Intune: How to generate a custom xml using online office config tool for deploying Microsoft 365 apps.

Recently, I needed to deploy Visio & Project as standalone apps using Intune. While Intune supports this, the installation and upgrade can be an issue if any office apps are found to be running in background. At the time of writing this blog, there is no option available in the default settings to close the apps. However, such customizations can be added using XML data instead.

While one can use Office Deployment Tool to create a configuration xml, the same can be achieved using https://config.office.com. Let's see how this is done.

Creating the XML

• Head over to https://config.office.com
• Click on Create a New Configuration

• Select the Visio app according to your license requirements. I am using Visio Online plan 2.

• Select the relevant update channel & the version. In my case, I am using Current channel with latest version.

• Select the additional apps that you want. In my case, I am excluding both OneDrive Groove and OneDrive Desktop.

• Select the relevant language.

• In the installation section, I am disabling ‘Show installation to user’ and enabling ‘Shut down running applications’. This is particularly important as I want to close the apps during installation.

• I am leaving defaults for upgrade.

• Accept EULA and select the activation based on your requirement. I am using User based activation.

• You can leave the General section as it is or provide the organization name and other details. 

• You can add application preferences or use the default values. Once done, click on Finish and hit Export. Accept the terms and provide the name and then hit Export option again as shown below.

• The xml will get downloaded under C:\Users\<Userprofile>\Downloads

You can open the XML in any editor of your choice and the contents should look something like this –

<Configuration ID="27135ab9-5d7e-45cd-afb5-048df9971db5">

  

<Add OfficeClientEdition="64" Channel="Current">

<Product ID="VisioProRetail">

<Language ID="en-us" />

<ExcludeApp ID="Groove" />

<ExcludeApp ID="OneDrive" />

</Product>

</Add>

<Property Name="SharedComputerLicensing" Value="0" />

<Property Name="SCLCacheOverride" Value="0" />

<Property Name="AUTOACTIVATE" Value="0" />

<Property Name="FORCEAPPSHUTDOWN" Value="TRUE" />

<Property Name="DeviceBasedLicensing" Value="0" />

<Updates Enabled="TRUE" />

<RemoveMSI />

<AppSettings>

<Setup Name="Company" Value="Rahuljindalmyit.blogpost.com" />

</AppSettings>

<Display Level="None" AcceptEULA="TRUE" />

</Configuration>

Creating Visio application in Intune

• On the https://endpoint.microsoft.com, navigate to Apps->Windows
• Click Add and select Microsoft 365 Apps->Windows 10
• Provide the name of the suite.
• Under Configure App suite, select XML data in the Configuration Settings format drop-down. Copy the XML content from the xml file exported earlier. Once added, you will need to click on Validate XML option to validate the xml content.

• Add necessary Scope tags and assign the app.

Conclusion

While I used the xml data to install Visio as a standalone, the same can be used to setup Project and other Microsoft 365 apps, especially if you are looking to add customizations. The only thing to be mindful of is adding any hard values in the xml, for example version to install. If you do select such values, then you will be required to keep the xml updated when new versions come out.