Insiders Fast: Mac Add-ins that Extend the Ribbon!

Question

Hi Insiders,

Mi name is Humberto Lezama from the Office Extensibility team and I’m excited to let you know that add-ins on the Mac can now natively integrate with Office apps by extending the Office Ribbon. This functionality was first released on Windows and Office Online and today we are bringing Mac to parity, starting with Insiders Fast.

With add-ins you can add extra functionality to Office and we have a built-in store that makes it a breeze to find and install hundreds of add-ins. And now with this feature, add-ins can integrate natively with the Office UI.

Here is how you can try this feature

1. Make sure you have Office for Mac build [170124] or greater. If you are in Insiders Fast and have the latest updates, you should be good.
2. Open Word, Excel or PowerPoint and launch the store from Insert->Add-ins->Store.  Outlook for Mac also has this feature available now for Insiders, you can find the Outlook store on Home>Store.
3. Search and install an add-in that uses commands. Some good examples:

Word

• Pickit
• Lucidcharts
• Emoji Keyboard
• IWritter Templates for Word
• Content Chooser

Excel

• Lucidchart
• Content Chooser

PowerPoint

• Pickit
• Shuttestock
• Emoji Keyboard
• Pexels

You are welcome to install other add-ins too but keep in mind that they might not have been updated yet to integrate with the Office ribbon.

Known issues:

• You may get “Error loading add-in” while installing from the Store due to an authentication issue.
• You can’t remove/change Add-in buttons from ribbon/QAT customization UI. You can however uninstall the add-in (from “My add-ins”) and the buttons will be removed.

Work around for the “Error loading add-in” authentication issue

Make sure you are signed in to the Office store by

• Launching a non-command add-in for example:
  • Word:Wikipedia
  • Excel: Bing Maps
  • PowerPoint: Poll Everywhere
• If you get a sign-in prompt, sign with your account.
• Fully “Quit” and restart the App.

Information for developers.

As you know, we have various add-in technologies. The one I’m talking about here is web add-ins, some of you might still know it by its original code name, Agaves. The feature highlighted in this post is add-in commandswhich allows you to integrate with the Office UI.

If you are interested in learning more and creating your own add-ins we have all the information you need here:

1. Add-in documentation: https://dev.office.com/docs/add-ins/overview/office-add-ins
2. Mac preview of add-in commands: https://aka.ms/cmac

Please give this feature a go and if you have any feedback let us know!

Answer 1

Today I had a chance to do experiments.

I was able to get rid of the error message. Along the way I think I figured out more about when you do and do not see the Store button and when add-ins work and when they don't.

I am now able to use add-ins in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, but with some restrictions. Thankfully, all the error messages are gone.

To fix things, here's what I did:

In Excel (yes, Excel to fix the Outlook problem):

1. File > New From template
2. Click the green circle in the upper left corner and log out

Without signing in, try using add-ins. They work!

Still in Excel:

1. File > New From template
2. Click the green circle in the upper left corner and log in using my Office 365 account credentials.

Add-ins are still working

Now we focus on Outlook

1. Open Outlook
2. Log into my Office 365 email account (Store button still does not display)
3. Go to the Office for Outlook addins web site
4. Choose an add-in and then click Add
5. The add-in gets added to Outlook and then the Store button displays
6. Add-ins work!

Still in Outlook

1. Log out of Office 365 account
2. Log into different exchange account
3. Store button is there
4. Click store button
5. Authenticate to exchange account web access page
6. Add/enable add-ins for this account
7. Switch back to Outlook
8. Add-ins don't work
9. Quit Outlook and then open Outlook
10. Add-ins still don't work (but thankfully no crash).

Now I am a mostly happy camper. At least I can use add-ins some of the time.

Answer 2

Office 365 subscription

Answer 3

Hi there, to double check, are you part of insiders fast or slow?  Even if you have a more recent build, the feature won't light up just yet unless you are part of one of those audiences.