Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM

Let’s find out the best way to Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM. This is the best and easiest method to deploy and install all the Microsoft 365 apps to Windows 11 or Windows 10 devices.

Office 365 ProPlus Client package creation is made accessible in the latest version of SCCM. In this post, you will learn how to create Office 365 ProPlus client application. I have already created a video tutorial to explain the process of the Office 365 ProPlus client application creation wizard (Install Office 365 ProPlus).

SCCM Learn How to Deploy Install Office 365 ProPlus Applications Configuration Manager ConfigMgr. We can deploy Office 365 ProPlus apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc..) to clients using SCCM CB.

Beginning from SCCM version 1702, from Office 365 ProPlus Client Management dashboard, you can start the Office 365 ProPlus application Installer.

The new feature will let us configure Office 365 ProPlus installation settings, download files from Office Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), and deploy the files as an application.

In this post, we will see the greenfield approach to deploying and installing O365 ProPlus applications. I have another post that explains “How to Deploy and Install Office 365 ProPlus Software Updates (patches) with SCCM CB ADR“.

**UpdateHow to Deploy MS Teams Using ConfigMgr Step by Step Guide|SCCM

IMP – Office 365 ProPlus Bandwidth Consideration PostsLean/HybridBuilding dynamic, lean & universal packages for Office 365 ProPlus & Office 365 ProPlus Deployment and Proxy Server Guidance!

What is Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps Client Installer?

Office 365 client installer is nothing but Office 365 client applications installer. Is that bit clearer? So, which are those Office 365 Client applications? Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Outlook, etc.

OFFICE 365 ProPlus or Microsoft 365 Apps Client installer will help install all these applications to end-user devices like Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM

You can start the Office 365 client installation wizard from the SCCM console – \Software Library\Overview\Office 365 Client Management dashboard. Click on the + Office 365 Installer to launch the office 365 installer from the SCCM CB console.

Office 365 client installation files will be downloaded to this location if they do not already exist. Without the internet, you can’t proceed to the 2nd page of this wizard. This is in case you have not downloaded the Office 365 configuration files.

Application Settings
• Application name: Office 365 Client Install
• Administrator comments:
• Content-Location: \\DC1\Sources\Office365\Client Install Pre Prod

Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 1
Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 1

You can set up all the client settings using the Import Client settings” option in Office 365 Client Installation Wizard. You can import the configuration.xml file to automatically configure all the settings of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.

Otherwise, you can select the option to manually configure all the settings via the office 365 or Microsoft 365 apps installation wizard.

Select the list of Office 365 applications you want to Install

Select the Office Suite as part of the O365 or Microsoft 365 apps installation wizard. There are four office suites available as part of the installation wizard.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
Microsoft 365 Apps.

You will also get an option to select the Office 365 ProPlus or Microsoft 365 Applications to include installation. I don’t want to install OneDrive for Business (Groove) application as it’s the old sync client.

The rest of all apps will be installed on the Windows device as per your selection of the application from the wizard.

Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 2
Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 2
  • Access
  • Excel
  • OneDrive for Business
  • OneNote
  • Outlook
  • PowerPoint
  • Publisher
  • Skype for Business
  • Word

You have an option to select additional office products like Visio and Project. For those two products, there is a special licensing option.

Those license options are also available in Office 365 Subscription Standard Edition – Volume License. Professional Edition – Volume License. More details in the video tutorial are here.

Office 365 Settings
• Suite: Office 365 ProPlus
• Excluded Applications: Groove
• Additional Office Products: None
• Edition: 64-Bit
• Channel: Current
• Languages: English (United States) default, Hindi (India), Malayalam (India)
• Version: 16.0.8326.2107
• Shared Computer Activation: False
• Pin Icons To Taskbar: True
• Autoactivate: False
• Accept EULA: True

Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 4
Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 4

Select Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps Architecture using SCCM

Select the Architecture for Office 365 applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. There are two versions 32bit Vs. 64bit. There are 4 update channels are available in SCCM Office 365 client to install wizard.

But, recently, these updated models are changed. Following are the latest Office365 update models Monthly Channel (formerly Current Channel), Monthly Channel (Targeted), Semi-Annual Channel (Differed Channel), and Semi-Annual Targeted (formerly First Release for Deferred Channel).

Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 5

You can have different languages for Office 365 applications. Depending on your preference or region, you can select the language of applications. This wizard will help you to download the languages that will be downloaded for office 365.

You can also configure it to “Accept EULA,” and Auto activate the applications. You can also have Pin Icons in the taskbar for Windows 8 and Windows 7 machines. The pin option is not applicable for Windows 10 devices. More details in the video tutorial are here.

Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 6
Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 6

Deployment and Scheduling options for Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM

Deployment options/settings are also part of Office 365 Client Installation Wizard. You have to select the collection you want to deploy the Office 365 client on your SCCM CB environment. Select the content locations or DPs from the Content page.

