Outlook add-in for Smarter Visitor Registration

The manifest describes the add-in for Outlook: name, button and the address of your installation. You generate it under Settings › Outlook Add-in.

1. Fill in the fields. Choose the display name and button label in the language of your employees.
2. Click Save & Publish Manifest.
3. Copy the manifest address shown, https://<name>.azurewebsites.net/manifest.xml, or download the file manifest.xml.

Centralised deployment installs the add-in for the selected people in Outlook for Windows, Mac and on the web. You need the Exchange Administrator or Global Administrator role for this.

1. Open the Microsoft 365 admin center and select Settings › Integrated apps.
2. Click Upload custom apps.
3. Select Office Add-in as the app type.
4. Select Provide link to manifest file and paste the manifest address. Alternatively, upload the downloaded manifest.xml.
5. Define who receives the add-in: Just me for the first test, Entire organization or Specific users/groups.
6. Confirm the permissions and finish the deployment.

Who sees the button in Outlook is controlled solely by the assignment in the Microsoft 365 admin center. For a gradual rollout, for example location by location, this approach works well:

1. Create one group per location, for example “Visitor Registration Vienna”. Use a Microsoft 365 group or a mail-enabled security group.
2. Assign the add-in to the groups: During deployment, select Specific users/groups and add the groups of the locations that are starting. You add further groups later with Edit users.
3. Assign the group to the location: Enter the same group in the settings of the location under Access › Outlook assignment groups. Appointments created by these people are then assigned to the correct location automatically.

There is no location selection in Outlook. The system assigns each appointment in this order:

1. Location of the appointment: If the “Location” field contains exactly the name of a location, this location applies. Upper and lower case do not matter.
2. Group of the host: If the person who creates the appointment is a member of an Outlook assignment group, the associated location applies.
3. Primary location: In all other cases, the primary location is used.

You define what the add-in writes into the appointment for each location under Check-in behavior › Outlook QR code. The template must contain the placeholder {{qrCode}}; {{locationName}} inserts the name of the location.

• Use the template for everything visitors should know: address, parking, where to report at reception.
• If behavior guidelines with Attach to Outlook invitation are active at the location, the add-in adds the guidelines files as attachments.
• Without a custom template, the add-in uses a short default text with the QR code.

1. Create a new appointment in Outlook and add the visitors as attendees.
2. Enter the subject, the time and, if you have several locations, the location.
3. Click the add-in button in the ribbon. After a few seconds, the QR code is in the appointment.
4. Send the invitation as usual.

• All attendees count as visitors: required and optional, internal and external. Only the organiser is excluded.
• The content of the appointment is replaced. Insert the QR code first and write your invitation text afterwards, or store it in the template.
• Click again after changes: If you change attendees, time or location, click the button once more. The QR code stays the same, and the registration is updated.
• The registered people appear immediately as “Planned” in the analytics of the location.

• Changing the label or name: Adjust the fields in the settings, increase the version and publish again. Then open the add-in under Integrated apps and select Update add-in.
• Changing the assignment: Open the add-in under Integrated apps and select Edit users.
• Removing: In the same area, select Remove app. QR codes that have already been sent remain valid.