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Restricted software via version

  • February 11, 2016
  • 4 replies
  • 4 views

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We've just migrated to Office 365 and we're using Outlook 2016 v15.18
We would like to use a restricted software policy to block outlook 2011 (all versions)

However people will have both versions of the software installed on their machines so i cant just block the app file as they're both the same.

Any thoughts on how to achieve?

4 replies

mm2270
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  • Legendary Contributor
  • February 11, 2016

Hmm. Not exactly easy to do I think. Restricted Software works on the process name not on a version. The only way I can think to do this would be use the path to the executable in the process to watch for, but that would mean it could be pretty easily bypassed. What I mean is, instead of putting in something like "Microsoft Outlook" as the process to watch for, put in:
"/Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Microsoft"
I haven't tested this, but I think that should catch instances of any applications running from that directory and shut them down, whereas it will ignore anything like:
"/Applications/Microsoft Outlook" etc.

Again, complete untested speculation on my part. Put that in and scope it to a single test Mac with both suites installed and try it out to see.


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  • Contributor
  • February 11, 2016

You may have already worked this direction, but have you thought about smart grouping your Outlook 2011 clients and sending them a message to get themselves migrated over? Or even use the same smart group to remove the outlook 2011 app but retain the data? I am not sure how your shop approaches this type of migration but this is a possible alternative path.


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  • Author
  • Contributor
  • February 11, 2016

OK, So a bit of sideways thinking solved this A script to rename the Microsoft Outlook 2011 app to OldOutlook.app located in /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/
Then create the restriction policy on the OldOutlook.App

Bish Bash Bosh sorted!!


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  • Valued Contributor
  • February 11, 2016

I'd be more brutal about it. Just run an uninstaller. It wipes 2011 completely from the machine.

That's what we've been doing.