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Deploy Showpad for Outlook using an MSI

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Showpad for Outlook allows your users to send content from Microsoft Outlook. This integration allows your sales reps to use branded Sharing Themes and shows all the content views and reshares in Showpad.
If you have lots of Windows devices in your company, it's easier to use a policy or a script to install your addons. You can deploy Showpad for Outlook on all the Windows devices in your domain, by using

The MSI file can also be used for

Key Features

  • Learn how to deploy Showpad for Outlook on your Windows domain
  • Use a policy or a script to install the add-in on multiple devices
  • Use the MSI for alternative folders when devices have read/write restrictions

You need this to succeed

  • The MSI installation package
  • Microsoft Windows 8.1, 10 installed.
  • Microsoft Outlook 2010, 2013 or 2016. (Outlook for Mac is not supported.)
  • Microsoft WebView2 installed.
  • Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 or higher.
  • Visual Studio 2010 Tools For Office Runtime if you use Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8 with Microsoft Office 2010.
  • Internet Explorer 11 or higher.
  • Domain Administrator privileges.

Do this step by step

1. MSI package

MSI installation for IT Administrators:

  • Microsoft Outlook doesn't have to be closed.
  • WebView2 needs to be manually installed/deployed in order for the Plugin to work.
  • Start the .msi installation file and follow the instructions on your screen. 
  • Outlook will need to be restarted to load the add-in.

You can also run the .msi installation via the command line (cmd) with custom options:To do a silent installation in the background, we suggest to run the .msi installer with this command:

msiexec /i "C:\path\to\setup\file\ShowpadOutlookAddin-<version_number>.msi" /quiet

To uninstall the package in the background, the following command should be used:

msiexec /x "C:\path\to\setup\file\ShowpadOutlookAddin-<version_number>.msi" /quiet

Proxy configuration when using the MSI installation:

There are 5 parameters that can be configured for the proxy installation. The parameters are the following:

  • PROXYUSEDEFAULT: Use this option if you don't have to configure other settings. The default connection settings of the system will be used.
  • PROXYUSEMANUAL: When using this option, you also need to add PROXYURL
  • PROXYURL: the URL or address of the proxy server.
  • PROXYUSERNAME (optional)
  • PROXYPASSWORD (optional)

Here's an example of how you can install via command line, using a manual configuration of the proxy server:

msiexec /i "Showpad.OutlookAddin-<version_number>.msi" /qn PROXYUSEMANUAL="True" PROXYURL="proxy URL" PROXYUSERNAME="proxy username" PROXYPASSWORD="proxy password"

Update the proxy configuration with the MSI package:

You can run the same command as in the install process, for example,

msiexec /i "Showpad.OutlookAddin-<version_number>.msi" /qn PROXYUSEDEFAULT="True" 

Reset the proxy parameters on the current version:

You can reset the proxy parameters on the current version by running the installation command without any parameters.

msiexec /i "Showpad.OutlookAddin-<version_number>.msi" /qn

Upgrade to the next version of the Showpad add-in, using proxy parameters:

The installation doesn’t remember the previous values of the parameters, so you need to apply all the proxy parameters. Considering that you have already installed the add-in and you want to upgrade to the next version, then the following command should be executed:

msiexec /i "Showpad.OutlookAddin-<version_number>.msi" /qn PROXYUSEDEFAULT="True"

The new version will be installed and configured with the given parameters. Additionally, if you run the command without any parameters, then the new version will install without proxy parameters.

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2. User Group Policy

Be aware that if you use a Computer Group Policy, the plugin will be installed, but users won't be able to use it. Create a User Group Policy instead.

