- FAS IT Support Program
- How do I purchase licenses for Microsoft Office?
How do I purchase licenses for Microsoft Office?
Please note, the University does not have a site license for Microsoft Office and cannot provide either additional licenses or free upgrades. If you need to upgrade or install MS Office on additional machines that you use you willto purchase both a license (which certifies you to legally install and use the software) as well as the media (CD-ROM needed to install the application). This document outlines the steps necessary to purchase licenses for additional machines or upgrade licenses.
If you would like to install or upgrade MS Office on machines in your office, lab, or home you will need to purchase additional licenses. Through the Microsoft Select Agreement, Yale University faculty can purchase licenses at prices well below retail. There are some conditions and details that you need to be aware of before going online to purchase via Yale's ePortal. Purchasing and installing MS Office is a three part process:
- Purchase a license via the the ePortal partner GovConnection.com.
- Purchase the CD-ROM media (if needed).
- Obtain a product activation code.
This document outlines the procedure for navigating the GovConnection website, purchasing the appropriate license and media for your computer, and obtaining the required product activation code.
Considerations when purchasing a new machine
Please note: when you purchase a new machine, it will not automatically come with Microsoft Office pre-installed. Both the Apple and Dell websites via the ePortal provide the option of including an academic version of Office when you purchase a new machine. While this is a convenient option (you usually receive the software with the machine) the cost is approximately twice that of puchasing a license and media from GovConnection.com.
Step 1: Purchasing a license for Microsoft Office
In purchasing a license, you are in fact simply buying the permission to install and use MS Office on multiple machines. Through a special agreement with Yale University, faculty can purchase licenses under the Microsoft Select Agreement program using the ePortal. One condition of this agreement is that in order to purchase a license at the discounted price you must use a Yale Purchasing Card. Personal purchases are not allowed under this agreement. Please note that if you would like to install an older version of MS Office for which you already have CD/media, you are covered by the Select Agreement if you purchase a license for the most recent version. Or more simply put, if you want to install Office XP Pro on a new machine, you can purchase a license for Office 2003 and be covered.
To make purchasing easier, the Yale ePortal links directly to the GovConnection.com website. GovConnection offers licenses for MS Office for both Windows and Mac platforms.
- First you will need to access the ePortal (clicking this link will spawn a new window so you can continue to read these instructions).
- Click the link for "Computer Equipment, Software & Supplies."
- Log in with your netid and password.
- In the menu on the left of the next screen, click the link for Word Processing software.
- You will be transported to the GovConnection.com homepage for Yale.
- About halfway down the page you will see two links. One reads: Visitors must create an account first. If you have not visited the GovConnection site before you will need to register in order to make a purchase.
- The other link reads: "Returning users only" for people that have registered to use the site. Click this if you are registered to enter the GovConnection.com catalogue.
- After you log in to GovConnection- you will need to identify whether this is an institutional or personal purchase. Select one from the following screen in order to proceed.
Almost there. - You should land on your GovConnection/Yale homepage and be presented with a list of categories. In the right-hand column there is a box with the header Microsoft Licenses and Media.
- Select the link for "Office License and Media."
- a. If you are making a personal purchase you will be given the option to purchase the Academic boxed versions of MS Office for both Mac and Windows platforms. There are only three options on the screen. This package provides you with both the license and media. You can select the appropriate box from the list, then click the box that reads "Add selected items" - this will take you to another screen from which you can proceed to checkout where you will enter your billing and shipping information.
or
b. If you are making an institutional purchase and paying by using a University purchasing card (PCard) you will land on a screen with six options for licenses and media. There are two options for Windows (Professional and Standard) licensing and then two options for media (Professional and Standard). If you want In addition, there is one option for Office 2004 for the Mac licensing and one option for the Mac media. Be sure that the versions of license and media that you select match correctly. Check the appropriate boxes for the items you wish to purchase and then click the "Add selected items" box. From here you can proceed to check out.
Step 2: Obtaining the product activation code
After purchasing the appropriate MS Office license and media, there is one more step before installation can take place. Please do not attempt to install MS Office until you have obtained a product activation code. This code prevents unauthorized users from installing the software directly from an unlicensed set of media. In order to obtain a product activation code, please send email to software.admin@yale.edu. Please indicate which version and platform for which you need product codes. You will receive the product activation code via email. You will need this number in order to properly install Microsoft Office.
If you have any other questions or comments regarding software licensing at Yale, please contact software.admin@yale.edu or your local technology support provider.
