Deploying the add-in
Until our Microsoft AppSource listing is certified, customers sideload the manifest themselves. The portal's Deployment page exposes both formats and links to where you upload them.
Two manifest formats
| Format | When to use | Where to paste |
|---|---|---|
| Unified (.zip) | Modern Outlook on the web, new Outlook for Windows, and recent Outlook desktop builds. Recommended. | M365 admin centre → Integrated Apps → Upload custom app → Office Add-in → As ZIP |
| Classic XML (URL) | Older Outlook clients: Mac, mobile, perpetual Office. | M365 admin centre → Integrated Apps → Upload custom app → Office Add-in → As URL |
The portal shows both URLs and a download button for the ZIP. They never change — the same URL serves the latest manifest version on every visit.
Assignment options
Once uploaded, M365 admin centre lets you choose who can see the add-in:
- All users — appears on the ribbon for everyone in the tenant.
- Specific users / groups — appears only for the chosen audience. Useful for pilot rollouts.
- Catalog only — listed under Get Add-ins → My organization, users opt in themselves.
End users see the add-in in Outlook within ~12 hours of assignment (Microsoft's propagation window — outside our control).
Updating the add-in
When we ship a new version (e.g. 2.2.5 → 2.2.6), tenants on a sideloaded build don't auto-update. The portal's Deployment page surfaces an Update available badge when this happens. Re-upload the manifest the same way you did the first time.
The Observed Versions card tells you who's still on an old version — drift between deployed version and what users are actually running.
Coming soon: AppSource
When the AppSource listing certifies, the deployment page will swap the sideload card for an Install from Microsoft AppSource deep link. Existing sideloads will continue to work; future tenants will install in one click.
→ Next: Managing billing covers plan tiers, editions, and seat counts.