Install Excel Add-In for Terminal Services and Citrix

This article describes the installation steps you follow for getting your Excel Add in for Terminal Services and Citrix.

Spreadsheet Server uses an XML settings file to maintain its configuration settings. Items such as file and folder locations, database locations, and cache locations are stored in this file. When operating in a terminal server or Citrix environment, the installation creates one centralized XML file, as well as other folders and files, stored in the ...All Users\Shared Documents\Global Software Inc\Spreadsheet Server, or the ...Users\Public\Documents\Global Software Inc\Spreadsheet Server folder of the terminal service or Citrix server. As this XML file is stored in one location, it is important to note that all users on a Citrix server share the settings.

It is recommended that the administrator ensure all users belong to the Remote Desktop Users group, and have read, write, and execute permissions to this folder, and its contents. By default, users in a typical terminal service setup have read and execute permissions, therefore, the addition of write permissions is required. This may be accomplished by adding the permissions to the Remote Desktop Users group on the Citrix server.

Before installing Spreadsheet Server on a Citrix Server, it is recommended you verify that you have a recent backup of your system.

Pre-Installation

The following steps must be completed, prior to installing Spreadsheet Server on a Citrix server:

1. Ensure the appropriate users belong to the Remote Desktop Users group.
2. Ensure the Remote Desktop Users group has read, write, and execute permissions to the All Users\Shared Documents folder, and its contents.

Microsoft recommends using the user-global method to install Windows applications. With this method, an application is installed one time by an administrator, then can be run by anyone who logs into the terminal server computer. To perform a user-global installation type, change user /install in the command prompt to place the session in installation mode. This method ensures that any INI files installed to the terminal server system directory, rather than to the user's home Windows directory.

Once the installation is complete, use the Change User / Execute command to place the session back in execute mode.

Note: These two commands may not be necessary with the latest releases of Spreadsheet Server, but are still recommended.

When a user starts the application for the first time, the required user-specific files are automatically copied to the user's home directory. To perform a user-global installation, using the Command Prompt, follow these steps:

1. Log into the terminal service machine as an administrator.
2. Click Start >Programs > Command Prompt.
3. In the Command Prompt window, type change user /install. This command puts the system in installation mode, and permits the terminal server to keep track of the user-specific application registry entries, INI files, and DLL files, that the application adds to the terminal server system during installation.
4. Follow the installation instructions of the application.
5. Configure the default program settings for all users.
6. After the installation is complete, navigate back to the Command Prompt, then type change user /execute, returning the system to execute mode.
7. Restart the machine, if prompted.

Installation

1. Log into a workstation, and open your Citrix desktop.
2. Open Excel.
3. In Excel, click File > Options > Add-ins.
4. From the Manage drop-down list, select Excel Add-ins, and click Go.
5. Select the Spreadsheet Server add-in, and click OK, or:
   

From the desktop, click Start > All Programs > Spreadsheet Server Suite > Register Add-In, then click OK in the Register Spreadsheet Server Add-In panel.

6. Configure the settings in Spreadsheet Server product:
   1. In Excel, click the Spreadsheet Server tab to launch the Spreadsheet Server Ribbon.
   2. Click Settings.
   3. Make the necessary modifications, and save.

Each user should now be able to log into their Citrix desktop, and have access to Spreadsheet Server from Excel. If executed locally on a user's machine, Spreadsheet Server will not be available from Excel. Excel must be run from within Citrix to use Spreadsheet Server. This procedure has not been validated in all configurations of the Citrix environment, therefore, some modifications may be required, depending on your company’s installation and configuration of Citrix.

Post-Installation

The Register Add-in application is required to be run for all Spreadsheet Server users, in order for the ribbon to appear in Excel.

If the system administrator does not wish to log into the server, and run this application as each user, it is recommended that it is made available to each user, so that it can be run locally once, before starting Excel for the first time after the add-In installation.

Setup Multiple Users on the Same Machine

To setup multiple users on the same machine, the system administrator can navigate to C:\ProgramData\insightsoftware\Spreadsheet Server Suite\_Common and run the SetupCitrix.exe file. Running this executable adds the add-in to Excel for all users listed in Application Configurator.

This operation requires:

• Windows Administrator privileges.
• Executing the file from Command Prompt to see errors. If there is no output, there are no errors.
• Users must have logged into the machine in the past (must already have a Windows profile on that machine).