Office 365 Compatability

[JSculley]

Our IT department just sent out a company wide email that they will be moving us to Office 365 in the near future. The SOLIDWORKS system requirements page makes no mention of Office 365, and the Knowledge Base states:
====================
S-072050: Does SOLIDWORKS® software support the use of the Microsoft® 365® software?

Answer:
Yes and No. The Microsoft® 365® software uses the software as a service (SaaS) subscription model. This means that Microsoft 365 includes the most recent versions and updates of Office applications. Because Microsoft 365 is always the latest version of Office applications, there will be periods of time when the SOLIDWORKS software does NOT support Microsoft 365.
====================

I know I've seen posts in the past where there were problems, so I'd like to hear from anyone using Office 365 and SOLIDWORKS, especially if you are using design tables and other hooks (macros, PDM add-ins, etc) into office apps from SW.

[AlexB]

I'm using 365 and am having no issues with design tables at all. Everything works as expected.

The only issue that I ran into initially was that our IT department had installed 32-bit 365 apps on my PC for compatibility with some other systems and the 32-bit version does not work at all with Solidworks. I would click to insert a design table and nothing would happen. It took some digging to find that the 64-bit versions were the solution.

For reference, I'm currently on 2018 SP5 with a demo of 2021 SP3 that we're looking to upgrade to. Both work.

Edit: To be clear, this comment applies to Excel. I haven't tried much with Word or the other apps.

[MJuric]

Our IT department just sent out a company wide email that they will be moving us to Office 365 in the near future. The SOLIDWORKS system requirements page makes no mention of Office 365, and the Knowledge Base states:
====================
S-072050: Does SOLIDWORKS® software support the use of the Microsoft® 365® software?

Answer:
Yes and No. The Microsoft® 365® software uses the software as a service (SaaS) subscription model. This means that Microsoft 365 includes the most recent versions and updates of Office applications. Because Microsoft 365 is always the latest version of Office applications, there will be periods of time when the SOLIDWORKS software does NOT support Microsoft 365.
====================

I know I've seen posts in the past where there were problems, so I'd like to hear from anyone using Office 365 and SOLIDWORKS, especially if you are using design tables and other hooks (macros, PDM add-ins, etc) into office apps from SW.

I've been running 365 for a while now and have not seen any issues with SW 2018 SP5. I don't do a whole lot with SW/MS but I've not seen any issues. I've been doing a lot of Driveworks stuff which uses Access and have seen no issues. One would thing if that works the other stuff, Excel, Word etc should as well....but yeah...this is SW so they probably broke all the easy stuff and added "New features"

[christian chu]

Like others, My company has been using Office 365 for few yrs and we got no issue so far

[jhodges]

We are having issues with Office 365. From what i have found out it either works or not. it appears that Office 365 no longer uses the .net programmability support feature. Solid works design tables will not function without the .net programmability support. this did not happen until i got a new pc to use that had never had an older version of Excel loaded on it. we also us Excel to keep out tool box data up to date or when we need to add items to the tool box. this function also no longer works. the only this to do is delete office 365 and install a stand alone version of Excel, which mang. does not want to do. there seems to be a work around, but is it cumbersome to use and does not resolve the issue with the tool box updates or fixes that we may have to do from time to time. Solid Works also does not work with any other spread sheet programs. From what i could find Solid Works has not addressed this issue other that tell you to install a stand alone version of Excel.

[Bradfordzzz]

Surprisingly, Office 365 is one of the things that actually works in Solidworks 2022.

[jhodges]

As of this morning Excel still does not work for me. i am on Solid Works 2022 sp5. I created a temp part to test, went to insert/tables/design table and started a new design table. Excel did pop up and then it just sits there with the circle spinning. it finally returned an error (failed to launch server application).. from everything that i have found Solidworks does not support office 365 at this time. Office 365 does not include the .new programmability support function which is needed to work with Solidworks. all of the information that i have found, including from our VAR, says that we will have to delete Office 365 and install a standalone version of Excel. i am hopping someone else has had this problem and found a way to get it to work. i have found a workaround that we may have to use for now, but that only helps with design tables and it sometimes does not work. we also use Excel to work with our tool box. with Office 365 tool box will not import any new information from Excel into the tool box database.

