How to customise & Deploy Microsoft 365 Apps
TLDRDiscover the streamlined process of deploying and customizing Microsoft 365 Apps for your organization. Learn about the modern tools that simplify the creation of custom Office Pro Plus configurations, including setting up policies and preferences directly in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Explore the Office Configurations admin center for cloud-based policy management and the new customization tool for creating XML configuration files. Enhance your deployment strategy with insights on update channels, application control, and user experience.
Takeaways
- 🔧 Deploying and customizing Microsoft 365 Apps has evolved from a laborious process to a more streamlined one.
- 📱 The process begins in the Microsoft 365 admin center, specifically within Endpoint Manager.
- 🛠️ Custom configurations for Office Pro Plus can be created and managed through the admin center for a tailored user experience.
- 📋 Policies for Office apps can be set up to apply to specific groups, like the sales team, and include configurations for anonymous access.
- 🔄 Various settings can be configured, such as cache clearing, blocking unmanaged add-ins, and custom templates.
- 💾 The Office Customization Tool generates an XML configuration file for deployment, simplifying the process from traditional text file methods.
- 🖥️ The customization tool allows for choices in product versions, languages, and update channels, catering to organizational needs.
- 🔄 Updates can be managed through different rings, such as monthly or semi-annual, providing control over when updates are deployed.
- 📈 The Office Configurations admin center provides additional features and policy management outside of Endpoint Manager.
- 🌐 The cloud-based policy management in the Office Configurations admin center eliminates the need for Intune for certain configurations.
- 🔒 Security and compliance features, such as app health and service health, provide insights and oversight for deployed apps and services.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the video transcript?
-The main topic of the video transcript is about deploying and customizing Microsoft 365 Apps for users within an organization.
Who is the speaker in the video transcript?
-The speaker in the video transcript is Andy Malone, a Microsoft MVP and Microsoft Certified Trainer.
What is the role of Endpoint Manager in deploying Microsoft 365 Apps?
-Endpoint Manager is used to assign devices, add devices, add apps, and manage protection and configuration policies for Office Apps within the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
How can a custom version of Office Pro Plus be deployed?
-A custom version of Office Pro Plus can be deployed by creating a custom app policy in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, specifying configurations, assigning it to a particular group, and then configuring the policy with desired settings.
What is the purpose of the Office Configurations Admin Center?
-The Office Configurations Admin Center provides cloud-based policy management for Microsoft Office subscriptions, allowing admins to configure all Microsoft 365 apps without needing to use Intune.
What is the significance of the Office Customization Tool?
-The Office Customization Tool allows admins to create a configuration.xml file that defines the installation and update settings for Microsoft Office products, making the deployment process more streamlined and customizable.
What are the different update channels available for Microsoft 365 Apps?
-The different update channels available for Microsoft 365 Apps include Current Channel, Monthly, Semi-Annual, and Semi-Annual Targeted. These channels determine the frequency and timing of feature updates and critical updates.
How can an admin control which Office Apps are displayed to users?
-Admins can control which Office Apps are displayed to users through the customization settings in the Office Customization Tool, where they can choose to turn apps on or off, or decide whether they are displayed to users.
What is the role of the Service Health feature in the Office Configurations Admin Center?
-The Service Health feature provides admins with an overview of the health status of the deployed apps, allowing them to identify and address any issues related to app updates or performance.
How can an organization manage the visibility of new features to its users?
-The organization can manage the visibility of new features to its users through the 'What's New' feature in the Office Configurations Admin Center, where they can choose which features to highlight or hide from the users.
What is the benefit of using the Office Customization Tool over manual text files?
-Using the Office Customization Tool is more efficient and less error-prone than manual text files. It automates the creation of configuration files, simplifies the deployment process, and provides a user-friendly interface for defining installation and update settings.
