Excel Software (www.excelsoftware.com) has announced OfficeProtect 2.0 to protect Microsoft Office documents with a secure software license. Using OfficeProtect with either QuickLicense or AppProtect, a user-editable Excel spreadsheet is converted into a protected application.
OfficeProtect now supports two protection models: the VBA Bound License and Encrypted XLSM. A VBA Bound License uses password protected VBA code to bind an Office document to the QuickLicense runtime file. The Encrypted XLSM approach allows an Excel spreadsheet to be distributed as an application that’s activated for a specific computer, but allows editing changes to be saved as encrypted documents.
The VBA Bound License supports Excel spreadsheets, Macros or Add-Ins for Excel, Word or PowerPoint. OfficeProtect includes ready-to-paste Visual Basic code and step-by-step instructions to bind a document to a license configured with the QuickLicense protection and licensing system. OfficeProtect supports documents, Macros and Add-Ins for Microsoft Office on Mac OS X or Windows (32 or 64-bit).
The new Encrypted XLSM protection disables password removal tools used to pirate Excel spreadsheets. Features of the Excel program are unaffected except for the ability to Save or Email spreadsheets while using a protected document. Encrypted spreadsheets are opened by launching the protected application and saved when quitting.
Protected documents can be saved, duplicated and renamed. They can only be used on other computers with a valid license. The spreadsheet author can determine how many computers a document or family of documents can be used on. QuickLicense supports computer specific product activation, time or execution limited trial licenses, software subscriptions, floating licenses, plugin protection, secure license portability and human language or brand customization.
Protected documents can be activated with a serial number using an online activation server. The Safe Activation server supports activation of Internet connected or unconnected computers, order processing and automates license management features to allow license release, restore, suspend and subscription management.
OfficeProtect 2.0 costs US$395 for a single user license that supports Microsoft Office on both Mac and Windows. It’s used with AppProtect or the QuickLicense Standard or Pro edition. The product includes PDF user guides, VBA interface code and royalty-free distribution rights for any number of protected documents or distributed licenses.