Installing the Reflektive Outlook Plugin - Using System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) for Central Deploy

There are a number of versions of the Reflektive plugin that both administrators and users can install. One of the most common implementations (using a tool like SCCM to deploy the Reflektive to a large number of PCs on a machine level) require IT oversight.

Reflektive provides per-user and per-machine MSI packages for installing on end user machines. The difference between them is that a per-machine edition allows running the add-in by all users configured on a machine (Windows) while a per-user edition requires installing the software individually. 

1. Per-user:
        msiexec /i ReflektiveUserSetup.msi /qn /norestart
   
   
2. Per-machine (requires admin privileges)
   
   Note, the package name is different from per-user installations.
   
   
   • You may try to deploy the add-in using SCCM with the command line "setup.exe /qn". The setup.exe file is included to each add-in package. You just need to unpack the content from a zip archive to any accessible folder. 
     setup.exe /qn
     
     
   • Or running the following as Administrator:
     msiexec /i ReflektiveMachineSetup.msi /qn /norestart
     
     There is a work-around, and that is to use a custom Task sequence and the step Run Command Line. After R2 and R3 there is an option to run command line using a specific User Account. We have run into similar issues before and used that feature to solve them. Then you can run your command line using an account that is local admin on the computer and it should work.

Both ways were reported by Reflektive customers who successfully deployed per-machine add-ins. 

To uninstall the software IT admins should do almost the same steps except command lines where the /i should be replaced with /x. For example, for the per-user installation it will look like that:

msiexec /x ReflektiveUserSetup.msi /qn /norestart

The most efficient way for deploying any kind of software is through central deployment using a network administrative tool such as Microsoft's System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM). If your company has it, it can make the deployment a quick and easy process. You will first have to download the appropriate .msi file (you may have to extract it first if it is in an archive/zip file).

A video tutorial for a generic machine level central deploy is available here.

The procedure is also listed out below, step-by-step.

1. Open up SCCM, and on the bottom right-hand menu, click on Software Library.
   
2. Under the sub-folder Application Management, right click on Applications and then Create Folder.
   
3. For the folder name, choose any name you'd like, but best practice is to create a folder called Reflektive.
   
4. Once you create the folder, right click on it and then select Create Application.
   
5. This will open up the Create Application Wizard. Select the Automatically detect information about this application from installation files radio button, look for Windows Installer (.msi file) and then hit Browse.
   
6. Find the installer file that you downloaded. Then click Next.
   
7. You'll see a progress bar as the file information gets pulled into the system.
   
8. The system will confirm that all your information has been imported. Click Next.
   
9. In the General Information section, check to see that everything looks right. Under Install behavior, select Install for system. Then click Next.
   
10. You'll see a summary screen of all the selections you made. Click Next.
    
11. A progress bar will appear for the application being created.
    
12. You'll see a confirmation screen once everything has been successfully created. Close the dialog window.
    
13. Back on the main page, you'll see an application appear in your folder. Right click on it, and select Properties.
    
14. Click on Application Catalog.
    
15. Next to User categories, click on Edit.
    
16. Select Office. Then click OK.
    
17. Go to the Deployment Types tab next. Select the application you created and click Edit.
    
18. Click on the Content and make sure the location/correct boxes are checked.
    
19. In the Programs tab, the installation/uninstall programs lines should be auto-filled, so no action required here.
    
20. In the Detection Method tab, the MSI Product Code and number should show up, so no action required here either.
    
21. Under the User Experience tab, make sure that the installation behavior is set to Install for system.
    
22. In the Requirements tab, click on Add.
    
23. In the new dialog window that pops up, select Device and Operating system, then proceed to select all versions of Windows that your employees are using.
    
24. Once these requirements are set, click OK.
    
25. You should be done configuring the application and are now ready to deploy. Right click on your application again from the main menu, and then select Deploy.
    
26. This will launch a wizard. Next to Collection, click Browse.
    
27. On the left-hand drop down, select Device Collections. Then, All User Groups.
    
28. You'll see how many members (aka employees/users) are within the appropriate group. Once you have the correct group selected, click OK.
    
29. Check to make sure everything is configured correctly and then click Next.
    
30. Next, on the Content tab on the left, click on Add, and select Distribution Point.
    
31. Select the appropriate distribution point (the admin/IT team should have already set this up prior to this deploy)
    
32. Click Next.
    
33. Next, you'll be at the Deployment Settings section. You'll make sure that the action is Install, and the purpose is Required.
    
34. In the next section, Scheduling, select the time you think is appropriate for this to happen. Best practice is probably after normal work hours.
    
35. Under User Experience, pick these settings and click Next.
    
36. Review all the selections you made in the Summary section. Click Next and you'll see a progress bar that will fill up.
    
37. If all goes well, you'll see this completion screen with success messages. You're done!
    
38. You'll be sent back to the main screen, and you'll see that your app appears in the bottom portion of the screen.

If you have any further issues, retry the installation wizard.