Ugh…I’d rather not discuss licensing…especially on a Friday.
I’ve a client that is getting a new PC. He works with software that works with office 2019 but has not been tested with office 2021. It will probably work with the new version of Office but I don’t really want to use him as a guinea pig but my software supplier is telling me that Office 2019 is no longer available.
Anyone else having this issue? If so, how did you get around it?
Thanks,
Niall
If you volume license it, it includes downgrade licenses and download site typically has ISOs for all the currently supported versions …
Otherwise there is this Download and install or reinstall Office 2019, Office 2016, or Office 2013
You could also scour local and online stores that might still have the boxed, retail version on their shelves.
Unfortunately it’s not downgradeable. I checked with the supplier. I can probably get a refund since I haven’t actually downloaded the key but I’ll still have the same problem.
I’ve been checking for the retail versions but the only ones I can find are the student and home editions.
Bummer.
Yep, Home and Student are the majority of the boxed versions.
Microsoft is really trying to screw over anyone who doesn’t conform to the 365 push. There are some indications that 2021 may be the last traditionally licensed version Office.
I maintain an enterprise of a couple hundred users, we’ve pushed off 365 migration for a while, but finally giving in now as we retire Office 2016, and many of our vendors and others just assume we’re on 365 with Sharepoint and full Teams, etc… The stock answer I give for why we’re changing is Office 2016 is no longer supported, and we’re expected to have Office 365…I wouldn’t call it an upgrade or improvement…Although if we embrace the full spectrum of the Office 365 applications, we can move many of our fileshares to Sharepoint and OneDrive, reducing the need for NASs around here; we may be able to move fully to AzureAD, eliminating the need for local AD servers and matint (although we’ll likely use AD Connect for the foreseeable future); eliminate a whole bunch of Zoom licenses for Teams, which is already included in 365 (won’t say Teams is better or even good, but since we’re already paying for 365…)…and when any of those services go down, I can say it’s not my problem 
Ahh yes, the corporate days and volume licensing. I don’t miss it 
The majority of my clients are small to medium sized. Really hard sell on getting them over to MSP but keep mentioning it. I do use Office 365 for some users but not overly happy with relying on Sharepoint and OneDrive for file storage. NAS’s aren’t so bad. In general, don’t need to go near AzureAD or AD Connect.
I think you are right, probably going to be the last version of the good auld ‘once off’ purchase. Subs all the way but since I’m trying to convince people that managed services are the way forward…it would be a little hypocritical to knock them 
If you have the key, it should still work. Go to the microsoft office online packager and create a package to download, I had to do this with Office 2021LTSC. You need to use the Office Deployment Tool now: Overview of the Office Deployment Tool - Deploy Office | Microsoft Docs
[edit] might be different with a retail key though.
I don’t think that’s going to work but I’ll certainly give it a try if I can’t find another solution. Thanks 
I see one on ebay for $30 with a key.
I just checked the volume licesne center, can’t even download a version for you:
Office Standard 2019 will be released with Click-to-Run installation technology only. We are not providing MSI as a deployment methodology for Office Standard 2019.
For more information about deploying Click-to-Run products with the Office Deployment Tool, click here.
That’s the same thing I had to do to configure O 2021LTSC, kind of a pain but it worked in the end and gives me fewer check boxes to handle when installing it. Installing is a new process too, done through cmd or powershell command to use the xml config file and the downloaded application cabs. Was a bit of a pain until I figured out what I had to do.
Here is the deployment tool link, just to save you some reading:
https://config.office.com/deploymentsettings
[edit] Nevermind, this is just for volume license!
Keep that NAS keep a local copy of your data plus another somewhere other than 365 or Azure. Placing your faith in one company especially onr like Microsoft is not a good idea.
Agreed. And make sure the data is encrypted before storing it on any cloud provider
That is a given. The service for off prem I like is Backblaze 1/4 the cost of Amazon. For on prem TrueNAS.