Advice by SAP to open Excel Add-In via the MS APP (think: Desktop Shortcut)

[vincentverheyen]

Hi all,

I believe it was during a support conversation, SAP advised me that the best way to open the SAP IBP, add-in for Microsoft Excel was not to open MS Excel seperately, but always use the "SAP IBP, add-in for Microsoft Excel" app, or the accompanying Desktop Shortcut. See for example:

2135948 - Install the S&OP / SAP IBP, Add-In for Microsoft Excel: Supported Configurations / Prerequ...:

"The installers offer you to create an entry in the Windows start menu for the SAP IBP, add-in for Microsoft Excel and a shortcut on your desktop. When using the entry or shortcut to start your SAP IBP, add-in for Microsoft Excel, a new Microsoft Excel instance opens and the SAP IBP Logon window appears.

Both options are enabled by default. When using this new startup option, certain functions and settings are automatically checked and corrected so the SAP IBP, add-in for Microsoft Excel is visible in the Excel ribbon and logged on.

For example, this means that the SAP IBP, add-in for Microsoft Excel is automatically enabled in the Microsoft Excel options along with some other manual steps mentioned in SAP Note 2476762 - IBP: Excel Add In not visible in the Excel Ribbon."

The app looks as such:

The reason given was that certain background processes are initiated only by the opening of this app, and not when opening MS Excel seperately.

However, I can not find any further clear advice by SAP that this APP is the preferred way of opening the IBP Excel Add-In.

Can somebody point me to an official guideline; or provide clarification on the background processes which are thus initiated please?

[Irmi_Kuntze · Accepted solution]

If you open help.sap.com/IBP and go to the tab "use", you will see the Planning with Microsoft Excel.
In here, you will find e.g. under Installing the Excel Add-In the mentioned recommendation.

Do you think it needs to be more clear than you have cited yourself in the OSS note, or would you say the note is too hard to find?

Yours

Irmi

[vincentverheyen · Accepted solution]

Thank you irmhild.kuntze, I am glad to see that this is available in your mentioned SAP Help page @ Installing the Excel Add-In:

• "When you then use the shortcut, certain functions and settings are automatically checked and corrected
  to make the Excel add-in visible in the Microsoft Excel ribbon.
  For example, the Excel add-in is automatically enabled in the Microsoft Excel options."

This is useful as an S-user is not needed to see this Help page.

For your second point: so the only use of opening the IBP Add-In via the shortcut is to "to make the Excel add-in visible in the Microsoft Excel ribbon"? Can you confirm that there are no further benefits of using the shortcut, compared to opening Excel seperately and navigating to the IBP Add-In tab?

[PatrickWeber25]

Hi Vincent, the benefits of using the shortcut are...:

• certain functions and settings are automatically checked and corrected, meaning the Excel add-in won't be disabled
• the SAP IBP ribbon is selected by default
• a new Excel instance is being created so you can connect to different planning areas

In the end it's a matter of preferences. I use the shortcut only in case the Excel add-in got disabled, but that's meanwhile a rather rare case.

Did I answer you question?

Thanks

Patrick