Supported scenarios for deploying Microsoft Office as a sequenced App-V Package

Deploying Microsoft Office as a sequenced Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) Package is a common request. This document describes the supported scenarios for various versions of Microsoft Office and Microsoft App-V.

The following product versions are included in this KB:

1. Microsoft App-V: 4.6, 5.0

2. Microsoft Office: 2007, 2010, Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run)

Back to the top | Give Feedback

Supported Versions of Office and App-V

Before deploying Microsoft Office, it must first be packaged into the App-V file format. The packaging process can be accomplished by following a prescribed set of steps, or by using an App-V Package Accelerator, or by using the Office Deployment Tool for Click-to-Run. The table below lists the availability and supported versions of Office and App-V. For each version of App-V the following packaging methods is included:

1. Prescriptive Guidance. This is a text document that describes the specific steps a Sequencing Engineer needs to follow to create an App-V package.

2. Package Accelerator. The Package Accelerator was introduced in App-V 4.6 SP1. It provides a turnkey way to generate an App-V package.

3. Office Deployment Tool. The Office Deployment Tool is part of Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run). It is used to create an .APPV package for Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) using the latest released version of Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run). This tool eliminates the need for sequencing Microsoft Office using the  App-V 5.0 sequencer or a deployment kit.  The  .APPV package is seamlessly created and ready for deployment as an .appv package.

Deployment Considerations for Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) using App-V 5.0

Deploying Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) with App-V 5.0 will provide the best experience for your enterprise.  With App-V 5.0, Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) deploys more quickly and easily: providing on-demand access, co-existence with previous Office versions, integration with local applications, centralized add-in management and tighter integration with System Center 2012 Configuration SP1 - and best of all, no sequencing required!

•  Administrators can import the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV package right into App-V 5.0, no sequencing required.

•  App-V 5.0 allows IT administrators to customize the components of the Office suite. For example, if you do not want your users to see Microsoft Access, Lync, InfoPath or other applications, you may control this using App-V. Click-to-Run always installs the entire Office suite.

•  Deliver Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) applications dynamically by publishing Office application shortcuts to users’ desktops before Office is cached on the local disk.

•  With App-V 5.0, customers can work with the Office package just as they would any other App-V application.  For example, App-V lets users run multiple versions of applications side-by-side and Office is no exception.

•  Customers can use their existing App-V infrastructure whether they are using the Full Infrastructure with App-V Management and Publishing servers, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Service Pack 1 or integration via PowerShell with existing Electronic Software Distribution Systems.

Creating the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV Package

The Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV package is created using the Office Deployment Tool only. Sequencing the MSI of Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) is not a supported option.

Deploying the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV Package

Before you deploy the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV Package to an App-V Client machine, running of package scripts should be enabled on the client. One way to do that is via Powershell. From an elevated Powershell command, type:

Set-AppvClientConfiguration -EnablePackageScripts 1

If Package Scripts are not enabled on the machine, publishing fails with an error specifying that a script within the package could not be run.

Note: The Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV package must be deployed globally to the target machine.

Customizing the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV Package

The Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV package cannot be upgraded or edited using the App-V 5.0 Sequencer. If you need to customize the .APPV package for deployment, please use App-V 5.0's Dynamic Deployment Configuration file. If using the Dynamic Deployment Configuration file, make sure to edit the file as below before you add or publish the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV package in your environment.
 
1.       Open the Dynamic Deployment Configuration file in an editor
2.       Search for “COM Mode” and change its value from “Isolated” to “Integrated”.
3.       Search for “InProcessEnabled” and change its value from “false” to “true”.
4.       Search for “Objects Enabled” and change its value from “true” to “false”.
5.       Save the file after you have made the changes.
 
These edits are mandatory to use the Dynamic Deployment Configuration file with the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV Package.

Using Add-Ins with the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV Package

To use an Add-In with the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) package, sequence the Add-In to build an .APPV package. Then deploy the Add-In package with the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) package in a connection group by leveraging App-V 5.0 Connection Groups. Please make sure to make the same edits to Dynamic Deployment Configuration file of the Add-In .APPV package as you would have made to the Dynamic Deployment Configuration file of the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) package and publish the Add-In as Global.

Upgrading the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV Package

The Office Deployment Tool can be used to create a latest version of the Office 365 ProPlus (Click-To-Run) .APPV package. The Office Deployment Tool will produce an .APPV package of the correct lineage so that the streamed content is optimized: only updated files will be streamed to already-deployed .APPV packages.

Supported Deployments of the Office 365 ProPlus(Click-To-Run) .APPV Package

If Office 365 ProPlus(Click-To-Run) is deployed as an App-V package, only specific types of deployments are supported due to the available licensing.

Deployment Considerations for Office 2010 using App-V 5.0

Deploying the Office 2010 .APPV Package

Before you deploy the Office 2010 .APPV Package to an App-V Client machine, running of package scripts should be enabled on the client. One way to do that is via PowerShell. From an elevated PowerShell command, type:

Set-AppvClientConfiguration -EnablePackageScripts 1

If Package Scripts are not enabled on the machine, publishing fails with an error specifying that a script within the package could not be run.

Note: The Office 2010 .APPV package must be deployed globally to the target machine.

Customizing the Office 2010 .APPV Package

The Office 2010 .APPV package can be customized for deployment by using the App-V 5.0's Dynamic Deployment Configuration file. If using the Dynamic Deployment Configuration file, make sure to edit the file as below before you add or publish the Office 2010 .APPV package in your environment.
 
1.       Open the Dynamic Deployment Configuration file in an editor
2.       Search for “COM Mode” and change its value from “Isolated” to “Integrated”.
3.       Search for “InProcessEnabled” and change its value from “false” to “true”.
4.       Search for “Objects Enabled” and change its value from “true” to “false”.
5.       Save the file after you have made the changes.
 
Using Add-Ins with the Office 2010 .APPV Package

To use an Add-In with the Office 2010 package, sequence the Add-In to build an .APPV package. Then deploy the Add-In package with the Office 2010 package in a connection group by leveraging App-V 5.0 Connection Groups. Please make sure to make the same edits to Dynamic Deployment Configuration file of the Add-In .APPV package as you would have made to the Dynamic Deployment Configuration file of the Office 2010 package and publish the Add-In as Global.

Supported Office Co-Existence Scenarios using App-V

When deploying multiple versions of Office to a single machine using App-V, the following co-existence configurations are supported:

• Office 365 ProPlus(Click-To-Run) on App-V 5.0 can coexist with:
• Office 2007 on App-V 4.6 or App-V 5.0
• Office 2010 on App-V 4.6
• Office 2010(Isolated) on App-V 5.0 
• Office 2010 or Office 2007 installed by MSI
• Office 365 ProPlus(Click-To-Run) on App-V 5.0 cannot coexist with Office Click-to-Run because they will register the same extension points
• Office 365 ProPlus(Click-To-Run) .APPV package & Office 2010 .APPV package must be published globally to the machine
• Office 2010(Integrated) on App-V 5.0 cannot coexist with Office Click-To-Run or Office ProPlus(Click-To-Run) on App-V 5.0 because they will register similar extension points.

Additional Information on sequencing Microsoft Office

How to sequence Office 2010 in App-V 4.5 SP2 or App-V 4.6: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/983462

Prescriptive Guidance for Sequencing Office 2010 in App-V 4.6 sp1: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2627274

Prescriptive Guidance for Sequencing Office 2010 in App-V 5.0: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=285404

Back to the top | Give Feedback