How-To Guide: Dynamically Enable EPM Add-in For Microsoft Office Tools

1. Introduction

SAP BusinessObjects EPM Solutions, add-in for Microsoft Office provides business
users the capability to analyze data from within supported SAP BusinessObjects EPM
applications using Microsoft Office tools: Excel, Word or PowerPoint.

User can access and analyse data from any of the supported source systems by
connecting to the source system through EPM Add-in tab in the Microsoft Excel, Word or PowerPoint ribbon.

This can be accessed in two ways:

• Lauch EPM directly from Microsoft Office tools using the log on button from ‘EPM’
  / ‘Data Manager’ tab
• Launch EPM through Web

2. Business Scenario

Post installation of EPM Add-in, there is a client requirement to enable EPM Add-in only
if user launches any Microsoft tool through BPC Web.

This means if user tries to launch EPM directly from Microsoft Office tools, then this addin should be in ‘Inactive Mode’, but if user tries to launch EPM through Web, then this
add-in would be in ‘Active Mode’.

3. Background Information

To run any services on Windows system, registry keys have to be maintained. There are
several predefined keys available, but we will restrict our discussion to below registry
keys based on our requirement:

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER : Keeps registry keys relevant to user profile for the
  user who is currently logged on to the computer.
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE : Keeps registry keys relevant to local computer system.

Post installation of EPM Add-in, one HKLM key gets created automatically for each EPM
supported Microsoft Office tools. Based on your system configuration these HKLM keys
are generated either under ‘HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\…’ node
or ‘HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\…’ node. i.e.:

4. Prerequisites

• EPM Add-in should be installed in the client machine
• User should have proper administrative rights in client machine to create or delete
  a system registry entry from Microsoft Registry Editor.

5. Step-by-Step Implementation Procedure

• Close all Microsoft Office applications that might be open: Microsoft Excel, Word
  PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE keys:
  • Create ‘remAllUsrEPMAddin.bat’file with below content:
  • Execute ‘remAllUsrEPMAddin.bat’ file as “Administrator” (Run as Administrator)
  • A command prompt screen with status of execution will appear.
  • Press any key in the command prompt to complete this step.
• Create / Update HKEY_CURRENT_USER keys:
• Run ‘UnLoadEPMAddin.reg’ file.
• Restart your system or log on again to reflect these changes.

6. Refernces

• More details on default System Registry Keys:
  https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms724836(v=vs.85).aspx
• “Disabling EPM Add-in for Faster Microsoft Office Applications Load Time”
  section of “EPM Add-in Installation Guide”.