Innovator-MS Office

Connector
Documentation
Prodeos

Doc Version : 1.0

Product Version : Beta 1.0
2 Innovator-MS Office Connector

SOMMAIRE

Document Follow-Up ........................................................................................................................................ 3

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 4

Features ........................................................................................................................................................... 5

Product Components ........................................................................................................................................ 6

Server side components ................................................................................................................................ 6

Client side components ................................................................................................................................. 6

Install ............................................................................................................................................................... 7

Server Side Install.......................................................................................................................................... 7

Client Side Install........................................................................................................................................... 9

IE settings: .............................................................................................................................................. 10

User Manual ................................................................................................................................................... 11

Creating a Document .................................................................................................................................. 11

Modifying a document ................................................................................................................................ 12

Adding a Template ...................................................................................................................................... 13

Start a document from a template .............................................................................................................. 14

Support .......................................................................................................................................................... 15

Known Issues .............................................................................................................................................. 15

Roadmap .................................................................................................................................................... 16

Support Service offer .................................................................................................................................. 17

About PRODEOS ............................................................................................................................................. 18

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3 Innovator-MS Office Connector

DOCUMENT FOLLOW-UP

Document Change Description Date Validator

Release
rd
1.0 Document creation June 3 2010 Yoann Maingon

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4 Innovator-MS Office Connector

INTRODUCTION

The “Innovator – MS Office Connector” is a product developed by Prodeos (www.prodeos.com). It is a light

connector made to facilitate the use of Microsoft Word document, Excel Spreadsheets and Powerpoint
Presentation inside a PLM strategy supported by the Enterprise Open Source PLM solution Aras Innovator. It is
not the only connector available in the community but this one is very simple, it doesn’t have much
functionality, it is develop with a Keep It Simple & Smart attitude, and it keeps most document management
controls in the PLM Solution, Aras Innovator.

The solution is freely available for download on the Aras Project page, and you need the Aras import package
Utility tool for the server side installation. The solution is also documented on the Prodeos’ codeplex page
(http://prodeos.codeplex.com) where you can find the content of the server side package which makes
possible to install the connector without the Aras import package Utility tool.

The support of the solution is included in the Aras Unlimited subscription when Prodeos is part of the support
Team. We also propose

- A support service dedicated to this tool for non-Aras subscribers (Open Users).
- An On-site integration service

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5 Innovator-MS Office Connector

FEATURES

The “Innovator – MS Office Connector” provides the following features:

From Aras Innovator:

- Starts a new Microsoft Office Document from the document Form with the Microsoft Application
selected as the authoring tool when creating the document.
- Lock the document and the attached files from a unlocked document Form
- Open the attached file for viewing
- Manages Templates related to Document sub classes
- Starts a new Microsoft Office Document based on the Template defined for the selected document
sub-class.

From Within Microsoft Application:

- Lock (if unlocked) a document previously opened for viewing

- Save and upload a locked document (Doesn’t generate a new generation, just saves the document in
Aras for the actual locked document generation)
- Save, upload and Unlock a document (generates a new generation)
- Exit (currently only available on Microsoft Word)

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6 Innovator-MS Office Connector

PRODUCT COMPONENTS

SERVER SIDE COMPONENTS

The server side import brings the following components:

Methods:

- Prodeos_OC_AddEditingButton
- Prodeos_OC_StartNewDoc
- Prodeos_OC_OpenLockedDoc
- Prodeos_OC_OpenUnlocked

Item types:

- Prodeos_OC_Templates

Changes on document form:

- on the document form itself: Onload Event  Prodeos_OC_AddEditingButton

- on authoring tool field, OnChange event  Prodeos_OC_AddEditingButton
- add button: View document with onclick event
- add button: Modify Document with onclick event  Prodeos_OC_OpenLockedDoc
- add button: start new document with onclick event  Prodeos_OC_StartNewDoc

CLIENT SIDE COMPONENTS

3 install to launch:

- Word 2007/setup.exe
- Excel 2007/setup.exe
- Powerpoint 2007/setup.exe

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7 Innovator-MS Office Connector

INSTALL

The installation process has two phases. A first phase consists in importing the server side files on the Aras
Innovator’s database. Then each user who wants to use the tool needs to install the add-ins.

