O2S User Manual for Outlook and SharePoint Rollouts

This manual summarizes everything you need to work with the O2S add-in. If you get stuck, our support team is happy to help.

1. System Requirements

1.1 Supported platforms

Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10
Windows Server 2008, 2013, and 2016
Microsoft Office 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019
SharePoint 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and SharePoint Online/Office 365
All common authentication types (Windows, Forms, NTLM, Kerberos, claims, federated)
Internet Explorer 8 or newer

1.2 Additional requirements

Make sure the full .NET Framework 4.0 (not the client profile) is installed. If it is missing, O2S offers an automatic download during setup.

2. Installation paths

2.1 Setup.exe

Administrator rights are required for both installers. setup.exe is the quickest option for single workstations:

Close all running Office apps.
Double-click setup.exe and confirm the Windows prompt.
Follow the wizard and finish with “Close”.
O2S is deployed system-wide and registers itself under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

2.2 setup_package.msi

Use the MSI for enterprise deployments or software distribution tools:

msiexec.exe /i "<PATH>\setup_package.msi" /qb
msiexec.exe /i "<PATH>\setup_package.msi" /qn

/qb keeps a progress bar visible, /qn runs silently without UI.

3. Activation and Outlook surface

3.1 Enable the SharePoint Explorer

Open Outlook to load the O2S ribbon on the Start tab.
Select “Navigation” to show the O2S task pane.
Enter your activation code and click “Activate”.
Groups and links from earlier versions are migrated automatically.

3.2 Ribbon controls

Navigation toggles the task pane.
Options opens the app and SharePoint Explorer settings (chapter 8).
Support request drafts an email to the Smarter Business helpdesk.

3.3 Workspace window

The workspace resizes automatically and can be pinned via the pushpin icon. It supports uploads, edits, deletes, folder creation, and drag & drop. Use the caret icon to move, resize, or close the pane.

3.4 Context and overflow menus

Every command is available via right-click or the three-dot menu (…) next to “+ New”. Choose whichever fits your workflow best.

4.1 Connect SharePoint sites

Click “+ New” → “Connect SharePoint”.
Enter the site URL or drag it from the browser into the navigation.
(Optional) rename the entry and pick a destination in the “Where” dropdown.
After saving, the site including its tree becomes available in O2S.

Select “+ New” → “Navigation group” and name it.
The “Where” dropdown lets you nest groups.
Use groups to collect frequently used project elements or Office 365 resources.

4.3 Add items to a group

Right-click the item and choose “Save as”.
Adjust the title if needed.
Pick the target group in “Where” and click “Save”.

The tree refreshes automatically when expanding nodes. Trigger a manual refresh with right-click → “Reload” whenever the SharePoint structure changes.

4.5 Remove sites or groups

Use right-click → “Remove” to keep the navigation tidy. Sub-items are removed together with their parent. The command is not available while browsing list structures.

4.6 Move sites

Right-click the entry → “Move to”.
Select a new destination in “Where”.
Confirm with “Move”. All children move along with the parent.

4.7 Save individual elements

“Save as” lets you store lists or libraries directly in the main navigation or a group, so you can open them without browsing through multiple levels.

“Move up” or “Move down” rearrange elements relative to their siblings. The options are disabled while navigating list hierarchies.

4.9 Rename groups and entries

Right-click → “Properties” to define display names. The underlying SharePoint object keeps its original title.

4.10 Open items in the browser

Tooltips indicate whether an entry opens inside the workspace or in the browser. Pick “Open in browser” in the context menu to force a new tab for any list or library.

5. Working inside the workspace

5.1 Layout and controls

The workspace contains the breadcrumb, “Reload”, “+ New”, filtering and sorting tools, the search field, and the form icon for metadata. Drag & drop works both ways.

5.2 Open or download files

Double-click to open files in their default Office app. Folders load directly inside the workspace.

The breadcrumb above the grid shows the current path. Click any folder in the trail to jump back.

5.4 Column widths

Hover over a column edge until the vertical divider appears and drag it to resize the column.

5.5 Search

“Find an item” searches content and metadata in the current level including subfolders. Use the X icon to clear the query. Recently uploaded files only appear after SharePoint finishes indexing them.

