We are working on an Outlook add-in that uses the On-send feature (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/add-ins/outlook-on-send-addins?tabs=unix). We want to know what our options are when it comes to deploying this add-in to actual users, with the focus being on users running Outlook on Mac. Per documentation, On-send Add-ins are not allowed on AppSource. The ideal flow we are looking for is one where there's little to no manual action required on behalf of either the end-users or the Admins.
Is there a way to deploy the add-in automatically on the end-user device (running Mac), with neither any admin-side action required, nor any manual action required by the user -- e.g., by downloading the Add-in manifest, and running a script on the device?
I'm aware user can sideload the manifest once the manifest is downloaded, but this is not acceptable in our case; we are looking for a way where the installation of the add-in is automated, without requiring any manual action on behalf of the user.
If the above is not an option, what is the recommended way to deploy the add-in? I found two links from MS, with possibly conflicting info; which of these two is the right one to try?
The first one is "Publish Office Add-ins using Centralized Deployment via the Office 365 admin center" from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/publish/centralized-deployment#end-user-experience-with-add-ins. Looks like this is supposed to be done from the O365 Admin Console --> Settings > Services & add-ins.
This approach requires (from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/admin/manage/centralized-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide) the following as pre-requisites; are all of them actually required?
"have Exchange Online and active Exchange Online mailboxes" -- is there a difference between "Exchange Online" and "active Exchange Online mailboxes"?
"Version 1701 or later of Office 365 ProPlus." -- does this apply for Mac as well? If so, is there such a version for Mac?
"Your subscription'd directory must either be in, or federated to Azure Active Directory."
Looks like there's a Powershell-based alternative to this: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/enterprise/use-the-centralized-deployment-powershell-cmdlets-to-manage-add-ins. Is this subject to the same requirements as the above?
The second flow, which is more geared towards Outlook (rather than the other Office apps) is https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/exchange/clients-and-mobile-in-exchange-online/add-ins-for-outlook/specify-who-can-install-and-manage-add-ins?redirectedfrom=MSDN. This is to be initiated from Exchange admin center under Organization > Add-ins > New Add Icon
Does this work with a non-ProPlus O365 subscription as well?
Does this work outside of Azure AD?
(Assuming Bullet 1. is not an option so we have to go with 2.) After deploying add-in from admin, is further action required to activate it on the end-user device?
Per https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/publish/centralized-deployment#end-user-experience-with-add-ins:"For Outlook 2016 or later, users can do the following: In Outlook, choose Home > Store. Choose the Admin-managed item under the add-in tab. Choose the add-in, and then choose Add."
(Again assuming Bullet 1. is not an option so we have to go with 2.) Is there API support to help automate bullets 2 and 3?
Related
I'm working on an outlook add-in I can't get event-based activations to work on the web client (but do actually work on the Mac Outlook app). I've been trying to run the examples hosted on github, both outlook-set-signature and outlook-encrypt-attachments provided by the Microsoft team.
And add-in is correctly loaded. I can manage to open the sidepanel and follow the instructions, but nothing changes. Trying the same thing using the Outlook client on Mac OS works as expected.
Here are my reproduction steps:
Visit https://outlook.live.com/calendar/
New event > Get Add-ins > My Add-ins > "Add Custom Addins" > From URL > Paste "https://officedev.github.io/Office-Add-in-samples/Samples/outlook-encrypt-attachments/manifest.xml"
Go back to the calendar app > Click on the three dots button > click "Event Activation Example" addin > The sidepanel shows as expected
Discard the event and create a new one
Add a new participant to the event and expect a notification / or add any lightweight attachment and expect an automatically generated encrypted version of the attachment
Nothing happens 🤷 . According to the docs, a notification message should be shown
This "unresponsiveness" also happens with my own add-in and also in another example provided by the outlook team https://github.com/OfficeDev/Office-Add-in-samples/tree/main/Samples/outlook-set-signature.
BUT, these add-ins do actually work when I use them on my Mac OS Outlook app (OS Version: Ventura). So I'm wondering if there's any limitation for event-based activations for non-365 users using outlook on a web browser.
