📖 Definition:

The “Update Gmail Vacation Setting” action in the Google Workspace category allows you to configure or modify the out-of-office (vacation) responder settings for a user's Gmail account. With this action, administrators or automated workflows can set up custom auto-reply messages, define time ranges for the replies, and apply rules that control who receives the auto-response—whether internal users, contacts only, or everyone.

Key capabilities include:

Automating out-of-office replies based on custom text or HTML content
Scheduling start and end times for auto-responses
Restricting replies to contacts or internal domain users only
Managing vacation settings for multiple users centrally via workflow

This action is ideal for ensuring consistent and timely communication during employee absences or company-wide holidays.

🎯Example Use Cases:

Employee Vacation Automation

Automatically set up an employee's out-of-office reply when they request time off, using data from an HR system.

Company-Wide Holiday Message

Configure a unified vacation response for all users during public holidays or company shutdowns, ensuring external contacts receive appropriate messages.

Dynamic Auto-Reply Scheduling

Set and update auto-reply windows in advance for executives or customer support teams, based on shift changes or travel schedules.

New Hire or Offboarding Flows

Temporarily enable auto-replies for new hires or outgoing employees to manage communication transitions smoothly.

Controlled External Communication

Restrict auto-replies to internal contacts only for sensitive roles or departments, preventing unintentional external disclosures.

📥Input:

Connection

The Google Workspace Administration connection.

Requires a service account with domain-wide delegation to manage Gmail settings on behalf of users. For help setting this up, refer to Zenphi's connection guide.

User Email

The email address of the user whose vacation settings you want to update.

This is the Gmail account where the auto-reply will be configured.

Subject

Optional subject line for the auto-reply message.

This text will appear in the subject of replies sent while the vacation responder is active.

Format

Choose how the auto-reply message is formatted:

Plain Text – Basic text format, no styling.
Rich Text – Allows basic styling (bold, italics, lists).
HTML – Fully styled format using HTML tags.

Select the format that best suits your message content.

Body

The message content that Gmail will send as an auto-reply.

This is the main message users will receive when they email the account during the vacation period.

Restrict to Domain

If enabled, auto-replies will only be sent to users within the same domain.

Helps limit exposure of internal auto-replies to external recipients. Only available for Google Workspace users.

Restrict to Contacts

If enabled, auto-replies will be sent only to people in the user’s contact list.

Useful for reducing exposure to unknown or spam email senders.

Enable Auto Reply

Turns the vacation responder on or off.

Must be enabled for any vacation message to be sent. Either Subject or Body must be provided for this to work.

Start Time (Optional)

The date and time when auto-replies should begin.

Gmail will only send replies to messages received after this time. Must come before End Time, if both are set.

End Time (Optional)

The date and time when auto-replies should stop.

Gmail will stop sending replies to new messages after this time. Must come after Start Time, if both are set.

📤Outputs :

Body Rich Text/HTML

The auto-reply message body in HTML format.

This is the version of your vacation message that includes rich formatting (e.g., bold, colored text, links). Gmail will sanitize the HTML before saving it.If both plain text and HTML bodies are set, this HTML version will take priority.

Subject

The subject line used in the auto-reply email.

If set, this will appear in the subject of the reply message. Must be included if the Body is not provided to enable auto-replies.

Body Plain Text

The auto-reply message body in plain text.

A simplified, unformatted version of your vacation message. Used only if the HTML body is not specified.

Enable Auto Reply

Indicates whether the vacation responder is currently enabled.

If set to true, Gmail is actively sending auto-replies based on the user's settings.

Restrict to Contacts

Shows whether auto-replies are limited to contacts only.

If true, the responder only sends replies to people already in the user’s Google Contacts list.

Restrict to Domain

Indicates whether auto-replies are restricted to users within the same domain.

Helps ensure internal-only communication during absences; this is typically used in corporate or school environments.

Start Time

The timestamp (in RFC 3339 format) when auto-replies start being sent.

If set, Gmail will begin sending replies only after this date/time.

End Time

The timestamp (in RFC 3339 format) when auto-replies stop being sent.

Gmail will no longer send replies after this date/time. Start Time must occur before this value if both are set.

These outputs confirm the settings that have been successfully applied to the user’s Gmail account. They allow you to verify what values were updated and ensure the responder behaves as expected.

💡Example Scenario:

Automatically Set Vacation Responder for a Departing Employee**

**Scenario:**Your HR department wants to automate the process of enabling Gmail auto-reply messages for employees going on extended leave (e.g., sabbatical, maternity leave, or resignation) to ensure email senders are properly informed during their absence.

Steps to Set Up the Action in a Flow:

 Trigger the Flow: Start the flow manually (using an On Demand trigger) or automatically through a form submission where employee leave dates and details are collected.
Add the Action – “Update Gmail Vacation Setting”:
- Connection: Use a Google Workspace Admin connection with domain-wide delegation enabled.
- User Email: Enter the primary email address of the employee who’s going on leave.
- Subject: "Out of Office: [Employee Name]"
- Format: Choose Rich Text or HTML for formatting options.
- Body:"Thank you for your message. I am currently out of the office and will not be available until [Return Date]. For urgent matters, please contact [Alternate Contact Info]."
- Restrict to Domain: Set to true if you only want internal users to receive the response.
- Restrict to Contacts: Set to false to allow replies to anyone.
- Enable Auto Reply: Set to true.
- Start Time: Use the start of the leave (e.g., 2025-06-01T00:00:00Z).
- End Time: Use the return date (e.g., 2025-07-01T23:59:00Z).
**Run the Flow:**Once the flow is triggered, the Gmail vacation responder will be set automatically for the user with all the specified preferences.

**Result:**This ensures consistency, reduces manual administrative work, and helps maintain professional communication with external and internal contacts during an employee's absence.