The Gmail Canned Response feature allows you compose replies to common messages and lets you save them for future use.

In a prior post, we showed how to leverage the Outlook QuickParts feature to insert predefined text blocks into Email messages, tasks, and appointments.

Luckily, there is a similar feature available in Gmail called Canned Response that can be a big productivity help.

This can save you a lot of time and effort in constructing and replying to your Email messages.

How many times have you responded to a common question or need to give the same response to a message... over, and over, and over!

Gmail Canned Responses to the rescue!

This is a great feature to improve your Email processing efficiency and Email triage activities.

But just like Outlook Quickparts, the Gmail Canned Response feature is not well known or particularly easy to find.

So, let's learn how to activate it and use it....

Activate the Gmail Canned Response Feature:

You need to first enable this special "Labs" feature in the Gmail Settings

• Select the “Gear Icon” in the upper right corner of your Gmail screen.
• Select “Settings”.

• The “Settings” menu tab will display.
• Select the “Labs" tab.

• Scroll down and find the “Canned Responses” application.
• Select the “Enable” check-box.

• Scroll-down to the bottom of the page and select “Save Changes”.

Note: Your Gmail session may reload at this point.

Now, the Gmail Canned Responses feature is active and you are ready to create your preset responses.

How to create a Canned Response:

Compose an email message that contains the text you would like to reuse.

• Select the “arrow” in the lower right-hand corner of the message window.
• Select “Canned Responses”.
• Under the Save heading, select “New canned response”.

• Give your response a name.
• Select “OK”.

OK! Now you have created a Gmail Canned Response that you can use.

How to use a Canned Response:

The next time someone sends you an Email and one of your Canned Responses could be used as a response to their message:

• Reply to the message.
• Select the “Down-Arrow” button in the lower right corner of the message window.
• Select “Canned Response".
• Under the “Insert” menu, choose your Canned Response.

Your Canned Response text will be automatically inserted into the message body of your reply Email message.  If necessary, you can edit and update it as necessary before sending it out.

You can make as many Canned Responses as you want.  Just choose the appropriate one depending upon the specific message received.

To manage your Canned Responses:

When your Canned Responses are displayed, you have options to:

• "Insert" one of your saved Canned Responses.
• "Save" a new Canned Response.
• "Delete" an existing Canned Response.

But wait…. There is one more advanced use of Gmail Canned Response.

You can also use them to create a set of automated responses to specific messages you received.

Automating Canned Responses:

• You can automate Gmail Canned Responses and have them triggered by specific criteria you define.
• For example, you can send specific responses based on custom filters you create in Gmail.
• You use attributes on the received message such as sender, keyword, label, and subject.

That’s it!  Short and simple, but a huge time-saver!

Next time you find yourself typing the same responses over-and-over, remember to use Gmail Canned Responses!.

As with Outlook QuickParts, you can use this feature to streamline your Email triage and processing.

With just a few simple clicks, you can instantly reply to a message with your predefined response... Presto!

Were you aware of the Gmail Canned Responses feature?

If you use it, what do you you use it for?

Need help with Gmail? Look at these great books!