Support Tip: How to enable Intune app protection policies with the Office mobile
Published Dec 03 2019 03:55 PM 31K Views

By Aasawari Navathe | Intune PM

 
Several of our customers want to manage the new Microsoft Office mobile app. This mobile app combines Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint into a single app; for more information, see the Ignite TechCommunity announcement Introducing Office – Your new go-to mobile app for getting work done or the release announcement, The new Office app now generally available for Android and iOS.
 

The Microsoft Office app for Android is available in the Google Play store and Apple App Store. The Microsoft Office mobile supports Intune app protection policies today. For more details on how to target apps with your app protection policy, see How to create and assign app protection policies.

 

Office recently published how to control file transfer including how to block URLs or block IP addresses:

https://docs.microsoft.com/office365/troubleshoot/access-management/control-file-transfer

 

NOTE - several folks asked for the information that was in this blog when the app was in preview (for context). Prior to the app being publicly available, you added the following custom app bundle ID's and apps. 

1 - For Android App Protection Policies, add the Office Hub, Office Hub [HL], and Office Hub [ROW] apps.

2 - For iOS App Protection Policies, use com.microsoft.officemobile as a custom app bundle ID.

 

2/20/20: Updated with availability of the iOS and Android app
3/6/2020: Updated with the prior information that was in the blog for context. 
3/25/2020: Updated with how to block URLs or IP addresses.

 

24 Comments

@Intune_Support_Team how to add this app to Intune as Managed Google Play app? We enrolled our Managed Google Play account in the preview :)

Copper Contributor
Our Intune environment already lists MAM apps "Office Hub", "Office Hub [HL]", and "Office Hub [ROW]", I assume as the Android instance of Office Mobile reuses a prior Office app app ID instance. So, can we assume we are covered at least for Android?

@MalG we see the same behavior and the Office app seems protected by APP.

Microsoft

@MalG @Peter Klapwijk - yes, select those instances for Android. We're updating the article to reflect this.

Brass Contributor

I have approved "Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint & more" in Managed Apps in Google Play, but it won't appear in the Intune Client apps list despite syncing many times. Any ideas? We are in UK.

Microsoft

@Calum Steen and @Peter Klapwijk - Intune doesn't support the non-production PlayStore channels for pre-release apps at present. As a result, apps like Office cannot be added to Managed Google Play until they are released to the production PlayStore. Intune will support this in the future, but I can't comment on a timeline.

Copper Contributor

@Calum Steen  you need to add a “custom app” using the app ID as per the link in the article (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/intune/apps/app-protection-policies). Once added you can assign it within an App Protection Policy.

@Ross Smith IV thanks Ross for this information.

Copper Contributor
Added Office Hub, Office Hub [HL], and Office Hub [ROW] apps to app both iOS and Android protection policies. however getting an error as "Enroll now" only for Android work profile, even though device is enrolled/complaint to Intune. Is there a CA as well which i need to look .
Brass Contributor

Can someone post a screen grab of what "add the Office HubOffice Hub [HL], and Office Hub [ROW] apps." looks like. TIA!

Steel Contributor
Copper Contributor

Is there a way to have it part of a "managed" device policy in Intune? I've set it up the way I've done the rest of my apps (app configuration policy with IntuneMAMUPN and IntuneMAMDeviceID strings applied) but it shows up under the "unmamaged"  device policy.

Brass Contributor

Thanks for the screen grab, very helpful; have added the Office Hub, Office Hub [HL], and Office Hub [ROW] to our generic Android app protection policy.

 

Is there a way to 

 

a) Stop the app offering to add accounts other than the Office 365 E3 corporate account

b) Stop the app offering a dozen or so cloud file services, an easy way to leak corporate data?

Iron Contributor

I have added all the different Office Mobile versions for Android (HL, ROW and regular) and then subsequently removed the 'old' Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps from my device.

After applying the policy, I can open Office docs from within the Office Mobile app but when clicking an Office attachment in an email that's in the Outlook Mobile for Android app, I get the message that there are no apps available on this device that my organization allows me to open this content in :(

I have resynced from within the company portal app to make sure I get the updated policies and waited 12 hours, still the same.

 

Am I missing something?

Microsoft

@Steve Hernou I'm not able to reproduce that issue on my Android device. It may be best to open a support case to understand the specifics.

Iron Contributor

@Ross Smith IV , please ignore my previous comment. It was a case of me already having mentally started the weekend :)

 

I had clicked 'Review+Save' in the app selection window but then did not click 'Save' on the policy itself...hence my change was not saved.

Corrected my error today and it's now working.

Copper Contributor

Just for clarity, if I'm reading these comments correctly, the new Office app is listed as "Office HUB" in Intune App config and protection sections?

 

Microsoft

@Michael_Sweeting Yes.

 

@Calum_L1 - if you have an app protection policy that prevents data transfer, then you will not be able to exfiltrate corp data to the third-party consumer storage platforms.

Copper Contributor

Thank you Ross.

Copper Contributor

Ross, One more question, for iOS how do you add the Office mobile app to config and protection policies?

Microsoft

@Michael_Sweeting Office Hub is listed in the "Select public apps" list for iOS.

Copper Contributor

Ross,

I do not see an option for iOS in app configuration or app protection policies menus. Full disclosure, I am in the Azure DOD tenant if that matters.

 

Michael_Sweeting_0-1582642290005.png

 

Microsoft

@Michael_Sweeting in that case, add it manually with the bundle ID com.microsoft.officemobile 

Copper Contributor

@Ross Smith IVThat worked, I thank you very much!

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Last update:
‎Dec 19 2023 01:30 PM
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