There are two types of Office 365 client installation options. Mandatory and Optional deployments. You can schedule the Office 365 client deployment as your organization requires.

General
• Collection: All Desktop and Server Clients
• Use default distribution point groups associated with this collection: False
• Automatically distribute content for dependencies: True

Success: Content (1):
• SCCMTP1.INTUNE.COM

Deployment Settings
• Action: Install
• Purpose: Required
• Pre-deploy software to the user’s primary device: False
• Send wake-up packets: False
• Allow clients to use a metered Internet connection to download content: False

Scheduling
• Time based on: UTC
• Available Time: As soon as possible
• Deadline Time: Disabled
• Delayed enforcement on deployment Disabled

 Deployment and Scheduling options for Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM
Deployment and Scheduling options for Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM

End-User Experience of Office 365 App on Windows 10 Devices

You can see the Office 365 app listed in Software Center. It was a mandatory deployment, it got automatically installed on Windows 10.

All O365 Applications got installed on Windows 10 or Windows 11 Devices. The Office365 update channel is the Current Channel (Monthly channel).

Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc., apps are installed successfully on Windows 10 or 11 devices. There was no internet connection on Windows 10 device; hence the activation didn’t happen automatically.

The License will automatically assign as per the user’s subscription. You can launch all the applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, etc..) from Windows 10 machine after the installation.

Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 8
Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 8

The office 365 Client Management dashboard details the number of clients managed O365 clients in your SCCM CB hierarchy. How to create Office 365 ADR and deploy Office 365 Software Updates? More details in the video tutorial are here.

Example of Office 365 Microsoft 365 Client Installation Wizard Configuration

Now, let’s learn how to Deploy and Install Office 365 ProPlus or Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM or Configuration Manager.

User Experience
• User notifications: Display in Software Center and show all notifications
• Ignore Maintenance Windows: False
• System restart (if required to complete the installation): False
• Commit changes at the deadline or during a maintenance win&dow (requires restarts): True

Alerts
• Enable System Center Operations Manager maintenance mode: False
• Generate System Center Operations Manager alert when a software installation fails: False
• Create a deployment alert when the threshold is lower than the following:: False
• Create a deployment alert when the threshold is higher than the following: False

Sample Configuration.XML file configuration for Office 365

  • <Configuration>
  • <Add OfficeClientEdition=”64″ Channel=”Current” Version=”16.0.8326.2107″ OfficeMgmtCOM=”True”> <Product ID=”O365ProPlusRetail”>
  • <Language ID=”en-US” />
  • <Language ID=”hi-IN” />
  • <Language ID=”ml-IN” />
  • <ExcludeApp ID=”Groove” />
  • </Product>
  • </Add>
  • <Display AcceptEULA=”TRUE” />
  • <Property Name=”SharedComputerLicensing” Value=”0″ />
  • <Property Name=”PinIconsToTaskbar” Value=”TRUE” />
  • <Property Name=”AUTOACTIVATE” Value=”0″ />
  • </Configuration>

New Application Installation Technologies

There are a few new application installations, maintenance, and removal technologies. In this post, we are going to see more about Click-to-Run technologies.

Click-to-Run is an alternative to the traditional Windows Installer-based (MSI) method. Click-to-Run uses virtualization technology to run an Office product in a self-contained. Click to Run virtualization capabilities are taken from APP-V.

UWP application comes with a variety of installation of options. Web-based and Windows store-based are the most prominent ones. Both of these use the App Streaming Install method to the install application. The Office has a UWP version of the app, and it will be available in the Microsoft store.

UWP is dead? This was one of the news spread on Twitter. And the reason for that Twitter news was because of the information about Progressive Web Applications (PWA).

PWA are Web pages designed to work as applications. PWA is supported by Chrome, Edge, and Safari (Apple also started working). PWA is one of the new app technology which I’m excited about.

Office Click-to-Run Installation Options with SCCM

I have a post that explains the step-by-step method to install Office using Click to Run technology. “How to Deploy and Install Office 365 Applications via SCCM CB“.

This click to run installation technology used in SCCM CB is an alternate option to traditional MSI installation. Click-to-run Office client installation is independent of SCCM SUP and WSUS software updates.

SCCM console requires an internet connection to download the latest updates from Office CDN, as I mentioned in the above post. More details about Click to Run Office App creation in SCCM.

Office MSI is Almost Dead but Use SCCM to Click to Run Install Configuration Manager ConfigMgr

Office updates via SCCM SUP and WSUS depend on Click-to-Run client installations. If the office is installed using click to run the installation, then only you can have office updates or upgrades through SCCM/SUP.

Software update component requirements are explained in the following step-by-step guide. “How to Deploy and Install Office 365 Software Updates (patches) with SCCM CB ADR“.

Best Practices – Office 365 ProPlus Updates (Install Office 365 ProPlus)

#1 – You should have the latest version of SCCM Current Branch to get a better experience and integration of office 365 client package creation and Office 365 patches/updates.