5.6 Multiple workspaces

Right-click → “Open in new window” to display several lists at once—for example to compare different views.

6. Creating and uploading content

6.1 New elements and folders

Click “+ New” and pick the desired content type (folder, document, list item).
Name the item and save it. Documents open automatically in the respective Office application.

6.2 Drag & drop list items

Drop files or emails onto the workspace to create new items. The edit form opens automatically so you can fill in metadata.

6.3 Attach files to existing items

Drop the file directly on top of the list item. Update its metadata in the form panel or delete outdated attachments.

6.4 Upload multiple files or folders

After a batch upload you can either:

Finish with “Close”, or
Select “Edit properties” to maintain metadata immediately.

Three modes speed up the process:

Manually set attributes for each file (default)
Suggest the same attributes for the next file
Apply the same attributes to all remaining files

6.4.1 Long file names

SharePoint URLs are limited to 256 characters. Use “Rename and upload” to auto-trim file names beyond that limit, skip single files, or cancel the entire upload. See https://support.microsoft.com/de-at/help/2933738/restrictions-and-limitations-when-you-sync-sharepoint-libraries-to-you for invalid character rules.

6.4.2 File conflicts

When a file with the same name already exists you can:

Upload and replace
Skip the current file
Upload but keep all versions (a number is appended)
Decide per file in a follow-up dialog
Cancel the entire batch

The preferred behavior can be stored in the options dialog.

Open – launches the default Office app.
View/Edit item – opens DisplayForm.aspx or EditForm.aspx.
Check out – reserves the file for editing.
Copy file / Copy link – stores the file or URL in the clipboard.
Email file / Email link – drafts a message with either an attachment or a hyperlink.
Download copy – saves a local copy.
Delete item – removes the content directly in SharePoint.

The toolbar mirrors these actions and adds “Send link”, “Copy link”, “Download”, and the three-dot overflow menu.

6.6 Office-wide actions

Use “Copy file” to paste images or documents into Word or Outlook with Ctrl + V, which saves time when sharing content via email.

6.7 Edit properties

Select an item, click the form icon, and choose “Edit item”. Saving writes all changes back to SharePoint immediately.

6.8 Views

O2S honors SharePoint views including grouped layouts. Switch between them via the dropdown left of the form icon.

6.9 Filtering

Open the column filter via the little triangle, tick the values you need, and combine filters across multiple fields. Clear a filter with “Clear filter from…”.

6.10 Sorting

The same menu lets you sort ascending or descending. A chevron next to the column header indicates the active sort order.

7. Email features

7.1 Upload emails

Drag one or multiple messages into the target library. Update metadata right after the upload if required.

7.2 Email preview

Mail libraries show a preview when you click the envelope icon, including header information and attachment hints. The expand icon widens or narrows the preview pane.

7.3 Extend a library for emails

Right-click the library → “Properties”.
Click “Extend mail library” and confirm.
After the success message the library icon changes. Contact your SharePoint admin if the process fails.

8. Options and automation

8.1 General settings

Personalize – choose language and color theme.
Privacy – decide when temporary files are deleted.
Information – shows version details for all installed Smarter Business apps.

8.2 SharePoint Explorer options

View – enable line breaks or define a maximum column width.
Upload – close the dialog automatically after success, trim long names, auto-rename emails, mark uploaded emails as read, categorize them, or move them into specific folders.
Mail libraries – predefine the categories and target folders applied after each upload.

9. Support and deployment

9.1 Support request

The ribbon button opens an email addressed to support@smarterbusiness.at. You can swap the address inside the Outlook configuration file if needed.

9.2 Credential management

Saved credentials live in the Windows Control Panel under “User Accounts > Credential Manager”. Look for entries prefixed with SBS.O2S to manage or remove stored passwords.

10. Administrator reference

10.1 `SBS.O2S.SharePointExplorer.xml`

Application settings

<app.service_id> – unique app identifier, do not change it.
<app.activation_code> – enables silent activation when a product key is stored.
<app.use_browser_authentication_whenever_is_possible> – prefers browser auth (e.g., Office 365) and falls back to Windows credentials.
<app.connection_limit> – limits simultaneous connections.

