2 Install the Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel

Install the Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel by downloading the installer from the Downloads page.

The add-in is supported on Windows 10 operating systems that run the 32-bit version of Microsoft Excel 2016 or 365 (see Supported Platforms for the Visual Builder Add-in for Excel (Doc ID 2474783.1)).

Follow these steps to install the add-in afresh or upgrade an existing installation. If you're upgrading, make sure you follow the recommended practices (see Best Practices for an Upgrade).

  1. Quit Excel before you begin installation.
  2. Double-click the vbafe-installer.exe file that you downloaded previously to launch the installation wizard.
  3. As a business user responsible for data entry, click Developer Options and select Disabled to exclude the designer tools and install only the tools that help manage data.
  4. Click Install.

    The add-in requires the Microsoft .NET Framework and Visual Studio Tools for Office Runtime to be installed on your computer. If this software is not present, both are installed.

    Note:

    While Administrator privileges are not required to install the add-in, you must have Administrator privileges to successfully install Microsoft .NET Framework and Visual Studio Tools for Office Runtime. The add-in is installed for the current Windows user only.
  5. Once installation is complete, click Close.

    If you run into issues, check the %TEMP%\vbafe\vbafe-installer-log.txt installation log.

  6. Start Excel and open a new or existing workbook.

    A new Oracle Visual Builder ribbon tab appears, with commands that help you download and manage data from a web application.



    Note:

    The add-in is enabled by default after installation. You can disable and re-enable it using the Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel check box in the COM Add-ins window (click Excel’s File > Options > Add-Ins).Description of disableaddin.png follows
    Description of the illustration disableaddin.png
  7. To verify your installation, you can download and run the Visual Builder Add-in for Excel - Client Health Check Tool (see How to use Visual Builder Add-in for Excel - Client Health Check Tool (Doc ID 2477792.1)).

Check for Updates

After you install the Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel, it's a good idea to check whether a newer version of the add-in is available for you to install. You'll need an Oracle.com account to sign in and download a new version.

  1. From the Advanced drop-down in your existing installation, select Check for Updates.
    Description of check-updates.png follows
    Description of the illustration check-updates.png
  2. If a newer version is available, when prompted to open the downloads page in your browser, click Yes.
  3. Download the installer for the latest version, then install the update. Before you update, be sure to review best practices as described in the next section.

Best Practices for an Upgrade

When you want to upgrade your existing installation of Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel, follow these recommendations for a clean upgrade.

  1. Before you upgrade the add-in:
    1. Upload any pending changes using the current add-in version.
    2. Save changes in open workbooks, then close Excel.
  2. Run the vbafe-installer.exe installer file for the new version. The installer will automatically replace the previous version with the new version.
  3. After you upgrade:
    1. Launch Excel to complete any final installation steps.
    2. Open your integrated workbook.
    3. Clear any layouts of old data and download data again as required.