SERVER SIDE INSTALL

In order to install the connector on your Aras Innovator’s database, you need to start the
Import Package tool.

Once the tool is launched you need to fill in the Server address, select your database and login with admin login
information.

The “Manifest File” is the imports.mf located in the connector package

 PRODEOS_OC Beta1\PRODEOS_OC SERVER PACK

When all the information is entered you need to click on the import button

Here is an error message that you might get. We are working on getting rid of it
but it doesn’t affect the installation.

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8 Innovator-MS Office Connector

If you run the import process from outside the Targeted

Server, you might raise the following Error Message.

Click Ok

Once the process is ended you just need to close the import tool and check the following screens

1. As Admin you should see the Document Templates Item type in the main menu

2. Check that you have the correct layout

3. In the Admin Menu  select forms  open document
4. You should see the three new buttons:

5. You should have a method attached to each of these button

6. Check that you have the following form Event:

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9 Innovator-MS Office Connector

CLIENT SIDE INSTALL

On the client side you just need to launch the 3 installer and to change a setting in Internet Explorer security. If
you had a previous version, you need to uninstall it before installing the new one. You would be stopped by the
installer if you don’t.

You should have the 3 following folders in the downloaded package:

Each folder contains an installer that you should run.

Installation gathers all the necessary information

You need to confirm the installation

The installer downloads from the package (no need to have internet connection)

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10 Innovator-MS Office Connector

It finally announces the end of the installation

After closing it you can start the Microsoft office application for which you installed the add-in. You should get
a new Ribbon.

Before being able to use the add-in, you need to setup the UserName, the password and the database name.
by clicking on Settings. As long as you don’t change any of these informations in Aras Innovator you shouldn’t
have to click on settings again.

Be careful when you click on settings, the password doesn’t come up for security reasons. So you validate
without any change, it will send a blank password and fail for the next connection.

IE SETTINGS:

As the connector uses Activex, you need to allow unsigned Activex for your security trust zone.

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11 Innovator-MS Office Connector

USER MANUAL

Here are the main features of this connector.

CREATING A DOCUMENT

1. Create a new document

2. Fill the document number and the name and select the authoring tool

3. The start editing button appears

4. You need to save the document prior to click the start editing button. If you don’t you’ll get the
following message

5. Then you can click on “start editing button” it starts Microsoft Word and close your document form.
6. Click on the Aras Innovator Tab
7. As your settings should already be entered you can click on Get Informations

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12 Innovator-MS Office Connector

8. It shows your local dir defined in Aras and the Document ID. Make sure you have correct Read/write
permissions on your local work folder. For example the following picture shows c: and might not have
the necessary permission:

9. You should then get the following icons:

10. You can start editing your document. If you save it, it will update the actual version to Aras Innovator
without unlocking it. Clicking Unlock ask you if you want to save and upload the actual state. Clicking
the close button also makes the necessary check.

11. Once unlocked and close you should see your file in your document.

MODIFYING A DOCUMENT

You can start modifying a document by the clicking on the Modify Button in an unlock document Form

1. Open the desired doc in Aras Innovator without Locking It.

2. Click on the modifying button
3. It starts the authoring tool with the saved file
4. Select the aras innovator’s tab
5. Click the Get Informations Button.
6. Save, unlock and exit when done

You can also Lock a document that you are just watching.

