Need alternative of MS Office installation on BP server.

[Tomar_singhChau]

Hi,

We are evaluating Blue Prism 6.6.

I have installed BP Client on Windows machine and Server on Windows 2016 server. I was able to test few work-flows that use Excel/Word VBO objects on the client. It was working fine.

I have published the process to server. But we don't have MS Office installed on our server. When I executed the process on server machine, I was getting the following error.

"ERROR: Internal : Could not execute code stage because exception thrown by code stage: Cannot create ActiveX component."

We have security restriction not to install MS Office on Server machines. Do we need MS Office on server to use VBO? Are there any alternatives?

------------------------------
Tomar singh Chauhan
------------------------------

[zdenek.kabatek]

Hi, Tomar,

well, it is the same as if you want to open MS Office application on Win Server 2016 and there is no application installed. Then you can't open it period.The same applies to Blue Prism - it is using Microsoft Interoperability libraries which must be installed within operating system. If these are missing the VBO will not work.

Regards,

------------------------------
Zdeněk Kabátek
Head of Professional Services
NEOOPS
http://www.neoops.com/
Europe/Prague
------------------------------

[Walter.Koller]

I suggest to follow enterprise installation and deployment of Blue Prism with Runtime Resource and Application Server running on separate machines.
The Runtime Resource will be the place where processes are executed and it is highly recommended it is set-up as workplace like any other used by human colleagues. 
Therefore there is no need to install Office on the server.
The Runtime Resource is normally a virtualized workplace (for several reasons) but can also be a physical computer.

------------------------------
Walter Koller
Solution Manager
Erste Group IT International GmbH
Europe/Vienna
------------------------------

[Tomar_singhChau]

Thank you @Zdeněk Kabátek for the reply.​

------------------------------
Tomar singh Chauhan
------------------------------

[Tomar_singhChau]

Thank you @Walter Koller for the suggestion. ​Are you saying we should have Runtime resources on the client, which actually a workspace to develop BP flows?

------------------------------
Tomar singh Chauhan
------------------------------

[Walter.Koller]

Please have a look at the enterprise level deployment overview document:
https://portal.blueprism.com/system/files/documents/v6.4%20Data%20Sheet%20-%20Infrastructure%20Overview%20Enterprise%20Edition_3.pdf

Development and automated execution should be on different workplaces but set-up and configuration (very) similar.
Imagine a robot being a regular employee needing a workplace / machine to do his job and having difficulties to share his workplace with other colleagues at the same time 🙂


------------------------------
Walter Koller
Solution Manager
Erste Group IT International GmbH
Europe/Vienna
------------------------------