Every time I try to upgrade I get a screen that says I have to quit SyncServices Agent

Many of the provided answers do not address the fact that SyncServicesAgent starts itself right up again after quitting it in the Activity Monitor.

I've no clue how to use terminal... and seriously don't want to restart the computer for this.

Here's the very-low-techie solution I found:

(1) Open Finder/Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office

(2) Drag SyncServicesAgent.app to the desktop (this keeps it from restarting!)

(3) THEN open Finder/Applications/Utilities/Activity Monitor.app

(4) Find SyncServicesAgent in the list and quit it.

(5) Click the Continue button on the installer pop-up.

(6) When the application finishes installing, drag SyncServicesAgent.app back to Finder/Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Office

Install Basics

Not only should Safari be quit but all browsers and hidden Microsoft processes like the Microsoft Database daemon and SyncServicesAgent.

Use the Microsoft Autoupdater (MAU) to update Office 2011

• Open any Office application and select "Check for Updates" under Help in the Menu bar. Once MAU is launched, select "Keep in Dock". You can remove after completing upgrades.
• Log out/in as described below.
• Select the MAU in the Dock and download the updater.
• After it downloads, quit the MAU then install. Leave in Dock until there are no more updaters.
• RESTART
• Repeat until there are no more updaters.
• Log out under the Apple in the Menu bar
• Log in and hold down the Shift key (this disables all startup items including the hidden ones like Sync Services)

Note for the MAU and MERP updaters you do NOT have to restart after updating. These are found in the root Library:

 /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/

Why Restart?

The Restart after updater will force a file that stores the version info to update. This should happen automatically but sometimes it doesn't. The next updater will fail and you will have to re-install Office. The restart is a quick step that will save time in the long term.

Hello All,

PLEASE READ THIS ANSWER.  Here is the PROPER way to do this:

1. Begin the update for Microsoft Office 2011
2. Open "Activity Monitor" (Go --> Utilities, or search in Spotlight)
3. Find "SyncServicesAgent" and highlight, and "Quit Process" with the stop-sign.
4. Quickly press "Continue" or "Retry" on the updater / installer before the process begins itself again.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2482074

This does not require one to open terminal, or mess up any other configuration of your computer.

Thank you for your time.

-- Morris