Prerequisites:

  • Microsoft Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 must be installed on the devices in your domain.
  • Microsoft Outlook 2010, 2013 or 2016. (Outlook for Mac is not supported.)
  • Microsoft WebView2 needs to be manually installed/deployed in order for the Plugin to work.
  • The installation package (MSI) should be accessible via a local share.
  • Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 or higher.
  • Visual Studio 2010 Tools For Office Runtime if you use Windows 7 or Windows 8 with Microsoft Office 2010.
  • Internet Explorer 11 or higher.
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Create the User Group Policy:

  1. Open Group Policy Management.
  2. Expand Forest, go to your domain. Right-click on Domain Controllers and select Create a GPO in this domain and Link it here...
  3. Enter the name of the new GPO and confirm.
  4. Select newly created GPO, right-click and select Edit.
  5. In Group Policy Management Editor expand User Configuration, Software Settings, Software Installation. Right-click and select New, Package.
  6. Browse to the network location of the .MSI package and open it
  7. Choose a deployment method and confirm. We recommend using the Assigned option.
  8. Right-click and select Properties.
  9. Open the Deployment tab to change the deployment settings. Here you can select to install when the user logs on.
  10. Open the Security tab and click Add.
  11. Type the user names or a group to deploy the package on their devices.
  12. Select the user or group and set the appropriate permissions for installation. Click Apply and confirm.
  13. Exit Group Policy Management Editor and return to Group Policy Management. Select the new policy. In the Security Filtering section, you can enter the user name or group name for users this policy should be applied to.
  14. To apply this policy on the user's PC, depending on what kind of deployment you have selected, the user must log in again if "Install this application at login" was selected. You can also force the policy via Powershell and type pgupdate /force
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3. Powershell script

You can use PsExec to deploy Showpad for Outlook on multiple, or selected devices.

Prerequisites:

  • Microsoft Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 must be installed on the devices in your domain.
  • Microsoft Outlook 2010, 2013 or 2016. (Outlook for Mac is not supported.)
  • Microsoft WebView2 needs to be manually installed/deployed in order for the Plugin to work.
  • The installation package (MSI) should be accessible via a local share.
  • Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 or higher.
  • Visual Studio 2010 Tools For Office Runtime if you use Windows 7 or Windows 8 with Microsoft Office 2010.
  • Internet Explorer 11 or higher.

Powershell options:

.\PsExec64.exe \\Target_PC_Share_name -u username -p password -h cmd /c "msiexec.exe" /i "\\ShareName\ShareFolder\Showpad.OutlookAddin-1.0.5.0.msi" /qn
  • Target_PC_Share_name: Share name of PC where msi should be installed. (or IP address)
  • username: User name of user plugin being installed to
  • Password: password of the user plugin being installed to
  • \\ShareName\ShareFolder\Showpad.OutlookAddin-1.0.5.0.msi: full path to the MSI file in the shared folder
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4. Alternative Folder Configuration

When working with devices that have read/write restrictions, you can use alternative folders to install Showpad for Outlook. The configuration of these alternative folders is done at the Application level, meaning it will apply to all users that use the same device.

Note: If the session/drafts/data folders are modified, it is possible that users will be logged out, and drafted data will be lost.

Installation folder selection

  • During the installation process of Showpad for Outlook using the MSI file, you can select an alternative folder. Use this step to select the folder where to install the add-in.
    To use the Showpad for Outlook add-in, device users need read/write access for this folder.Outlook_Add-In_Folder_Configuration.jpg

Configuring the folders

  1. When the installation process is complete, navigate to the installation folder you added and open the file 
    Showpad.OutlookDesktopAddIn.dll.config 
  2. In this file, go to the following section. 
    <configuration> <applicationSettings> <Showpad.OutlookDesktopAddIn.Properties.Settings>
  3. Find the settings for the additional folder configuration:
    • ImagesFolderPath
    • SessionFolderPath
    • ShowpadDraftsFolderPath
    • ShowpadDataFolderPath
    • ExperienceCacheFolderPath
    • AssetCacheFolderPath
    • LoginCacheFolderPath
  4. Add the value of the alternative path to all these settings to overwrite the default path.
    Here's an example of a configuration value: 
    <setting name="ImagesFolderPath" serializeAs="String">
    <value>D:/TestFolderInstallation/imgs</value>
    </setting>
  5. Users need to restart Outlook after changing this configuration.
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