<navigation.resolve_sharxx_navigation> – uses a custom SharxXNavigation.xml if present.
<navigation.resolve_quicklaunch_navigation> – builds the tree from the SharePoint quick launch.
<navigation.resolve_lists_when_quicklaunch_is_empty_or_disabled> – loads all lists if no navigation is defined.
<navigation.resolve_subwebs_when_quicklaunch_is_empty_or_disabled> – displays subwebs.
<navigation.populate_sub_folders_on_demand> – loads subfolders on demand.
<navigation.show_progress_while_loading> and the related delay values control progress indicators.
<navigation.core_request_limit>, <navigation.min_request_limit>, <navigation.max_request_limit> – tweak parallel requests.
<navigation.exclusions> – hides selected lists.

List settings

<list.view.line_break> – allows multi-line fields to wrap.
<list.view.override_maximum_column_widths> / <list.view.maximum_column_widths_limit> – define responsive column widths.
<list.search_item_limit> – limits the number of search results.
<list.override_default_group_item_limit> / <list.group_item_limit> – prevent paging in grouped views.
<list.forms.show_maximized> – chooses the default size of SharePoint overlay forms.

Upload settings

<upload.close_dialog_box_when_upload_completes> – auto-closes the success dialog.
<upload.automatically_remove_invalid_characters_from_names> – strips unsupported symbols.
<upload.automatically_shorten_long_names> – trims long names automatically.
<upload.folder.default_name>, <upload.file.default_name>, <upload.mail.default_name> – fallback titles when SharePoint rejects the original name.
Mail-specific keys control auto-renaming, marking as read, categorizing, moving to a folder, and adding prefixes or suffixes. <upload.mail.save_properties_to_sharepoint> writes email metadata into mail libraries.

10.2 `SharxXNavigation.xml`

Defines a custom navigation tree. Without this file O2S relies on the SharePoint quick launch or lists within the current web.

10.3 `EnvironmentVariables.xml`

<EnvironmentVariables>
  <ApplicationData Value="%AppData%\Smarter Business Solutions\Office 2 SharePoint"/>
  <Cache Value="%AppData%\Smarter Business Solutions\Office 2 SharePoint\Cache"/>
  <Configuration Value="%AppData%\Smarter Business Solutions\Office 2 SharePoint\Configuration"/>
  <Temp Value="%AppData%\Smarter Business Solutions\Office 2 SharePoint\Temp"/>
  <Logs Value="%AppData%\Smarter Business Solutions\Office 2 SharePoint\Logs"/>
</EnvironmentVariables>

All four folders are required while O2S is running.

10.4 `SBS.O2S.Cleaner.xml`

<clean_at_startup> – deletes temp files during startup.
<clean_on_exit> – cleans up on exit (default: True).
<show_progress_dialog_while_cleaning> – displays a progress bar while deleting files.

10.5 `SBS.O2S.Infrastructure.xml`

<Theme> – selects the icon and accent color theme.
<taskpane.use_office_theme> – inherits the Outlook theme.
<localization.language> – defines the UI language, e.g., de-AT or en-US.

10.6 `SBS.O2S.Outlook.xml`

<settings.info.product_info.link_title> and <…link_url> – add info links to the O2S settings dialog.
<diagnostics.enable_developer_mode> – support-only switch, keep it disabled.
<support.email_address> – sets the target address for “Support request”.

10.7 `SBS.O2S.SharePoint.xml`

<ssl.ignore_certificate_errors> – suppresses certificate warnings (use with caution).
proxy.* – inherits system proxy settings or defines dedicated servers.
<web.security.authentication.providers.adfs.realms> / <…servers> – list permitted ADFS realms and STS servers.
<web.utilities.mui.use_language_switcher> – activates multi-language detection.

10.8 `SBS.O2S.SharePointExplorer.EmailFieldMappings.xml`

Map email headers to SharePoint fields and define the order in which the fields are created. Adjust the XML to match your metadata scheme.

With these steps you can install, configure, and operate O2S with confidence across your organization.