---
title: "MS Office Variants"
source_url: https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/disclosure-management/work-with-msoffice/ms-office-variants
language: en
last_updated: 2026-06-08
---
# MS Office Variants

## Overview

In Lucanet Disclosure Management, three different variants are available for working with MS Word and MS Excel: **MS Office for the Web**, **MS Office for Desktop**, and **MS Office Native**. The selected variant determines **where** MS Office documents are opened and edited – in the browser or in the version of MS Office installed locally on the computer – and which ribbons you work with in MS Word or MS Excel.

You set the variant per document under **Configuring a Document** in the **General Settings** area, using the **MS Office Variant** selection. For more information on the settings, see [Configuring a Document](https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/disclosure-management/configure-document-disclmgmt.md).

Selecting the MS Office variant under **Configuring a Document | General Settings**

## The three variants compared

The following table shows how the three variants differ in terms of the MS Word and MS Excel version used:

| Variant | MS Word opens … | MS Excel opens … |
|---|---|---|
| [**MS Office for the Web**](https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/disclosure-management/work-with-msoffice/ribbons-disclosure-mgmt/ribbons-office-for-web.md) | in the browser | in the browser |
| [**MS Office for Desktop**](https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/disclosure-management/work-with-msoffice/ribbons-disclosure-mgmt/ribbons-office-for-desktop.md) | in the locally installed Office version | in the locally installed Office version |
| [**MS Office Native**](https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/disclosure-management/work-with-msoffice/ribbons-disclosure-mgmt/ribbons-office-native.md) | in the locally installed Office version (as an add-in) | in the locally installed Office version (as an add-in) |

## Variant details

### MS Office for the Web

When **MS Office for the Web** is selected:

- **MS Word documents** open in the browser (Office for the Web).
- **MS Excel documents** open in the browser (Office for the Web).

This lets authors edit Word and Excel files directly in the browser without a local Office installation.

### MS Office for Desktop

When **MS Office for Desktop** is selected, **all** MS Office documents – Word and Excel – open in the version of MS Office installed locally on the computer.

### MS Office Native

With **MS Office Native**, you use the Office for the Web ribbons together with the locally installed Office programs (MS Word and MS Excel). In this variant, Disclosure Management runs directly in the locally installed Word desktop application as an add-in – in contrast to Office for the Web, which runs in the browser.

## Which variant is right for me?

### Advantages and disadvantages of the MS Office variants

| Variant | Advantages | Disadvantages | Installation |
|---|---|---|---|
| **MS Office for the Web** | Collaborative work by several authors directly in the browser; no local Office installation required; always up to date | Limited by the Microsoft web platform: no custom fonts, no multi-column layout, no advanced typography; some Disclosure Management functions are not yet available | Only upload the **Office Online Manifest** – no Dispatcher |
| **MS Office Native** | Work in the locally installed Office application with the full range of MS Word/Excel functions (custom fonts, multi-column layout, typography); modern ribbons (**DM-Content**/**DM-Layout**); **no Dispatcher required**; successor to MS Office for Desktop | Local Office installation required; individual functions from Office for Desktop are being added gradually (currently only minor differences) | Two **manifest files** (Content + Layout) – no Dispatcher |
| **MS Office for Desktop** | Work in the locally installed Office application; currently the largest range of functions (e.g. XBRL, Copilot, ESG text value, advanced table and layout configuration) | **Phase-out model**; complex installation (Dispatcher + Word ribbon + Excel ribbon); the Dispatcher and ribbons have to be updated frequently | **Dispatcher** + **Word ribbon** + **Excel ribbon** |

### Recommendation by use case

| Your use case | Recommended variant |
|---|---|
| Several people are to work on a document together/collaboratively, without a local Office installation | **MS Office for the Web** |
| Local work with the full range of MS Word/Excel functions (custom fonts, multi-column layout, typography) – in the modern variant without a Dispatcher | **MS Office Native** |
| You need functions that are currently only available in MS Office for Desktop (e.g. XBRL, Copilot, ESG text value, advanced table/layout configuration) | **MS Office for Desktop** (interim solution) |

{% info-box %}
**MS Office Native** is the recommended variant for local work and is the successor to **MS Office for Desktop**. The function differences that currently still exist between **MS Office for the Web**/**MS Office Native** and **MS Office for Desktop** will be aligned soon – after that, there will be no reason to keep using MS Office for Desktop. For a detailed comparison of the functions, see [Ribbons for Disclosure Management](https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/disclosure-management/work-with-msoffice/ribbons-disclosure-mgmt.md#comparison-ms-office-for-the-web-ms-office-native-and-ms-office-for-desktop).
{% /info-box %}

## Required installation per variant

Disclosure Management provides the components needed for each variant in the **Toolbox** – in the **Dispatcher**, **Ribbons**, and **Add-in for Office for the Web** areas:

- **MS Office for the Web**: Download the **Office Online Manifest** and upload it to Office for the Web to activate the Disclosure Management ribbon in the browser.
- **MS Office for Desktop**: Install the **Dispatcher** and the **Ribbons** (MS Word ribbon and MS Excel ribbon).

 {% info-box %}
 **Only in Office for the Web**: The **Dispatcher** is the basic prerequisite for using MS Office for Desktop on a computer: without it, MS Office for Desktop does not work. The Dispatcher handles the communication between Disclosure Management in the browser and the locally installed MS Office programs.

 For detailed installation instructions for the Dispatcher and ribbons, see [Installing and Updating the MS Office Components](https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/disclosure-management/basic-configuration-disclmgmt/install-disp-andribbon.md).
 {% /info-box %}
- **MS Office Native**: Add the two desktop **manifest files** as add-ins – the **Word und Excel Desktop Content Manifest** and the **Word Desktop Layout Manifest**.

 {% info-box %}
 For MS Office Native, two separate manifest files – one for **Content** and one for **Layout** – are available in the **Toolbox**. For more information on the ribbons, see [Ribbons for Disclosure Management](https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/disclosure-management/work-with-msoffice/ribbons-disclosure-mgmt.md).
 {% /info-box %}

## Activating the MS Office variant

To activate the MS Office variant you want:

{% stepper %}
{% stepper-step %}
Open **Configuring a Document** and switch to **General Settings**.
{% /stepper-step %}
{% stepper-step %}
In the **MS Office Variant** area, select the entry you want.
{% /stepper-step %}
{% stepper-step %}
Save the setting.
{% /stepper-step %}
{% /stepper %}