IT Admin Guide

Excel Add-in (Preview Edition)

Version 1.0 — 26 Jan 2026

1. Overview

Augmend is an Excel add-in that allows users to extract, analyze, and augment documents directly in Excel using AI-powered features.

The add-in works across Excel for Windows, Mac, and Web.

This guide explains how IT administrators can deploy, configure, and support the Augmend add-in within their organization.

2. System Requirements

Supported Platforms

  • Excel for Windows (Microsoft 365)
  • Excel for Mac (Microsoft 365)
  • Excel for the Web (supported browsers: Edge, Chrome, Safari)

User Requirements

  • A valid Microsoft 365 account
  • Minimum age: 13+ (as defined in Terms of Use)

3. Deployment Options

Augmend supports the three standard Office add-in deployment methods:

Accessing the manifest file:

To use Augmend add-in, you will need a manifest xml file

Download XML Manifest

A. Centralized Deployment (Recommended)

  1. Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center → Settings → Integrated Apps.
  2. Select Upload Custom Apps.
  3. Upload the Augmend manifest (XML).
  4. Assign the add-in to:
    • All users,
    • Specific groups, or
    • Specific individuals.
  5. Click Deploy.

The add-in will appear in Excel within minutes.

B. Microsoft AppSource (Registration in Progress)

Augmend is currently undergoing registration with Microsoft AppSource. Once finalized, deployment will be streamlined through the official Office Store.

Legacy Method: Manual sideloading via local network shares is supported for testing but is not recommended for production environments due to higher maintenance and security complexity.

4. Network Requirements

Augmend requires outbound HTTPS access to the following domains:

  • Augmend Application:
    • https://xls.augmend.app (Excel Add-in UI)
    • https://app.augmend.app (Web App & Registration)
  • Augmend Backend API:
    • https://api.augmend.app (Consolidated API endpoint)
  • Support & Resources:
    • https://augmend.app (Marketing & Documentation)
  • Infrastructure & Auth:
    • https://login.microsoftonline.com (Microsoft Identity)
    • https://accounts.google.com (Google Identity)
    • *.gstatic.com, *.googleapis.com (CDNs)

Additional Domains: For security and privacy compliance, additional auxiliary domains (such as cloud storage and internal service endpoints) are listed explicitly in the <AppDomains> section of the Augmend XML Manifest file. IT administrators should ensure all domains listed in the manifest are whitelisted in the organizational firewall.

No inbound firewall rules are required.

No internal infrastructure domains need to be whitelisted.

5. Authentication

Augmend supports:

  • Microsoft account sign-in
  • Google account sign-in
  • Personal Access Tokens (optional for advanced automation)

User authentication tokens are securely stored in protected browser storage.

6. Updates

For Centralized Deployment, updates propagate automatically when a new manifest version is published.

For Local Network Share deployment, replace the manifest file in the shared folder to initiate an update.

In both cases, users typically do not need to reinstall the add-in.

7. Troubleshooting

Add-in does not appear

  • Verify the assignment in Centralized Deployment.
  • Ensure the manifest is uploaded correctly.
  • Confirm the Excel client is updated to the latest version.
  • Verify the manifest XML structure using the Office Add-in Validator.
  • Check GPO/Security Policies: Some organizations block "Office Store" or "Custom Add-ins" via GPO. Verify that "Allow Add-ins" is enabled.

Pro Tip: Manifest Validation

If the manifest fails to upload, IT admins can use the official Microsoft validation tool to check for schema errors. Run the following command in a terminal:
npx office-addin-manifest validate [path-to-manifest.xml]

Authentication issues

  • Check that outbound access to Microsoft/Google login endpoints is not blocked.
  • Confirm cookies and third-party storage are allowed in the browser.

Network/Firewall issues

  • Ensure the required domains listed in Section 4 are accessible via HTTPS.

Excel Web version issues

8. Support

If you encounter issues or require assistance with deployment:

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