[AlexB]

It seems to work for me. Have you checked to make sure that you're running 64-bit office apps? You can click on File -> Account -> About Excel to verify this. The top line of the About window will state either 32 or 64 bit after the build version.

[jhodges]

Yes it is 64 bit.
any idea what server application it failed to launch?

[AlexLachance]

We've been on Office 365 since August and have had no issue with it and that is with SolidWorks 2019 SP5.

It sounds to me like a "mess-up" in the installations. I know it sucks but I suggest reinstalling SolidWorks to see if it fixes your issue.

[TTevolve]

There is an known issue with SW2021 where you can't open a design table in an excel window, it has to be in the SW window (got to use edit table vs using edit table in new window). This effects me since I am still on 2021, but using the SW window is fine for me with most things. I read they fixed it in SW2022.

[jhodges]

i am using SW2022 sp5. it still does not work when opening in an excel window. i have not tested opening in the sw window yet. if that works it will work fine for design tables. however it does not fix the export/import function in tool box. What i have found is the Office 365 does not include the .net programmability support feature required for the Solidworks configuration import/export function to work properly. according to Microsoft the .net programmability support in only included in the offline (msi) office installation packages. the only current solution is to uninstall Office365, download an offline (msi), may have to be purchased, installer for your Microsoft office package and use that instead. Currently my company does not wish to do that, at this time. we are going to wait until someone finds a way to get Office 365 to work with solid works.

Alex - were not going to try a uninstall and reinstall of Solidworks at this time. this happened on a new pc with a fresh install of Sw 2021 that has been updated to Sw 2022 sp5 since this started. Also because of the information we found listed above.
Thanks for all of the help.

[AlexB]

Yes it is 64 bit.
any idea what server application it failed to launch?

The only other problem I've had in the past is COM Add-Ins conflicting with Solidworks when it tries to launch it.

Excel Options -> Add-Ins -> COM Add-Ins -> Click Go.

Make a note of the ones that are checked and then disable them all and retry the design table edit. If all is good, re-enable them one-by one to see which one conflicts.

[jhodges]

went to Excel com add-ins. Only three items show.
Microsoft data streamer for excel
Microsoft power map for excel
Microsoft pivot for excel
none of them are checked.
Does any of them need to be turned on?

Thanks;

[acmall]

Sorry I can' offer any suggestions as to what is wrong, but I can confirm that Excel design tables are working for me with SolidWorks 2022 SP5.0 and Office 365. The Office 365/Excel version is 2211 Build 16.0.15831.20098 64-bit

[Hansjoerg]

Hello,
today i got following message from the IT department:

[jhodges]

We also have the same build, as listed two post above. I did find that some of the .net programmability support on this pc was turned off. i turned everything on and am now able to do design tables is we use the Solid works window. it still will not work if we try to use the external method.
at least we will be able to do design tables for now. i was able to export a table from the toolbox, but am unable to import a table into the toolbox.

Thanks for all of your help.

[Dwight]

I know I've seen posts in the past where there were problems, so I'd like to hear from anyone using Office 365 and SOLIDWORKS, especially if you are using design tables and other hooks (macros, PDM add-ins, etc) into office apps from SW.

I'll confirm the issue with the 32-bit Office 365. I am running SW2022 sp2 and could not create or edit a design table until I had Office 365 switched from the 32-bit version to the 64-bit version.

Dwight

[SPerman]

This forum needs an AI filter.

[TTevolve]

We just went to SW 2023 and have office 365. The design tables work, but you can't open the table in a separate window, it gives "Failed to connect. link my be broken" error. But if you use the edit table it opens an excel window just like the open in outside window used to. In SW2022 I used to have my tool bars disappear when exiting the excel window, in 2023 it seems to not happen anymore, although I have only done a few tables in the last couple of weeks since we installed SW2023.