Outlines
🖥️ Introduction to Deploying and Customizing Office 365
The paragraph introduces the topic of deploying and customizing Office 365 software for users within a Microsoft 365 environment. It highlights the transformation from a laborious process involving text files and manual effort to a much simpler and efficient method. The speaker, Andy Malone, a Microsoft MVP and certified trainer, welcomes viewers back to the channel and sets the stage for a detailed discussion on deploying Office Professional Plus and the tools involved in the process. The importance of subscribing and engaging with the content through feedback is also emphasized.
🛠️ Customizing Office Apps Through Endpoint Manager
This paragraph delves into the specifics of customizing Office applications using the Endpoint Manager. It explains how to navigate to the Apps blade in the admin center and the possibility of creating a custom version of Office Pro Plus. The paragraph outlines the process of setting up protection and configuration policies, using the example of an app policy for sales. It discusses the assignment of policies to specific user groups and the configuration options available, such as cache clearing and blocking unmanaged add-ins, to enhance security and user experience.
🔧 Utilizing the Office Customization Tool
The paragraph focuses on the Office Customization Tool and its role in configuring Microsoft Office subscriptions. It introduces the cloud-based policy management feature and contrasts it with the traditional Intune method. The speaker guides through creating an XML configuration file, selecting the type of OS, Office products, and additional products like Vizio and Microsoft Project. The paragraph also touches on the importance of selecting the appropriate update channel and the option to include language packs for multilingual support.
🔄 Managing Updates and Application Preferences
This section discusses the management of updates and application preferences for Office 365. It covers the options for app deployment, such as using the Office Content Delivery Network or a local network share. The paragraph explains how to handle updates and upgrades, including the choice between automatic updates and manual installation using MSI packages. It also highlights the ability to customize the user experience by controlling which apps are turned on or off and setting default file formats and locations. The process of creating a configuration XML file and its subsequent use is detailed, emphasizing the streamlined approach to customization.
🎯 Finalizing Customization and Exploring Additional Features
The final paragraph wraps up the customization process and explores additional features within the Microsoft Office admin center. It discusses the management of new Office features, app health monitoring, OneDrive sync status, and service health. The speaker also mentions the inventory feature, which provides an overview of apps, channels, and devices within the organization. The paragraph concludes with a recap of the key points discussed in the video and an encouragement for viewers to subscribe and engage for future content.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Microsoft 365 Apps
💡Deployment
💡Customization
💡Endpoint Manager
💡Policies
💡Office Configurations Admin Center
💡Customization Tool
💡Update Channels
💡Registry Settings
💡Service Health
💡App Health
Highlights
Deploying and customizing Office 365 software has become easier over time, reducing the need for manual effort and text files.
Microsoft 365 Admin Center's Endpoint Manager is the starting point for deploying Microsoft Office Professional Plus.
Customizing Office Pro Plus can be done through the Apps blade in the Admin Center, allowing for tailored configurations for specific user groups.
Policies for Office apps can be created to apply configurations to users or to users accessing documents anonymously.
Familiarity with Group Policy in Active Directory can aid in understanding the configuration options for Office Pro Plus.
The Office Customization Tool allows for creating an XML configuration file for Office deployment, streamlining the process from text file requirements.
Choices between 32-bit and 64-bit OS, product selection, and additional products like Vizio or Microsoft Project can be made in the customization tool.
Update channels such as Current Channel, Monthly, and Semi-Annual can be chosen to control when updates are deployed.
The Office Configurations Admin Center provides cloud-based policy management for Microsoft Office subscriptions.
The Customization Tool offers options to turn apps on or off, and to control their visibility to users.
Licensing and activation preferences can be set to automatically accept the end-user license agreement for a silent installation.
The modern customization process is much simpler than previous manual methods, but a test environment is recommended for testing configurations.
The Service Health and Inventory features in Endpoint Manager provide an overview of app health and device inventory within the organization.
The What's New in Microsoft Office feature allows managing which features are highlighted to users upon opening applications like Word or Excel.
The OneDrive Sync feature in Endpoint Manager offers a comprehensive view of any syncing issues across the organization.
The demonstration showcases the ease of deploying and customizing Microsoft 365 Apps, emphasizing the power of the new customization tools.