No matter your technical skillset, it's simple and fast to install Preqin for Excel. Follow this article for an easy step-by-step manual on how to install the Excel add-in. For more information on how to use the Excel Plugin, check out our article here.
Installing Preqin for Excel
Installing Preqin for Excel to your device/system is simple:
Note: The recommended installation method is via the MS Store by either the system administrator or directly by the user
(depending on company restrictions/admin preferences).
System requirements
The following are the prerequisites:
Operating system: Windows
Preqin Pro subscription
Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 MSO 64-bit or Microsoft Excel 2019
Microsoft Office 365 online Excel app
Installation via Office Add-ins and the Microsoft Store (via system administrator).
The system administrator a can supply the add-in via the 365 admin center.
1. Open MS 365 admin center
2. Click Settings > Integrated apps.
3. Once opened, select ‘Deployed apps’ and click ‘Get apps’ below
4. Search for Preqin for Excel and click ‘Get it now’
5. Accept the Microsoft terms by again clicking ‘Get it now’
6. Apply an internal user group or individual user that requires Preqin for Excel.
Note: Users are assigned at the initial set up stage but can be amended at any time
Installation via Office add-ins and the Microsoft Store (via direct user access)
1, Open Excel
2. In the search box at the top of the spreadsheet type 'add-in' and select 'Office Add-ins' from the results given by Excel
Or simply select ‘Office Add-ins’ from the ‘Insert’ menu as shown below:
3. Select 'STORE'
4. Search for 'Preqin for Excel' and click on the 'Add' button
5. Once installed, a new ‘Preqin for Excel’ button will appear in the ‘Home’ tab at the top of Excel. Click on the button to
launch the add-in.
Installation via the manifest File
A manifest file must be added to Excel to access Preqin for Excel. The manifest file is a metadata document in XML which
describes the location of Preqin for Excel, which is a single-page application (SPA). There are several ways to do this:
Adding the file directly into the Microsoft Office 365 Excel app
1. Login to Office 365 - https://www.office.com
2. Select Excel app
3. In the search box at the top of the spreadsheet, type 'add-in' and select 'Office Add-ins' from the result given by Excel.
Or simply select ‘Office Add-ins’ from the ‘Insert’ menu as shown below:
4. Select 'Upload My Add-in'
5. Select the Preqin.xml file provided by your Preqin account manager
6. Once the manifest.xml is loaded successfully, a new ‘Preqin for Excel’ button will appear in the ‘Home’ tab at the top of
Excel. Click on the button to launch the add-in.
Adding the file directly into Microsoft Office 365 Excel desktop client or Excel 2019
1. Create a new Windows folder and save the manifest file into it.
Note: If you run into a screen that prompts you ‘The requested operation requires elevation’, please contact your company’s IT
team for support. They will have admin privileges to help you share the file.
2. Once you have clicked the ‘Share’ button, a new screen called ‘Your folder is shared’ will appear.
3. On the ‘Your folder is shared’ screen, copy the URL by clicking on the ‘copy’ link.
4. Click ‘Done’. Below is the an example of a copied link:
Manifest (file://NewFolder/Demo)
Copy only the part of the link as shown below
Now replace all forward slashes in the copied text with backslashes, see example below:
\\NewFolder\Demo
5. Open a new blank workbook in the Excel desktop client, navigate to ‘File’ > ‘Options’.
An ‘Excel Options’ dialog box will appear as displayed below.
6. Click on ‘Trust Center’ in the left panel, then click on ‘Trust Center Settings’ as shown below:
This will open the ‘Trust Center’ dialog box.
7. In the left panel, select ‘Trusted Add-in Catalogs’
8. Paste the modified URL (e.g.: \\NewFolder\Demo) into the ‘Catalog URL’ text box under the ‘Trusted Catalogs Table’ section and
click the ‘Add catalog’ button as shown below:
9. Once you click on ‘Add catalog’, a dialog box will appear.
10. Select the ‘Show in Menu’ checkbox.
11. Click the ‘Ok’ button and a dialog box will appear to confirm the changes are saved.
12. Click the ‘Ok’ button, the ‘Excel Options’ screen will re-appear.
13. Click the ‘Ok’ button.
14. Close Excel and reopen it to start a new blank workbook.
15. Navigate to the ‘Insert’ menu and select ‘My Add-ins’.
16. In the ‘Office Add-ins’ dialog box, select ‘Shared folder’.
17. Click on the ‘Preqin’ link and press the ‘Add’ button as shown below:
18. After clicking the ‘Add’ button, a new ‘Preqin for Excel’ button will appear in the ‘Home’ tab at the top of Excel. Click on the
button to launch the add-in.
Updating Preqin for Excel
Add-ins are often cached in Office for performance reasons. Normally, the cache is cleared by reloading or updating the add-in,
however, when updating Preqin for Excel you may need to clear the Office cache on your computer:
From Excel ribbon, navigate to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Trusted Add-in Catalogs.
Select the checkbox 'Next time Office starts' and clear all previously started web add-ins cache.
Troubleshooting
If you run into any issues or questions that are not covered in this document, please contact us via datadelivery@preqin.com. You can find all of the Preqin for Excel frequently asked questions on our website here.
