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Box for Office (Plugin) Frequently Asked Questions

Product basics

Requirements and installation

Opening, saving, sharing, and locking

Updates

Product basics

What is Box for Office?

Box for Office is a Windows desktop integration that adds Box into Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint. From the Office Backstage view and ribbon, users can:

  • Open files from Box, including recent files and folders
  • Save files to Box, including documents that started on the local desktop
  • Generate Box shared links and set link permissions
  • Use Box options from the Office ribbon (Share, Upload to Box, View on Box)

 

How is this different from Box for Microsoft Office Co-Authoring?

They are different products.

  • Box for Office (this FAQ) is a Windows COM add-in. Users open and save Box files from inside Office. Files lock on open and unlock on close. It is not the real-time AutoSave co-authoring workflow.
  • Box for Microsoft Office Co-Authoring is the newer integration. Users add Box as a Place or Connected Service in Office. Multiple people can edit at once with AutoSave. It is documented separately and is available on Windows and macOS.

 

Does Box for Office run on Mac?

No. The Box for Office desktop plugin is only supported on Windows.

 

 

Requirements and installation

What are the prerequisites?

  • Windows 10 or higher
  • Microsoft Office 2010 or higher
  • .NET 4.x or higher (the individual installer can install this)
  • Visual Studio Tools for Office (the individual installer can install this)
  • Administrative rights for the individual setup package, so the auto-updater service can be installed

For MSI deployments, 

  • Windows Installer 3.1, 4.5, or later
  • .NET Framework 4.0 or later
  • Visual Studio 2010 Tools for Office v10.0.50701 or later. 

Those prerequisites must be present before the MSI runs.

 

How do individuals install it?

  1. Download the setup package for individuals.
  2. Run it and provide administrative rights when prompted.
  3. Open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint and go to the full Open menu. Users may need Open Other Documents from the start screen.
  4. Choose Box as a source and sign in with Box credentials.

Users can log out from any of the Open, Save, or Share pages.

 

How do administrators deploy it at scale?

Admins can push Box for Office as an unattended MSI install. There are no configuration options on that installer. Close Microsoft Office applications before updating, or the old add-in version keeps running until Office is restarted.

The current MSI:  https://e3.boxcdn.net/box-installers/boxforoffice/currentrelease/BoxForOffice.msi.

 

How do users uninstall it?

Use Programs and Features in Windows, or run the installer again and choose Uninstall. 

 

 

Opening, saving, sharing, and locking

How do users open files from Box?

In Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, use File > Open, then choose Box. Users can pick a recently accessed file, a recently opened folder, or browse and search the Box account.

Opening a Microsoft Office file from Box for Office downloads it and locks it automatically.

 

How do users save files to Box?

  • If the file was already opened from Box, or previously saved as a Box file, Ctrl+S or the normal Save command writes a new version to Box.
  • If the file started on the local desktop or another non-Box location, use Save As, browse to a Box folder, and save there. Later saves then go to Box as new versions.

 

How do shared links work from Office?

The Share menu is available when a file is open. Users can create a shared link, change the access level, set an expiration date on enterprise accounts, allow downloading, or email the link through the system default mail client.

If the file is not already in Box, Box prompts the user to upload it first. The ribbon also provides Share, Upload to Box, and View on Box.

 

Do files lock when opened?

Yes. Microsoft Office files lock automatically when opened from Box for Office and unlock when the file is closed.

 

How long are opened files cached?

Files opened with Box for Office are cached for 7 days. The cached file is deleted when the user closes the Office application, logs out of Box for Office, or turns off the Box for Office add-in after 7 days.

 

 

Updates

How does Box for Office update itself?

The update service checks about every five to six hours. The user must be logged into Windows, but does not need to be logged into Box for Office, and does not need administrator rights for that update process.

If Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook is open during the install, the older plugin keeps running until those applications are closed.

 

How do users update manually?

  1. Quit Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
  2. Download and run the latest Box for Office MSI.
  3. Relaunch Office and sign in to Box for Office if needed.

On Windows 10, running the latest MSI when that version is already installed can produce a "The specified account already exists" error.