I'm wondering if there's any limitation for event-based activations for non-365 users using outlook on a web browser
Classic Outlook UI when connected to Exchange on-premises doesn't support the requirement set 1.10 where the event-based activation was introduced.
Modern Outlook UI when connected to Exchange Online: Microsoft 365 subscription, Outlook.com supports the Outlook add-in API requirement set 1.10.
You can find the Outlook client support for specific requirement sets in MSDN.
Also you may find the Debug your event-based Outlook add-in page helpful.
Event based add-ins are currently supported for commercial accounts as they are only available as part of admin deployment. Supporting event-based activation for user acquired add-ins is on the road map and we will consider this as part of that requirement. We don't have an ETA for this yet.
I have created an custom outlook add in. When I side load it on using the website it works with no issues. When I go into the Outlook app and try to side load, it will install but not show up on the task pane. Is there a reason for this? Thanks!
There are multiple reasons why your add-ins may not be displayed in Office applications/task panes. One of them is the use of http protocol instead of https.
Another point is the privacy control setting in the registry that can be distributed by group policies. Especially the key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\office\16.0\common\privacy -> controllerconnectedservicesenabled
if it is set to dword:00000002 (which is disabled).
You need to change it to dword:00000001 (enabled) and the add-in may immediately appear.The relevant information can be found in the article.
But I'd suggest starting from the Troubleshoot development errors with Office Add-ins article.
We have an Office Web add-in that is targeting the Appointment Items in Outlook (the calendar). It failed validation because, it was not possible to use it with gmail:
Functionality
1120.3.3 Office Compatibililty
The add-in did not pass compatibility tests for Gmail.
I was thinking about if i can we detect what the current account type is from the:
Office.context.mailbox.userProfile
However i am uncertain about what properties are available and if any can tell me if it is an Exahnge Account the user is running on
Please help?
br
Michael
I am working on outlook addin. But to add addin to outlook I need to see store icon. See image 1.
but when I switch to exchange mail server inbox i start seeing store icon. See image 2.
I am using outlook for mac 16.16.4. please let me know if this is mandatory requirement or I am doing something wrong.
Store functionality is only available for Exchange accounts, just the way Outlook works. Keep in mind that installed web addins are account based, so for multiple Exchange accounts you will have different addins, and for non-Exchange account you will have none.
I am building apps with the new technology of Office add-ins (formerly app for Office).
The add-ins activate well when registered globally for the Office 365 tenant or individually by user (mechanical gear > manage add-ins).
I would like my add-in to work with Office365's shared mailboxes. The add-ins do not load in Outlook desktop or in OWA when the shared mailbox is open alone.
However, I managed to make it work when setting the shared mailbox as a shared folder displayed under my primary mailbox, as explained here (see picture below). It is better than nothing but not an acceptable solution, I would like my add-ins to be displayed when consulting my mailbox in Desktop client and in OWA when using the "Open another mailbox" (see link above).
My question is then: how to make add-ins working with shared mailboxes? A possible solution is: a shared mailbox seems to be related with a special kind of user. Would it be possible to install the add-in for this special user in order to have the add-ins always working with shared mailboxes?
Edited:
Not supported for now. I created a feature request in Office365 User Voice. Consider bringing your vote to it.
There is a new feature request to cover this functionality.
This feature request has theoretically been implemented and is in public preview.
Theoretically if you add the following under <DesktopFormFactor> it enables this feature:
<SupportsSharedFolders>true</SupportsSharedFolders>
However, people are having issues with this throwing Schema errors. See GitHub or StackOverflow. (NOTE: StackOverflow has a solution, but I didn't find it actually worked).
It maybe there is some undocumented magic so it could work now.
Outlook add-ins are not supposed to activate outside of your primary mailbox. This is intentionally disabled. What you're seeing with it displaying when opened under your primary mailbox there Benoit is likely a bug.
The office add-in can be configured to show on a mail item. it does not matter the type of mailbox, if the item you are viewing is a mail message, your add-in should show.
The simple test you can do, does your add-in show in your mailbox mail messages? if yes, this means it should show in mail messages from the shared mailbox. It is divide and conquer issue we need to resolve.
Let me know if you have more questions or need clarifications.