In this Deployment and Maintenance of Office 365 using Microsoft's Endpoint Manager, Configuration Manager (MEMCM / SCCM) post, we're going to get familiar with the Office 365 App Creation process that comes built into Configuration Manager. While Configuration Manager isn't required to create and deploy Office 365, they have done a very nice job of making it simple. If you have the desire to do it standalone or are unfortunate and don't have access to ConfigMgr, the process is still pretty simple to come by the installer package.
Before I go much further, I'm going to explain the Configuration.XML file [MS Docs]. This file (which can be named anything) is the "database" that the setup engine uses to know how to configure office. Instead of having a hundred different command line switches, there is one XML to rule them all. You'll specify the channel of the Office 365, the apps you want to exclude, the apps you want to include, if you want 32bit or 64bit, if you want to magically remove previous MSI installed office versions, among so many other options, like language packs, and licensing models. Everything else in the install process is identical. There is NOTHING unique about your office install compared to mine, the only thing that sets us apart is this XML file, and in many cases, it will probably be the same for many organizations. Now that I've covered that, lets get into the installer.
Also for easy reference, Detection Methods for the "Addons" Each one has 2 detections, One is always this: Detection: Registry: HKLM | Key: Software\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\Configuration | Value: CDNBaseUrl | Must Exist
I'm going to walk through the Screen Captures of the process. While I don't capture every image, you'll get the overall idea of it. We're going to start by launching the Office 365 Installer from the Office 365 Client Management Node.
When it launches, you'll need to provide a name, something descriptive and obvious is always good, as well as source location for CM to download the installer to.
Go ahead and click "Go to the Office Customization Tool", which is basically config.office.com in a window.
These will probably appear different by the time you read this. Pick the best channel or channels for your needs.
I've chosen items that fit our modern work place.
Here, I've chosen XML formats, but do what you will
When you click review in the upper right, you'll be shown this display with an overview of your well throughout decisions, potentially making you second guess some, but don't, you got this. Then click Submit... don't press the other ones.
Once you've clicked Submit, you'll come back to the Console Wizard, lets click next.
Hey, why not, lets deploy this sucker and see what happens.
I created a user collection with some folks that I think would be worthy to test my Office deployment.
Let's get it distributed.
Let's make it available, while I'm pretty confident this is going to work, I haven't put in the change requests to force this down in a required fashion.
Alright, here we are, let's just keep clicking next and see what happens.
Ok, this step... takes time, a lot of it. This step is downloading the required content (about 2.5 - 3 GB) and populates that folder you specified in the beginning.
Yes, we made it! Now lets go check out what we made.
The Application Info
Here is what it looks like in the console, before we make any modifications.
Here is the content, along with the XML file that it generated.
I always check the box, because hey, why wouldn't I?
I've added a description and an Icon (Link at the top of page).
And here it is in Software Center. Pretty Nice!
And after Installing.. Office, Project, Visio, Teams, we got it all!
So now you're like, that's great, super easy.. but now I have to create like 20 different XML files to get all of the different variations of the Office Install I want.
Office with Access
Office without Access
Office with Visio Standard
Office with Visio Pro
Office with Project standard
Office with Project Pro
Office with Access & Visio Standard
Office with Access, Visio Standard and Project Pro
Office with Visio Pro & Project Standard
..... etc,etc, etc...
OH... and I want those available in 3 of the 4 different Channels, so times it by 3.
This seems like a ton of work, along with a ton of different Applications, all for different variations of Office.
Stick around to see how we can take the installer to the next level by making the XML completely dynamic. We can simplify this greatly with the help of PowerShell and a little bit of thinking outside docs.
