Configuration for the SEI Add-in Distribution

Important

This section applies only if SEI Add-in Distribution is not already configured.

If you want the Distribution Service to generate and distribute Reports of Add-in for Excel files, you need to make some configuration changes on the server hosting the Distribution Service prior to the Distribution application installation, as presented below.

  1. Install Microsoft Excel on the server where the SEI Distribution Service is hosted.
  2. Install the proper version of the Add-in for Excel on the same server.
  3. For Excel 2010 and later, you need to add the registry key Excel2010Later.reg located in C:\Program Files\SEI\SEI\DistributionService
    • If you are running Office 32 bits on a 64 bits computer, you should run the mmc command with the 32 parameter as follows: mmc -32 to launch the 32 bits version of the DCOMCNFG.
    • Otherwise, run mmc.
  4. In the File menu, select Add or Remove Snap-ins.
  5. In the list, select Component Services and click on Add so it appears in the Selected snap-ins list.
  6. Click on OK to return to the primary window.
  7. On the left-side tree, expand the tree elements as follows: Component Services > Computers > My Computer > DCOM Config and select the Microsoft Excel Application.

    If you don’t find the Microsoft Excel Application element, it might mean that it is not registered or is registered under the Class ID number (CLSID) instead of the Application Name.

    In that case, rebooting the computer may be enough to get it registered properly. If not, you might need to open the register (using the RegEdit command) and find the Class ID where to set the permissions up under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Application\CLSID. The same class ID should be available under DCOM Config in the mmc tool and that’s where you should configure the permissions described below.

  8. Right-click the Microsoft Excel Application 2010 and later element and select Properties.
  9. In the Identity tab, select The launching user option.
  10. Go to the Security tab.
  11. In the Launch and Activation Permissions section, select Customize and click on Edit.
  12. Add a user with all the permissions as shown on the screen below and click on OK.
  13. Repeat the two previous steps for Access Permissions and Configuration Permissions sections.
  14. Click on OK in the Microsoft Excel Application Properties window to apply changes.
  15. Lastly, make sure the following path exists on the server where the Distribution Service is running, and that the user used for the BI Service has Full Control on them:

    For a 32-bits computer:

    • C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop

    For a 64-bits computer:

    • C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop

    For a 64-bits computer and from C:\Windows\SysWOW64\config\:

    • systemprofile\Desktop
    • systemprofile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache
  1. Before doing the other steps, log out of the server and log back in using the same user credentials as the user setup on the BI Distribution Service.
  2. Open Excel (Excel license must be activated) and configure the Add-in for Excel:
    • Go to Add-in Configuration (File > Options > Add-in).
    • Next to the Manage drop-down list, click on Go...
    • In the Add-ins window, click on Browse... and select SEI Add-in for Excel.xla in C:\Program Files\Tangerine\SEI Add-in for Excel.(You can refer to First Time Configuration for detailed instructions.)
  3. Configure your Central Point:
    • Force Excel to Login by clicking on the Add-in tab
    • Click on Change User. If no Central Point is configured, do so by clicking on the + sign and enter your Central Point path.
    • Click on Add to validate and register your Central Point.
  4. Select an Excel file to distribute, open the file, and test that the Add-in Formulas work properly.
  5. Before testing the Add-in Distribution, do one last check:
  • Use the server’s Task Manager and verify if the Process tab has no other Excel.exe instances open, If there is, close them. Otherwise, some configurations done in the previous steps will not be completed because of the remaining open Excel Add-in instances.