We're deploying shared, multi-user Windows laptops for healthcare staff, mainly nurses, using Windows Autopilot Self-Deploying mode. The devices are Entra-joined rather than hybrid-joined, and there is no corresponding computer account in Active Directory. On-premises single sign-on to the file server works through the standard Entra SSO mechanism, so users can browse and copy files from the SMB share in File Explorer.
The device is shared by users with a mixture of Microsoft 365 F3 and E3 licenses. Shared Computer Activation is configured for Microsoft 365 Apps, which works for E3 users. F3 users are directed to Word, Excel, and Outlook on the web through Edge web app installations.
The problem is that the healthcare documents have not yet been migrated to SharePoint or OneDrive. F3 users can access the on-premises share, but Office for the web cannot open or save files directly from a local or network SMB path. A content migration is planned but is not likely to happen soon.
Possible approaches include deploying Office LTSC with KMS or MAK activation, using a third-party gateway that allows Office for the web to work with files stored on-premises, or changing the users' licensing. Has anyone implemented a reliable production solution for this scenario?
3 Answers
You could assign the affected users a license that includes the installed Microsoft 365 desktop apps. That would provide the normal Office client for editing files on the SMB share, although it may cost more than a device-based LTSC deployment. Open-source suites such as LibreOffice are also possible, but compatibility with healthcare templates, macros, and complex Office documents should be tested carefully.
Office LTSC Professional Plus 2024 activated with a MAK is another route if you don’t have KMS infrastructure. It avoids tying Office activation to the signed-in user, which can make sense on a shared device. Just verify that the licensing model and deployment terms fit the organization before proceeding.
Office for the web cannot directly open or edit files on an on-premises SMB share. If the files need to stay on the file server, the practical Microsoft option is a locally installed, device-activated Office edition such as Office LTSC. That lets users edit mapped-drive files without depending on each user having an eligible Microsoft 365 Apps license.
A user-license upgrade would solve the Office problem, but budget approval is difficult, so we’re looking for something more practical for the short term.