Office Application Custom Code Solutions

Microsoft Professional Advisory Services is a support option that provides short-term, proactive, consultative support beyond break-fix product maintenance needs. This includes working with the same technician for assistance with issues like product migration, code review, or new program development and is a remote, phone-based support option. This service is typically used for shorter engagements, and is designed for developers and IT professionals who do not require the traditional onsite consulting or sustained account management services that are available from other Microsoft support options.

For additional information on Microsoft Advisory Services, including on how to engage, refer to this Microsoft web page:

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/AdvisoryService

Assisting customers in the development of custom code solutions to resolve business application and or business automation challenges. (Potential products that this solution could be applied to are Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio and Publisher).

Assisting customers in the development of custom code solutions to resolve business application and or business automation challenges. Applications that this solution could be applied to are Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio and Publisher. Note: These solutions can be delivered in VBA, xml, html, JavaScript etc.

This Advisory can be further divided into multiple scenarios based on the specific customers' requirements i.e. existing code that needs to be modified or new code that has to be created (see table below).

Guidelines to determine if this is a custom code Professional Advisory

1. What version of the application (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio and Publisher) are you using?
2. What version of development platform are you using?
3. What is the operating system and version?
4. How many users will use this solution?
5. Would you classify your question as "how can I get the application (Excel, Word etc.) to do this" or "Application is failing (error, crash, etc.) when I do this"
6. Does code preexist or has any code been written for this task?
   • Existing Code:
     1. Is there a problem with the existing code?
     2. Are there any application error messages?
     3. Are there any runtime error message?
     4. Is the application crashing or hanging?
     5. Is the code running successfully, but not accomplishing what you need it to do?
     6. Did you want us to modify the existing code?
     7. Is the existing code all written in VBA through the VBE?
     8. Was any of the existing code developed via third party?
     9. Is the individual(s) that wrote or support the existing code still available?
        
   • No Existing Code:
     1. Are there any application error messages?
     2. Can you perform the task through the UI?
     3. Does the task involve decision making (logic)?
     4. Is this solution required to work around a documented application limitation/by design? If Yes, What is the Article?
     5. Is this solution required to work around a documented Bug? If Yes, What is the Bug number?
        

Scoping questions

1. Gather environmental and product information:
   1. What version of the application (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio and Publisher) are you using?
   2. What version of VBA or development platform are you using?
   3. What is the operating system and version?
   4. What languages are being used (E.g. French, Spanish etc.)
2. Please describe what you are trying to accomplish in the application:
   1. Task automation
   2. Document efficiency and or performance
   3. Complex worksheet formula usage
   4. Mail Merge
3. Additional development considerations;
   1. What is your experience with the development platform and will you be the one supporting this code?
   2. How many users will employ this process/code?
   3. Is this code being deployed to your users or to your customers? (Internal or external)
   4. Will they be running the code from the client side?
   5. Will you be pulling data from the server?
   6. Will data be coming in from an import/export or copy/pasted in?
   7. Please provide any additional information about your environment that may be of help (network, data input, etc.)?
4. Does code preexist or do you require new code to be written?
   1. Existing Code:
      1. Explain what the existing code does, and what you expect it to do?
      2. Are there any Application error messages? (Do you know where in the code it is breaking)
      3. Are there any runtime error messages?
      4. Is the application crashing or hanging?
      5. Did this code function correctly in a previous version of the Office Application?
      6. Was any of the existing code developed via Third party or in house developer?
      7. Do we still have access to the third party and or in house developer that supports the existing code?
      8. Can you do the same functionality via the UI?
      9. Are there any non-office Object Models being used (file system object, ADO, windows API, xml, references)
      10. Is the code using only VBA?
      11. Any COM and or application add-ins?
      12. Is OLE automation being used? (i.e. is Excel controlling Word)
      13. Please provide any additional details or assumptions regarding your existing code. (Data Layout, data source, environment, logic)
   2. No Existing Code:
      1. Are there any application error messages?
      2. Can you perform the task through the UI?
         • Is the task repetitive? Please describe or demonstrate.
      3. Does the task involve decision making (logic)?
      4. Will the data or layout of the data being used always be the same, if not, how will it vary/change?
      5. Will you always want the output to be the same, if not, what are those conditions?
      6. Please provide any additional details or assumptions regarding your existing code. (Data Layout, data source, environment, logic)