Patent ID: 8533020

Claim:
A method for managing user events scheduled during a user absence period, the method comprising: identifying a user absence period defined on a user calendar; identifying a buffer period, the buffer period being at least one of a period of time before the user absence period begins and a period of time after the user absence period concludes; searching at least one calendaring repository to determine whether there are any user events with a due date coming due during the user absence period that were scheduled prior to a user defining the user absence period; responding, using a processor, to each user event scheduled prior to a user defining the user absence period and having a due date coming due during the user absence period; searching at least one calendaring repository to determine whether there are any user events with a due date coming due during the buffer period that were scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period; and responding, using the processor, to each user event scheduled prior to the user defining the buffer period and having a due date coming due during the buffer period, in a manner differently from responding to user events coming due during the user absence period.