Best way to deploy Office 2016?

[Novalee]

So we install 2010 using a batch file and that's deployed using GPO.

 

I'm looking at upgrading to 2016 slowly, but need to deploy it. What is the best way to do this? I'm no programmer so any and all advice is much appreciated!

 

Thanks.

[Steve21]

Well unless you specifically want the click to run version, can't you use the normal MSI off the volume licensing site? And just pass the transform to it?

 

Steve

[alfatec]

Configure a package with the Office Customisation tool (OCT) then just use GPO or something like PDQ deploy. The OCT will also remove older versions and install the new one and licence your software.

[MrKJLS]

You can either do it using the pre-created package in PDQ Deploy or SCCM if you are using that.

[species3618]

I configured it using OCT since we wanted different products available for students and staff deployed it using PDQ Deploy, I had two weeks in the summer to do 450 computers, was done in a week and spent some time testing around 50 machines randomly. It uninstalled Office 2010 for me as well.

 

I added the following into PDQ Deploy:

"\\servername\Software$\MS_Office_2016\setup.exe" /adminfile "\\servername\Software$\MS_Office_2016\staff.msp"

[Novalee]

Thanks everyone - I didn't realise about the OCT so have set that up.

 

Is there a way to do this without PDQ as we don't have a license for that, or does the trial version work for this?

[Steve21]

If you got no software that deploys exe's "nicely" you could just throw it into a bat file (with MSP etc), and run the bat via GPO etc. Won't be as snazzy but will work fine.

 

Steve

[alfatec]

PDQ has a free version that will deploy 'msi's'. Once you create your OCT file for Office then just create a new package in PDQ and deploy.

 

[Michael]

The alternative of course is to include it as part of your base image. It's how I do it generally speaking and is 'cleaner' than uninstalling older versions of Office.

[jmak]

I found a template .bat file and customised it and then deployed the exe (with OCT customisations) using GPO. I have no skills in creating .bat files, but it all worked for me! It is a BIG file to transmit over your network, so probably one to run out of hours.

[LeMarchand]

If you got no software that deploys exe's "nicely" you could just throw it into a bat file (with MSP etc), and run the bat via GPO etc. Won't be as snazzy but will work fine.

 

Steve

 

That's what I did at this school when the suite needed updating. Went without a hitch. Of course, it all happened out of hours. Might be less of a solution if you want to do more mobile machines as the users will have to wait while it to happens.