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Install Add-Ins to Office 2007 and Adapt Custom Functions

Melanie Gross — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 06:55:16 +0000

The Microsoft Office Suite is indispensable software for so many users. The ability to innovate custom functions in Office 2007 by installation of free add-ins is a practical advantage to anyone using Office 2007 professionally or personally. Most of the add-ins are included with Office, but not the initial installation itself. This article will clarify how to install desired add-ins to customize functions. This enables the user to access functions quickly, adapted to the particular functions needed for each different user. This has many advantages for a small business for example, because different staff will require a certain set-up for their job tasks. For home use, it makes Office streamlined and cuts steps out of creating documents requiring conversions and even changes in language. Once customized, Office 2007 is also personalized and a vital software program becomes friendlier to use. Hot-keys can also be adapted for these functions enabling even faster access.

Open Office 2007 and then open Excel. Using the Excel Options menu, select Add-Ins:

A window will open for View and Manage Office Add-ins. At the bottom of this window, ensure that Excel Add-Ins is selected. Once that is done, click Go to move on to the Add-Ins window itself. The Add-Ins window opens:

Highlight each option for a clear description of each one. This takes only a single-click, but it allows you to determine if the Add-In is needed for any particular purposes. If it is not needed, there is no point in selecting it. Remember that this is customization and all options do not need to be added unless that is the desired outcome. If there is an intention to later create Hot-Keys for the functions, the fewer the better. The ultimate point of this is to simplify, not complicate Office 2007. Select the appropriate functions one at a time. With each selection, the following window will open:

Click Yes and the configuration will begin. Once complete, any given Add-In is installed and available in the Ribbon. This example shows a conversion function for Euros:

Each different Add-In will come up under different headers. This one was under the Formulas tab because it is a conversion. Expect similar comparatives for each Add-In function included to the Ribbon. This allows for a certain degree of convenience, but is also where Hot-Keys might ideally be created for functions most frequently used.

Add-Ins can also be installed from the Microsoft website. Just search for Add-ins in the Office 2007 section and they will be clearly presented. They are updated frequently, so options are growing over time. These installations are free. One of the options, for example, is to create a function for adding a Creative Commons license to documents. These functions serve a convenience that cuts document creation time down significantly. Third party Add-Ins will have to be purchased to authenticate the license for use, generally after a trial period of use. At least there is the advantage of trying the Add-In before use. Otherwise, most of the practical functions can be added without cost.

Manage Office Add-Ins With Portable OfficeIns

Martin Brinkmann — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:10:43 +0000

Microsoft Office add-ins are a great way to enhance the functionality of Microsoft’s popular Office program. The software program comes however only with a basic add-ins manager. Far better are third party Office add-ins manager like the previously reviewed Microsoft Office add-ins manager Enable Disable.

Another popular Office add-ins manager is the portable software program OfficeIns by Nirsoft. OfficeIns will automatically display all add-ins in its interface upon startup. Various information such as the name, description, software it is loaded in and startup type are displayed in the table. It is possible to sort the add-ins by every column which is especially great for sorting them by startup type or product.

One of the most important features of OfficeIns is the function to change the startup type of one or multiple add-ins. Additional options include the usual Nirsoft features like exporting data into html, txt or csv files, generating HTML reports or displaying advanced properties of add-ins.

OfficeIns is a portable software program that is compatible with most Windows operating systems and Microsoft Office versions.

Microsoft Office Add-ins Manager

Martin Brinkmann — Sun, 10 May 2009 12:36:04 +0000

Add-ins are a great way of increasing the functionality of Microsoft Office. Some add-ins are compatible with all Microsoft Office programs while others only work in specific applications such as the email client Microsoft Outlook or the presentation software Microsoft PowerPoint. Microsoft Office does not however provide an easily accessible interface to manage all add-ins that are currently installed which is why Topalt’s EnableDisable, a startup manager for Microsoft Office add-ins, might come in handy. Not all add-ins are needed all the time and some even slow down the startup or performance of Microsoft Office programs.

The Office add-in startup manager provides the means to disable Microsoft Office add-ins comfortably. The program will display all add-ins, enabled or disabled, that are currently installed in Microsoft Office. It sorts the add-ins in tabs that refer to the Microsoft Office program that they are installed in. Displayed are tabs for Microsoft Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word.

The listings contain checkboxes, the startup type of the individual add-in, its name and description. The Office add-in will be loaded if the checkbox is checked. All it takes to disable an add-in is to uncheck it in the program.

EnableDisable might also come in handy to permanently disable add-ins in Microsoft Office in case they are not needed at all. All in all a very straightforward comfortable tool to manage Microsoft Office add-ins.