Updated: 2009-10-01

This article describes how to deploy an initial customized installation of the 2007 Microsoft Office system to users in your organization. It also includes an example of a Config.xml file.

The following table highlights the process for deploying a custom configuration.

Steps References

Copy all the files and folders from the 2007 Office system CD to a folder on the network or on your computer. For example, copy the files to \\server\share\Office12.

Copy all language packs and additional Office products you want to deploy to the same network installation point. When you are prompted to overwrite duplicate Setup files, click No.

Create a network installation point for the 2007 Office system

To specify installation options, such as the path to the network installation point, the product to install, and custom setup options, and to specify the languages to install, use the Config.xml file that is located in the root of the product folder for the product that you are installing.

To edit the Config.xml file, use a text editor such as Notepad.

  1. To modify the display options that users see during installation, locate the line in the Config.xml file that contains the Display element:

    <!-- <Display Level="full" CompletionNotice="yes" SuppressModal="no" AcceptEula="no" /> -->

    To configure a silent (unattended) install to prevent user intervention during the installation and to specify display options, you can modify the Display element information as shown in the following example:

    <Display Level="none" CompletionNotice="no" SuppressModal="yes" AcceptEula="yes" />

    For information, see Display element in Config.xml file in the 2007 Office system.

  2. To specify additional languages to install, use the AddLanguage elements and attributes in the Config.xml file.

    NoteNote:

    If you are adding more than one AddLanguage element, you must add the ShellTransform attribute of the AddLanguage element. This attribute specifies the language that Setup uses for the shell user interface.

    For example, to specify that Setup install full English, French, German, and Spanish language support with the user's default regional options language as the default installation language, you add the following AddLanguage elements and attributes in the Config.xml file:

    <AddLanguage Id="match" ShellTransform="yes"/> <AddLanguage Id="en-us" /> <AddLanguage Id="fr-fr" /> <AddLanguage Id="de-de" /> <AddLanguage Id="es-es" />

    In the preceding example, Setup installs all of the specified languages plus the language that matches the user's locale, if that language is different and is available in the installation source. For more information, see AddLanguage element in Config.xml file in the 2007 Office system.

    You can also use the Config.xml file to configure additional options such as the following:

    You can use the Config.xml file to customize many of the same options that you can configure with the Office Customization Tool, including a few additional options that are not available in the OCT. For a complete description of the areas you can configure in Config.xml, see Config.xml file in the 2007 Office system.

  3. When you complete the Config.xml customizations, save the Config.xml file. You can use the /config Setup command-line option to specify the location of the Config.xml file, as shown in the following example:

    \\ server \ share \setup.exe /config \\ server \ share \Enterprise.WW\config.xml

    For information about the /config Setup command-line option, see the "/config [path]" section in Setup command-line options for the 2007 Office system.

    To see an example of a custom Config.xml file, see Config.xml Example.

Config.xml file in the 2007 Office system

Customize and deploy multiple language versions of the 2007 Office system

Use the Office Customization Tool (OCT) to customize Setup, and configure additional customizations and installation options. This creates a Setup customization file (MSP file). For a complete description of the areas you can configure with the OCT, see Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system.

ImportantImportant:

Office has released OCT updates for the 2007 Office system Service Pack 2 (SP2). To download the updates, see 2007 Office system (SP2) Administrative Template files (ADM, ADMX, ADML) and Office Customization Tool (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=144523). This download works with 2007 Office system applications, updated with 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 2 (SP2) (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=144524). For more information about the OCT updates, see Administrative Template files (ADM, ADMX, ADML) and Office Customization Tool updates for the 2007 Office system.

  1. From the root of the network installation point you created previously, run the following command-line option to start the OCT: setup.exe /admin.

  2. Customize Setup to specify how you want Setup to manage the installation. For information, see Customize Setup before installing the 2007 Office system.

  3. Set feature installation states. For information, see Configure feature installation states of the 2007 Office system.

    For each application that you want to add to the installation, set its installation option to Run all from My Computer or Installed on First Use in the right pane. For example, to install Outlook, expand Microsoft Office and change the installation option for Microsoft Office Outlook to Run all from My Computer.

    For applications that you do not want to install, set the installation option to Not Available in the right pane. The application name is set to bold to show that you have changed its installation option.

    To prevent users from installing this application themselves, select the Hidden and Locked options. The symbols [H] and [L] are added to the application name to indicate that these options are set.

    ImportantImportant:

    If you set the Hidden option for a specific feature by using the OCT or the Config.xml file during an initial installation of the 2007 Office system, you cannot unhide that feature in the feature tree by using another Config.xml file or applying a second MSP customization file after the initial installation. This means that the feature is not displayed in the feature tree during installation. The feature remains hidden and you cannot reverse this; the feature will not be displayed in Add or Remove Programs (Change or Remove Programs) in Control Panel under the Add or Remove Features option for Microsoft Office 2007 (or under the Programs and Features option in Windows Vista). However, you can unlock the feature to install and run locally later by using an MSP customization file or a Config.xml file.