1. Open a document Form

2. Click on the view button
3. It starts the authoring tool with the saved file
4. Select the aras innovator’s tab
5. Click the Get Informations Button.
6. You should see that your document is unlocked

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13 Innovator-MS Office Connector

7. Lock It
8. Edit it as usual
9. Save, unlock and exit when done

When you come back to Aras you should be able to access the different generation created

ADDING A TEMPLATE

1. In the TOC select the document template item

2. Fill the name and the class path

3. In the inner part, attach your Template file (*.dotx for word2007)

4. Save, unlock & Exit

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14 Innovator-MS Office Connector

START A DOCUMENT FROM A TEMPLATE

Starting a document from a template is almost like creating a document from scratch except that you have to
select a document type.

1. Create a new document

2. Fill the document number and the document name
3. Select the authoring tool
4. Select the document type

5. Save the document and then click the start editing button
6. A new document opens up based on the template.
7. Use the document as usual

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15 Innovator-MS Office Connector

SUPPORT

KNOWN ISSUES

This is a Beta version, and Prodeos needs to get many more different platform experiences to be able to fix
every issue. Here is a list of some issue known

ID Tool Issue Type Description Status Solution Fix Date

Version
1 Beta1.0 Upload fails When clicking on the save button Workaround It seems to be related to
or unlock, the Upload doesn’t work given the IE cache management.
and no Id is given to show that the Delete the IE browsing
process is completed history
2 Beta1.0 ActiveX The Office application doesn’t start Solved You need to authorize the
Unsigned ActiveX in IE
settings
3 Beta1.0
4 Beta1.0
5 Beta1.0
6
7
8
9

Feel free to raise any issue in order for us to fix them in the next releases

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16 Innovator-MS Office Connector

ROADMAP

Here is a list of items which are in our roadmap to upgrade this tool:

ID Type Description Status Solution Available in

version
1 Document On the document form, the authoring tool Planning
Form should be automatically selected on a document
Automation type selection as the document type selection is
linked to a template dedicated to a unique office
application
2 Interface Better messages raised by the Office Add-in, Planning
more explicit and user-friendly
3 Interface Add tooltips for Office Add-in’s buttons Planning
4 Interface Add the “open in office” available on a right click Planning
in the document list in Aras Innovator
5 Interface Dropdown list of available Databases in the add- Planning
in setting instead of textbox
6 Interface Replace the textbox in the template item by a Planning
sub-class selection interface so people can
visually select the document type instead of
typing “/document/type”
7 Doc Between an unlock and a lock without closing Planning
Management the document. There should be a new download
of the document to make sure it hasn’t been
change by the time.

Feel free to suggest features and improvement on one of the forum related to this Aras Innovator’s tool. This
document will capitalize all the request and issues raised in these forums.

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17 Innovator-MS Office Connector

SUPPORT SERVICE OFFER

Different options are available if you want us to support your Aras-Office Integration . There is a rebate for this
beta version:

 If you are not an Aras Unlimited subscriber the following table lists the support prices depending on
your average number of user.

Deployment Scope Price/year – Beta Version Price/year – Release Version # user

Global 4,100 € 5,900 € >1000
Enterprise 3,400 € 4,900 € 251-1000
Corporate 1,800 € 2,700 € 101-250
Small Business 1,100 € 1,700 € 51-100
Department 600 € 900 € 16-50
Workgroup 260 € 380 € 15 or less

 If you are an Aras Unlimited subscriber you get a 20% rebate on the previous price. This is due to the
fact that we know that you already have Innovator’s trained engineer supporting your Aras Innovator
installation.
 If we already provide you support through an Aras Unlimited subscription, the support of the Office
connector won’t required any additional fees.

The support includes:

 unlimited Tickets on our web support platform

 Dedicated engineer on blocking issues
 Updates
 Priority on features request for our development Pipe.

For any other consulting service please contact us: contact@prodeos.com

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ABOUT PRODEOS

Prodeos, based in France, provides consulting and system integration services for Product Lifecycle
Management (PLM) and ERP solutions. Prodeos specializes in enterprise open source solutions for PLM, ERP,
CRM, GED, and CMS.

www.prodeos.com

You can follow us on our blog on www.prodeos.fr

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