Outlook 15.8 Packaging queries

[karthikeyan_mac]

Hi,

We are planning for Outlook 15.8 Deployment. We are in the process of Packaging the Outlook. I can see it uses the same com.microsoft.autoupdate2.plist in ~/Library/Preferences for disabling the automatic update. But we need to suppress the Welcome dialog and other first run dialogs like Activate 365 and Import Later. We use to do this in plist files for other applications but Outlook 15.8 does not have any plist in ~/Library/Preferences instead its stores all the files in ~/Library/Group Containers. I tried creating the FirstRunSettings.plist in ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office but it does not take the file at launch. Did anyone package the Outlook 15.8 or how do we handle this settings?

Thanks in Advance

Regards,
Karthikeyan

[pblake]

If I recall correctly... big IF The Activation is stored in a hidden .file. I would do a snapshot of installation and activation for you to find that file.

[bentoms]

As per my post in a similar thread, these activations are becoming the new-normal. (Look at Adobe CC as well).

Also, this client is in BETA still.. Why the rush to deploy? Microsoft may have a method later at release.

[Retrac]

We have been looking at Outlook 15 recently and found a few issues

1. Activation cannot really be packaged as the email address is then used across other MS applications e.g. OneNote. So bundling in one activation address will prevent OneNote from syncing with a users 365 subscription
2. Outlook 15 is Sandboxed, looks like it cannot be controlled with configuration profiles as all prefs are buried in Library/Containers
3. As it's still in preview old versions suddenly stop working before the update is applied.

We are now looking at how feasible a web browser only workflow would work with our Mac users. I'm not too hopeful!