    If you set the Locked option for a feature by using the OCT or the Config.xml during initial installation, that feature can be unlocked and installed locally by using an MSP customization file or a Config.xml file.

    For example, you can customize the Config.xml file to modify the OptionState element and add the following line to uninstall the feature (Access in this case) on the user's computer and set child features of the feature to the specified state:

    <OptionState Id="ACCESSFiles" State="Absent" Children="force" />

    You can also use the OCT to create an MSP customization file to install the feature later by setting the feature installation state to Run All from My Computer on the Set feature installation states screen.

  4. Configure Office security settings if you want to provide an initial configuration of security settings. For information, see Office security settings in Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system.

    NoteNote:

    Although you can use the OCT to specify security settings in a Setup customization file (MSP file), users can change the settings after installation. To enforce security settings, use Group Policy. For detailed information about planning for and configuring security settings, see the articles in these sections: Planning for security in the 2007 Office system and Deploying security settings for the 2007 Office system. For information about the security settings and privacy options in the 2007 Office system, see Security policies and settings in the 2007 Office system.

    Administrators can use the OCT to configure initial security settings for the following areas:

    • Trusted Publishers. Manage the list that identifies trusted sources for digitally signed macros, add-ins, Microsoft ActiveX controls, and other executable code used by Office applications. Office applications share a certificate-based trusted sources list with Internet Explorer. See "Trusted Publishers" in the Office security settings section of Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system.

    • Trusted Locations. Manage the list that identifies locations from which any file can be opened without being checked by the Trust Center security feature. When you specify one or more trusted locations, the Trusted Locations list previously defined on the user's computer is cleared and replaced by this list. See "Trusted Locations" in the Office security settings section of Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system.

    • Remove all Trusted Locations written by OCT during installation. Clears the Trusted Locations list on the user's computer. Use this check box if you want to clear the Trusted Locations list on the user's computer without adding any new locations. See "Remove all Trusted Locations written by OCT during installation" in the Office security settings section of Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system.

    • Default Security Settings. Set default security levels for add-ins, templates, and Office applications. See "Default Security Settings" in the Office security settings section of Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system.

    • Unsafe ActiveX Initialization. Determine whether unsigned, and therefore potentially unsafe, ActiveX controls can initialize by using persisted data, that is, data that is saved from one instance of the control to the next. See "Unsafe ActiveX Initialization" in the Office security settings section of Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system.

  5. Specify the user settings you want to apply. For information, see Configure user settings for the 2007 Office system.

    Use the Modify user settings section to set the default values of Office application settings for users who install Office with this customization file.

    To configure an option, expand the tree on the left, and click the user interface element you want to configure. The configurable settings associated with that element appear on the right pane. You can specify one of the following options:

    Not Configured. The setting remains as it is.

    Enabled. The setting is modified according to the selections you make on the setting's Properties page.

    Disabled. The setting is disabled. Note that disabling an option may be different from not configuring the option. See the description of the specific option for more details.

    The 2007 Office system Administrative Template files (ADM, ADMX, ADML) and Office Customization Tool Version 2.0 download (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=102314) includes an Office Excel 2007 workbook (Office2007GroupPolicyAndOCTSettings.xls) that provides a listing of all the Office Customization Tool (OPA) settings and Group Policy settings in the 2007 Office system.

    NoteNote:

    Using the OCT to configure user settings establishes the initial default values for the settings. Users can modify most of the settings after Office is installed. If you want to enforce user settings, use Group Policy. For more information, see Enforce settings by using Group Policy in the 2007 Office system.

    You can also use Group Policy settings to mandate settings for Outlook. You can manage the following Outlook areas with Group Policy:

  6. You can use the Additional content section of the OCT to configure the following options:

  7. You can use the Outlook section (Outlook in Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system) of the OCT to configure the following Outlook areas:

    • Specify Exchange settings. You can configure users' Microsoft Exchange settings in a new or modified Outlook profile. For information, see Specify Exchange settings in Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system.

    • Outlook Profile settings. You can customize a user's default Outlook profile, which is the set of values in the Windows registry that defines user-specific information. An Outlook profile can contain multiple e-mail accounts. Users can have multiple Outlook profiles, but you can configure only one profile in the Setup customization file. For information, see Outlook profile in Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system.

    • Include new Outlook e-mail accounts in the user's profile. For information, see Add accounts in Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system.

    • Remove existing e-mail accounts or export settings to an Outlook profile file (PRF file). For information, see Remove accounts and export settings in Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system.

    • Define Send/Receive groups for Exchange accounts and folders, and specify the tasks that are performed on each group during a Send/Receive operation in Outlook. A Send/Receive group contains a collection of Outlook accounts and folders. For information, see Specify send receive groups in Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system.

  8. When you complete your customizations, click Save As on the File menu, specify a path and file name for the Setup customization file, and then click Save.

    It is recommended that you save the custom MSP file in the Updates folder on the network installation point. When Setup runs, it searches the Updates folder on the installation point for a customization file specific to the product that is being installed.

