Currently the only way to determine the JavaScript add-ins installed in Excel, Word, or PowerPoint is to navigate to either of the following menu items:
- File > Get Add-ins > Office Add-ins
- Home > Add-ins > More Add-ins > Office Add-ins
Under 'Office Add-ins' you can select 'My Add-ins', 'My Organization', and/or 'Admin Managed' to find the JavaScript add-ins installed, and how they were deployed.
It would also be helpful to enhance the Office JavaScript API so you can:
- Get back a list of all installed JavaScript add-ins
- Get back a list of all installed JavaScript add-ins categorized/bucketed by 'My Add-ins', 'My Organization', and/or 'Admin Managed'
- We have seen instances where a JavaScript add-in exist under 'My Add-ins' and 'Admin Managed' as the user initially installs the add-in, but then the IT deploys the add-in.
- Get back any metadata like the version, install/update date, etc.
- Provide a specific add-in name get back if installed, how it was installed: 'My Add-ins', 'My Organization', and/or 'Admin Managed', and any metadata that can be included like version, install/update date, etc.
Offering this feature via the Office JavaScript API would allow for installed applications and troubleshooting tools to be able to quickly and easily gather this information to
- determine if the JavaScript add-in has already been installed
- notify the user when the JavaScript add-in is already installed vs when it still needs to be installed
- debug issues or other vendor add-in conflicts
- identify equivalent add-ins that may both be installed (COM/XLL/Automations vs. JavaScript add-ins)
Microsoft could potentially leverage this Office JavaScript API enhancement to display JavaScript add-ins within Desktop Office apps under File > Options > Add-ins. This would allow users to see their legacy and JavaScript add-ins in one single location.