#2 – You need to build two Office 365 ProPlus installation packages in SCCM. One is a Semi-Anual channel, and another one is Semi-Anual Channel (Targeted).

#3 – Deploy to two deployment groups: a pilot group that receives the Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) and a broad group that receives the Semi-Annual Channel.

Prerequisites of Office 365 ProPlus Client Package (Install Office 365 ProPlus)

#1 – You should have SCCM 1806 or later to create Office 365 proplus package with an office customization tool. If you have not upgraded to the 1806 version, then I would recommend reading my previous post “How to Deploy and Install Office 365 Applications via SCCM CB“.

#2 – SCCM client Application installation wizard has integrated with Office Customization Tool.  This tool needs an internet connection on the machine where the console is running. This office customization tool is rendering the online website in the background to create a Configuration.XML file.

Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 9
Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 9

#3 – You should have required RBAC permissions on the SCCM console to perform Office 365 ProPlus client package creation.

Video Tutorial – Office 365 ProPlus Client Package Creation

You can learn more details about creating the Office 365 ProPlus package from the below video. Also, learn SCCM, Intune, and more about device management topics via videos from my new Video Blog website https://howtomanagedevices.com/.

Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 11

How to Create Office 365 ProPlus Client Package (Install Office 365 ProPlus)

The following steps will help to create an Office 365 Proplus client package for your organization. As recommended above, it would be great if you can create two packages (Semi-Anual and Semi-Anual Targeted) for Office 365 ProPlus client package.

  • Launch the SCCM console from an internet-connected machine
  • Navigate to \SoftwareLibrary\Overview\Office 365 Client Management dashboard
  • Click on the + Office 365 Installer from the Office 365 Client Management Dashboard
  • Give the NAME of Office 365 ProPlus Client Package and the Description of the package
  • Browse to a location mostly on the file server or SCCM server package source folder

Click on the Next button

This is the main step in the Office 365 proplus client configuration. Click on the Office Customization tool (More details about the office customization tool in the below section of this post) to customize and import your XML to the SCCM application engine.

As you can see in the above screenshot, you have to complete all the above sections to create a configuration.xml file for Office 365 proplus client package.

Make sure you have a tick mark symbol for all the sections in the Office Customization tool otherwise it won’t be able to create the XML file. More details are available in the video tutorial above.

In the General section, you need to give a name and Organization details and click on the Next button to go to the next section.

In the Product and Releases section, you will get an opportunity to select Office 365 product & architecture (x64) you want to deploy. I selected Office ProPlus and Click on Add button. Also, need to select which update channel and Version you want to use for your office 365 clients. I selected Semi-Anual Channel for updates.

Select the Language of the Office 365 ProPlus Client you want to deploy. Also, you need to select the installation options like shortcut behavior, etc. Click on NEXT to go to the next section of the wizard.

Select the upgrade options from the Update and Upgrade section office customization tool. I have enabled the toggle for the Upgrade Office Click-to-run products. Also allows options to Uninstall any MSI versions of the office including visio and project. Click on NEXT.

Complete the Licensing and Activation settings and click on NEXT.

Application Preferences gives a great number of customization options to IT Pros to customize each office product like Word, Excel, etc.

Click on the Finish button to complete and Review the Office 365 ProPlus client.

Click on the SUBMIT button to IMPORT configuration.xml to the application package. 

Click on the NEXT, NEXT, NEXT, and CLOSE buttons to finish Microsoft Office 365 Client Installation Wizard. This wizard takes a long time to complete wizard depending on the internet connection. It took 30-40 minutes to complete the Microsoft Office 365 Client Installation Wizard.

Deploy this Office 365 ProPlus client package to test machines.

Learn More about The Office Customization Tool

The Office Customization Tool for creating a configuration.XML file that controls Office 365 Proplus client behavior. This tool is an Azure-based cloud service that allows you to create XML configuration files that are used with the Office Deployment Tool. Install Office 365 ProPlus.

In the past, you needed to create the configuration files in Notepad or another text editor. The Office Customization Tool makes this part of the deployment process easier and less likely to introduce errors. Now, this tool is also integrated with SCCM version 1806 or later.

Review – https://config.office.com/

Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 12
Deploy Office 365 ProPlus Microsoft 365 Apps using SCCM 12

How to Update or Patch Office 365 ProPlus Client

If you are looking for a solution to update Office 365 ProPlus client with the latest patches, then the following post shall help you. I have another post that explains “How to Deploy and Install Office 365 Software Updates (patches) with SCCM ADR“. Install Office 365 ProPlus.

References

Author

Anoop is Microsoft MVP! He is a Solution Architect in enterprise client management with more than 20 years of experience (calculation done in 2021) in IT. He is Blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group HTMD Community leader. His main focus is on Device Management technologies like SCCM 2012, Current Branch, and Intune. He writes about ConfigMgr, Windows 11, Windows 10, Azure AD, Microsoft Intune, Windows 365, AVD, etc……………