    NoteNote:

    If you do not put the customization file in the Updates folder, you can use the Setup command-line option /adminfile to specify the fully qualified path to the folder in which you store the custom MSP file. For example, setup.exe /adminfile \\server\share\myNewUpdatesFolder.

    You can also specify the location of the folder that contains your MSP files in the Config.xml file by using the SUpdateLocation attribute of the SetupUpdates element.

    For more information about SetupUpdates, see the SetupUpdates element section in Config.xml file in the 2007 Office system.

Office Customization Tool in the 2007 Office system

Customize Setup before installing the 2007 Office system

Configure user settings for the 2007 Office system

To install the 2007 Office system on users' computers, you can use one of the following approaches, depending on your particular environment and requirements:

  1. Use the precached local installation source to install Office on users' computers. When you deploy the 2007 Office system, Setup creates a local installation source on the user's computer — a copy of the compressed source files for the Office product you are installing. After the files are copied to the user's computer, Setup completes the installation from the local installation source. To minimize the load on your network, you can deploy the local installation source to users' computers separately, before you deploy Office.

    To use this approach, perform the followings tasks:

  2. On the user's computer, run Setup.exe from the root of the network installation point. For information, see Run Setup for the 2007 Office system on users' computers.

  3. To deploy Office to users who are not administrators of their computers, you can use one of the following methods.

    Log on to the computer as an administrator and install 2007 Office system. For information, see "Logging on as an administrator" in Deploy the 2007 Office system to users who are not administrators.

    -or-

    Use an enterprise deployment method such as the following:

    • Use System Center Configuration Manager 2007. The Configuration Manager 2007 software distribution feature provides a set of tools and resources that help you create and manage packages and advertisements used to distribute software to client resources within your enterprise. For information about deploying the 2007 Office system, see Deploy the 2007 Office system by using System Center Configuration Manager 2007.

    • Use Microsoft Systems Management Server. If you manage large numbers of clients in a complex or rapidly changing environment, Microsoft Systems Management Server is the recommended method for installing and maintaining the 2007 Office system in medium- and large-sized organizations. Microsoft Systems Management Server offers sophisticated functionality, including inventory, scheduling, and reporting features. For information, see Using Systems Management Server 2003 to deploy the 2007 Office system.

    • Use Microsoft System Center Essentials 2007 to deploy the 2007 Office system. System Center Essentials 2007 is a management solution designed for IT system administrators in medium-sized organizations that include up to 30 servers and 500 client computers. For more information, see Deploy the 2007 Office system by using System Center Essentials 2007.

    • If you have deployed Active Directory and Group Policy in your organization, you can use Group Policy to assign computer startup scripts to deploy the 2007 Office system. For more information, see Use Group Policy to assign computer startup scripts for 2007 Office deployment.

    • In an environment with Active Directory installed, you can also use Group Policy Software Installation features to assign the 2007 Office system to computers in your organization. The installation is performed with administrator rights, and Office is available to all users on that computer.

      ImportantImportant:

      Although Group Policy can be used to install software applications in small-sized organizations with Active Directory installed, there are some limitations, and you must determine whether it is an appropriate solution for your deployment requirements. For more information, see the "Deployment considerations" section of Use Group Policy Software Installation to deploy the 2007 Office system.

Precache the local installation source for the 2007 Office system

Run Setup from the local installation source to install the 2007 Office system

Run Setup for the 2007 Office system on users' computers

Deploy the 2007 Office system to users who are not administrators

Deploy the 2007 Office system by using System Center Configuration Manager 2007

Using Systems Management Server 2003 to deploy the 2007 Office system

Deploy the 2007 Office system by using System Center Essentials 2007

Use Group Policy to assign computer startup scripts for 2007 Office deployment

Config.xml example

The following example shows a Config.xml file for an installation of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007. The following options are used in this example:

  • Display Level is set to turn off the Setup user interface, hide error messages and other dialog boxes, and accept the End-User License Agreement.

  • Verbose logging is turned on, and log files are stored in the AppInst folder.

  • INSTALLLOCATION specifies the fully qualified path to the folder on the user's computer in which the product is installed.

  • LIS SOURCELIST provides a list, separated by semicolons, of the network installation points that contain the installation files for the product. The equivalent option in the OCT is Additional network sources.

  • Setting id specifies the suppress reboot option (SETUP_REBOOT value set to NEVER).

  • OptionState element specifies to uninstall the feature (Access in this case) on the user's computer and sets child features of the feature to the same specified state.

<Configuration Product="ProPlus">

          <Display Level="none" CompletionNotice="no" SuppressModal="yes" AcceptEula="yes" />

         

          <Logging Type="verbose" Path="%SYSADMINROOT%\Log\AppInst\Office2007" Template="Microsoft Office 2007 Professional Plus Setup(*).txt" />     

                  

          <INSTALLLOCATION Value="%programfiles%\Microsoft Office" />

          <LIS SOURCELIST Value="\\server1\share\Office12;\\server2\share\Office12" />

          <Setting Id="SETUP_REBOOT" Value="NEVER" />

          <OptionState Id="ACCESSFiles" State="absent" Children="force" />

</Configuration>

See Also