Client Update Options for IT Professionals

INTRODUCTION

Due to the security requirements of modern versions of Microsoft Office Posimente provides code signed Word and Excel macros. The certificates however only last three years and the deployed macros need to be updated to avoid MS Office security alerts.

The macros supplied with the 2024.3 version of POSTman have updated signatures but any previous versions will expire 03 Aug 2024.

SCOPE

Systems that use MS Office 2010 or later.

All server and standalone installations have their macros updated automatically with the quarterly upgrade and do not need to do anything but any client installs need to be updated using one of the options below.

This is only required if your Microsoft Office installations enforce signed macros.

OPTIONS

RE-DEPLOY THE CLIENT NORMALLY

• This can be done manually or using the command line client installer.

• See the POSTman Help File > Installing POSTman > Installation Instructions > Client Install for details on procedures and available command line switches.

• Unfortunately, there is no MSI package available for POSTman.

MANUAL MACRO UPDATE

• The client installer routines identify the version of Office on the target machine and its installed location. You will have to handle this yourself.

• Identify the currently installed Word macro on the client - PostmanXXXX.dot or PostmanXXXX.dotm or PostmanXXXXx64.dotm and replace it with the one in the installer package (where XXXX is the Office version)

  • E.G. In an Office 2016 installation it is likely to be located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\OFFICE16\STARTUP\Postman2016.dot.

  • If there are other copies in ‘User’ style locations they should be removed.

• Identify the currently installed Excel macro on the client - PostmanWizXXXX.xla or PostmanWizXXXX.xlam or PostmanWizXXXXx64.xlam and replace it with the one in the installer package (where XXXX is the Office version)

  • E.G. In an Office 2016 installation it is likely to be located at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\OFFICE16\XLSTART\PostmanWiz2016x64.xlam.

  • If there are other copies in ‘User’ style locations they should be removed.

• The Access macro is not signed but is always located on the server and so will be taken care of during the quarterly update.

OFFICE 2017 and PRIOR

• In 2016 Thawte dropped support for Office 2007 and older so these macros retain the old (expired) certificate.

• After 25 Oct 2016 POSTman will still work in these versions of Office provided you click through the warning or disable the macro security.

DISCLAIMER

Posimente provides this information to IT professionals who manage large networks using professional tools and techniques.

Posimente does not provide support for processes other that the ‘normal’ type of deployment detailed in the POSTman help file and cannot provide advice on the usage of any network management software.

The information is provided ‘as is’ and is used at the customers’ own risk.

SUPPORT

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact support@posimente.com