• Under Vacation Message
  1. Click Clear 'Replied Addresses' List
  2. Uncheck the "Enable" box next to Vacation Message.
  3. Click on the little check mark at the upper left near the X. The check mark means Update.
  4. The box next to Vacation Message should turn into a box that says Enable.

Send an email to nets@ucar.edu to remind us that you'll be gone. If you can, include an itinerary and/or phone numbers where you can be reached.

Tell the VoiceMail system to answer your phone differently while you're gone. Normally, your phone rings several times and then the caller is transferred to VoiceMail. When you're gone, it's nice to make it transfer directly to VoiceMail, without ringing at all.

To transfer calls directly to VoiceMail:
Press your CFwdALL soft key and dial 2799
The screen will display "Forwarded to Voicemail"

To remove upon your return:
Press your CFwdALL soft key

If you're not in your office and you want to forward your calls to Voicemail, dial 303-497-2799. As soon as you hear the Goddess Of Voicemail,

1. press *
2. enter your ID (your 4-digit extension), followed by #
3. enter your password, followed by #
4. enter 4 1 2

If you're not in your office and you want to retrieve your VoiceMail messages, dial 303-497-2799. When you hear the recording, dial * and follow instructions.

For more control, you can record an alternate greeting that describes your vacation, something like:

This is Pete Siemsen. I'm on vacation. Please leave a message, and I'll hear it when I return to the office on April 1. If this is urgent, contact the UCAR Network Operations Center at (303) 497-1200.

Then tell VoiceMail to use the alternate greeting. When you get back from vacation, tell VoiceMail to use your regular greeting again.

To record an alternate greeting:
messages (password) 4 1 1 1 
To turn on or off your alternate greeting:
messages (password) 4 1 1 2 

NETS Engineers are required to have schedules set up so that when Operations calls them, the VoiceMail system will try to reach them in their office or at home. VoiceMail plays the greeting, accepts a message, and allows marking a message urgent. There is no indication to the caller unless you put it in your greeting that you are out of the office.

Turn it on and off: TBD

Write a message on the board on your office door that says where you are and when you'll be back.

If you're taking a laptop on your trip, don't forget to pack

• the laptop
• PCMCIA cards
• a phone cord and/or a 10baseT cable
• a video cable if you're giving a presentation
• a power supply
• a spare battery if you have one

If you're taking a cell phone on your trip, don't forget to pack a battery charger and spare batteries.

Do you have a PDA, like a Palm? If so and you plan to take it on your trip, synchronize it with Meeting Maker before you leave, and consider packing extra batteries. If you're not taking it on your trip, check that the battery level is high enough to last through the duration of your trip, or you may come back to a dead PDA.

Do you need to delegate authority to someone while you're gone?

If you're going to be gone more than a few days, make a list of your current open action items or projects, so that others can cover them for you when you're gone. Email it to nets@ucar.edu.

For Chris and Susan only: Chris and Susan's list of items to be addressed while out