Deploying Microsoft Office 2016 – UAC Enabled Targets


SyAM Management Utilities can be used for silent deployment of Microsoft Office 2016 to client systems that have User Access Control (UAC) enabled.


Requirements: Office 2016 installation media must be for a volume-licensed edition. The installation disk will contain a folder named Admin. If it does not, the installation media is for a retail edition of Office, which is not supported by this procedure. Windows target systems must have the SyAM System Client installed and reporting to SyAM System Area Manager. Target systems must be discovered by Management Utility. The location defined in Management Utility as the Default Application Path must have sufficient disk space for the Office installation files.

Create a subdirectory of the default application directory for the Office installation files. In our example, we have created the directory Office_2016. Copy all the files from your Office volume-licensed edition installation media to this subdirectory.

The next step is to create a customization file to be used by the Office installation on client systems. The customization file will specify the license key and the parameters needed for silent, unattended installation. 

On a Windows system with access to the shared network directory, use the Run command to start Office 2016 setup with the /admin parameter.  To run this command enter the path as shown below.

\\server\share\Office_2016\setup.exe /admin


If a security warning appears, click the Run button to confirm that you wish to run the application. The Microsoft Office Customization Tool will start. Click OK to create a new customization file.

In the left-hand menu, choose Setup – Licensing and user interface.

  • To enter your product key, click the Enter another product key radio button, then type a valid 25-character volume license key in the entry box.
  • Check the box to accept Microsoft’s license terms on behalf of the user.
  • Using the drop down menu, set Display level to None for silent installation.
  • Check the box for the Suppress modal option.






Other settings may be modified at this time; consult Microsoft documentation for further information. If upgrading it is recommended to remove prior installations.


When finished, save the configuration file in the product installation subdirectory. In our example, the configuration file office2013.MSP is saved in the Office2016 folder.

With target systems running Windows 7, 8.1 or 10that have User Access Control (UAC) enabled we must create a UAC Authentication template 



With UAC enabled targets we must copy the files to the target and run them locally. To do this we use a batch file that will handle the copying of the files, running of the office installation locally on the system and then removing the files.

As Office takes time to copy the files over we  have expanded the batch file to check first to see if the target needs upgrading, if it does it copies the files and installs office, if it doesn’t then it completes without having to copy any files.


The red text must be updated with your path to the files

The green text can be changed to a folder name that you wish to use, remember not to use spaces.


@ECHO OFF

c:

cd \

xcopy \\192.168.200.66\apps\Office_2016\*.* /s c:\rmt\*.* /c/y/i

c:\rmt\setup.exe /adminfile off2016.msp

:: Delete temp file

RD c:\rmt /S /Q 

exit

Save this batch file in the apps shared folder and not the Office folder




Give the template a name, choose the non UAC Authentication for accessing the batch file

Choose the batch file from your share and  must check off Copy these files to each target

Click the Save Changes button. Click OK to confirm.



Please note the following, if your Office installation includes 64-bit support:

  • Running setup.exe from the root of the installation directory (as we have specified in our instructions) will install 32-bit Office on either a 32-bit or 64-bit system. The exception is that if a 64-bit version of Office is already installed, the upgrade will be 64-bit.
  • Running setup.exe from the x86 directory will install 32-bit Office; running setup.exe from the x64 directory will install 64-bit Office on a supported OS. You should create your custom configuration file in the appropriate subdirectory, and specify that subdirectory when creating the Third Party software installation template in Management Utility.
  • For information on the features of 32-bit vs. 64-bit Office, and how to choose which to install, please consult Microsoft documentation.