Calling Word long text editor SAP GUI: "Document interface not initialized" (SOFFICEINTEGRATION214)

[su01]

Update: Solution found

Problem:

When using Microsoft Word as long text editor (for creation of online help) in SAP GUI, the error "Document interface not initialized"(SOFFICEINTEGRATION214) is shown and SAP falls back to the old editor.

It's not SAP-system dependent as it happens with any system and release.

Solution

A (new?) office UI feature has to be deactivated:

Then Word is displayed as an embedded control in SAP GUI, instead of a stand alone window, and works again as an editor:

This seems to be a known issue:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/troubleshoot/excel/sap-add-ins-not-display-control

The Microsoft page has a recent date and is for Office release 1806 or higher ( I am on 365 Version 2207 Build 16.0..... 32bit).
I couldn't find or identify this via intensive SNotes search.

Tested:

• on my Windows 10; Gui7.7 PL7; Office 365 Version 2207 Build 16.0..... 32bit;
• SolMan and some S4 system
• switching that setting back and forth, the GUI to Office Document Integration works or does not

[ILIAN_Grigorov]

Thanks. The solution totally works!

Although I try SAP GUI 8.00 64bit with Office 2021 64bit, the problem is there.

Regards

Ilian

[s_jaydee]

Dear Christian,

thank you for providing this solution, I also encountered that issue: the MS word editor would open but changes were not saved. After applying the compatibility mode, the editor can be used again, although performance really isn't that great (editor startup takes around 10 seconds). Did the compatibility mode have an influence on performance on your side?

Kind Regards, Jan

[su01]

Hi Jan,

I can't tell a difference but confirm it loads slow. Since this includes, besides SAP itself and data transfers to the client, an additional software (Local MS Word installation) it could be a per-machine issue.

[Sriram2009]

Hi Christian

Check this SAP Note 2012166

Regards

SS

[Sriram2009]

Hi Christian

Check this SAP Note 2012166

Regards

SS

[su01]

Dear Sriram,

thank you! We tried that already but couldn't get it to work.