Install Office 2016 OEM without Live account

Anonymous

I manage IT services for several small businesses and periodically need to purchase new computers with Office. I just purchased a new Dell laptop with the OEM version of Office 2016 Home & Business. It will not let me activate it without adding it to a MS account.

I know this is a perennial question, beginning with Office 2013, that is a major headache for independent technical consultants that support small businesses, as I do. But I have never seen a solid answer as to how to get this installed on the computer without the MS account--just a lot of try this, try that. This is NOT Office 365, just Office H & B 2016!

I will not:

Add it to my MS account, or it will be forever stuck to me--which is inappropriate, since I will not own the computer or software once I am paid for the system by my client.
Make my client set up a MS account just for this.
Pry into my client's information to get his MS account information (if he even has one).

But I must have Office installed, activated, and updated before I give the system to my client. The activation dialog, in fact, gives me the option of using a product key instead of a login, but then proceeds to "Redeem Online"--which I believe will end up with the same result that requires a MS account.

At this point, I now have a bigger issue. I backed up the Program Data folder that contains the cached Office installation files, then uninstalled MS Office, hoping that a reinstall would give me some option to truly install without being forced to figure out a MS account for my client. The uninstallation removed the original setup folders. Good thing I backed it up, but then when I reinstall from any of those, it installs Office 2013, not Office 2016. And while it still validates the key when I click the option to use a key instead of a logon, it (as before) takes me to "Redeem Online".

Hello, Microsoft: this issue alone has just eliminated my entire profit from this project, given the time I have already spent trying to get this done, then uninstalling and attempting to reinstall.

I know there are versions that can be activated without a MS account, but I do not buy in bulk and can never seem to figure out which is which.

How do I get this installed for my client without being required to use a MS account?

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515 answers

Anonymous

2016-12-28T15:52:34+00:00

So we are still here waiting for a valuable response and no such luck.

-You can buy with Volume Licensing, which doesn't work for IT providers, as they have many customers

and won't work for me because my boss won't pay for an already overpriced product. The only way to get the volume discount is to buy them all at once which not all clients need as some still have valuable licenses from 2013 H&B

-You can use Office 365 Which requires a mass migration for all clients. While it may seem easy in the sales pitch everyone needs training etc. Also a large up front investment.

Your option as I understand it is to keep buying retail license and registering them using multiple shell live accounts and keep track of them on a spreadsheet (ironically), or just give them away with an employee starter kit and hope you never have to re-install them.

It's not like you can seriously use a different product, all our clients will pee themselves trying to use open office or something like it.
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Anonymous

2016-12-28T15:55:09+00:00

Ron, are you serious? 290 posts later, all about how disgruntled we are with: "It is critical to guide end customers through the process to ensure activation" and just how much time that takes for small IT Shops and you go and respond with exactly what it is we are all moaning about??? Have you utterly missed the whole direction of this now very lengthy thread??? Ron, please go back to page one and read the opening sentiment.
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Anonymous

2016-12-28T17:45:16+00:00

No, I haven't missed anything and I was not sure if WiseCraig' if he was even aware of the advice that I posted. In any event I posted a link to the OEM site for further assistance. The method that I posted is not the only way to deal with the issue. After hundreds if not thousands of post I have read I know there are other methods used by vendors, I just do not know how to accomplish the result. What I have observed is that there is a way for a vendor to download a setup file Office onto a computer in such a way that it can be activated by the purchaser. I thought that maybe the OEM people could help.

As I have said above I have had enough of trying to assist people on this forum. Just because my posts, as well as others who try to assist posters, do not provide an the correct answer, it would be nice to type 'thank you'. It takes no more than that. In fact most people do not say thank you when the correct solution is provided. Totally ignorant people.
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Anonymous

2016-12-28T17:58:41+00:00

I think you're mixing up replies, because my comments thanked you for posting the official response.

However, and we're going to disagree on this, the official response from Microsoft is not considered to be helpful or workable by many *paying* customers. Calling it "correct" is not a fair assessment of its value.

cpw...
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Anonymous

2016-12-28T18:19:33+00:00

The fact that a response to a posters question is not the correct answer does not mean the person who responds has not taken the time and trouble to find the an answer to the posters question. You really do not get it it's all me me me. How many times have you attempted to help anyone on this forum? Don't bother replying I am going stop email replies.
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