FlexApp Office 365 on Windows 10/11
Problem:
How do I create a FlexApp package of Office 365 on Windows 10 or 11?
*Due to the dynamic updating nature of Office 365, it may be best to reconsider installing it natively on your master image, instead, so it can be updated monthly during normal Windows Update cycles.
**If you are requiring the Outlook previewer functionality as part of this package this is a current known issue**.
Resolution:
Requirements:
- FlexApp Packaging Console version 6.8.4 R1. Download 6.8.4.7842 here.
(Versions 6.8.4.7654 through 6.8.4.7842, NOT R2 version 6.8.4.8077!) - Currently 685 FPC does not work for 0365
- ProfileUnity Client Tools version 6.8.4 R1 (6.8.4.7654) or newer
- Windows 10 or 11 (32-bit or 64-bit) FlexApp packaging machine
- The FPC machine must follow FPC best practices. (see DOC)
- OfficeSetup.exe - Downloaded from your Office 365 account page
- Accompanying XML+BAT files, linked at the bottom. (Based on desired Office install architecture)
Step 1 - Download the setup files and prepare for the installation capture.
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Download the appropriate XML and BAT files linked in this article to your FlexApp capture machine's Desktop folder. You may choose to edit the XML for your environment and desired application requirements or use them as-is.
- If you haven't already, login to your Office.com account via your web browser and download the OfficeSetup.exe to your Desktop folder on the FlexApp package capture machine.
- Before starting your capture, prepare the installation files by downloading them locally.
From an elevated Command Prompt, execute the following two commands and leave the window open.
CD %USERPROFILE%\Desktop
(or to wherever you've saved the OfficeSetup.exe)
.\OfficeSetup.exe /download configuration-office365-x64.xml
(this example uses 64-bit Office captured on Win10 x64)
That will take some time to finish in the background and the only way to know it's complete is to check TaskMgr.exe to see that the OfficeSetup.exe process has ended. In the mean time, we will continue preparing for the capture.
- Open and login to the FlexApp Packaging Console, click the red Create button, fill out your package details and click the blue Create button. DO NOT CLICK THE START BUTTON YET!
Step 2 - Capturing the Office 365 installation.
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Open TaskMgr.exe and make sure the OfficeSetup.exe process has ended. If not, you must wait for it to finish before continuing.
- Once OfficeSetup.exe has finished downloading the installation files and the process has ended, we will start the capture by clicking the Start button.
- From your elevated Command Prompt, execute the following command to start the installation:
.\OfficeSetup.exe /configure configuration-office365-x64.xml
- The installation UI will open and install automatically. Once it's complete, click the Close button on the installer but don't click Finish in the FlexApp Packaging windows yet.
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Open Windows Explorer, navigate to "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs" and delete the Outlook shortcut. Due to an issue with ClickToRun, without performing this step and then using ProfileUnity to create the Outlook shortcut, the default installed Outlook shortcut will be "broken" after the user's first launch of Outlook.
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Click Finish in the FlexApp screen to end the capture followed by Save to save the new package.
- When prompted, select an icon for the package and click OK. This icon will only be used within the ProfileUnity and FlexApp consoles and won't be seen by end-users.
- Once the icon is finished being saved into the package, click OK again.
Step 3 - Adding in the OfficeRepair BAT file.
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Click the Play button for the newly created Office 365 package and when package activation is complete, click OK. The package will then be highlighted red and have a Stop button instead of Play.
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Click the package action dropdown menu button followed by the 'abc' button to add scripts to the package.
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Click Add Script.
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Select "appdir-1", "Post Activation" and your OfficeRepair BAT file and click OK to add them to the scripts list.
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Click OK to save the script into the package followed by OK again once the script has finished being saved.
Step 4 - Using ProfileUnity to create the Outlook shortcut.
Login to your ProfileUnity Console and edit your Configuration. Create a new entry in the Shortcuts module for Outlook pointing to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE. Click Save on this new rule, then click Update and publish your updated Configuration INI file as normal.
Your new Office 365 package is now ready for testing.
Accompanying XML and BAT files:
Product: ProfileUnity-FlexApp
Product Version: ALL
Updated: June 28, 2024
Product: ProfileUnity-FlexApp
Product Version: ALL
Updated: June 28, 2024