Supported Versions
The GovDash Word Assistant add-in supports the following versions of Microsoft Word:
Microsoft Office 2016 (Retail)
Microsoft Office 2019 (Retail)
Microsoft Office 2021 (Retail/Volume-Licensed)
Microsoft 365
Deploying the Word Assistant Add-in
The GovDash Word Assistant add-in is an easy to install Microsoft Word add-in that's accessible right from Microsoft. Please follow the instructions below to get it setup in your Microsoft tenant.
Important Information for FedRAMP Migration on January 19th, 2026 for GCC-H Customers
We will be transitioning to our new Federal environment on January 19th, 2026. To ensure that your team’s access to Word Assistant is not impacted, you must redeploy the Word Assistant XML within your tenant.
Using the GCC-H Tenant tab below, please follow the instructions to redeploy the XML, which will update the Word Assistant across your organization.
After deployment, users may need to clear their Microsoft Office cache for the updated manifest to take effect immediately. In some cases, it may also take time for the manifest update to fully propagate across your organization.For assistance with clearing Microsoft Office cache, please see the following resources:
Instructions on how to deploy new add-in's are available through Microsoft's support page, located here. Please follow the steps below for GovDash specific steps.
In the admin center, in the left nav, choose Settings, and then choose Integrated apps.
In the Deployed Apps list, select Get apps to get a view of the apps.
On the Microsoft 365 Apps published apps page, search for GovDash in the search bar in the top right, and select Get it now. Review the License Terms and Privacy Statement, Enter in your Organization Information and check the Microsoft Permissions box then press Get it now.
Select Deploy at the top of the page next to the message that refers to waiting to be deployed.
On the right hand side of the screen in the Deploy New App pane, you now have the ability to set the permissions of who can see the add-in in the browser, make your changes and then click Next.
Select Next to get to the Accept permission request page. The app capabilities and permissions of each of the apps are listed. If the app needs consent, select Accept permissions. Only a global administrator can give consent.
Select Next to review the deployment and choose Finish deployment. You can view the deployment from the Overview tab by choosing View this deployment. In the Microsoft 365 admin center, you can see the status of each deployed app and the date you deployed the app.
Please Note
According to Microsoft, it can take up to 24 hours for a newly deployed add-in to appear on the app ribbon in your users' Microsoft Word. Your users may need to relaunch Microsoft Word to view the add-in icon on the app ribbon.
Instructions on Centralized Deployment of add-in's are available through Microsoft's support page, located here. Please follow the steps below for GovDash specific steps.
In the admin center, in the left navigation section, choose Settings, and then choose Integrated Apps.
Click Upload custom apps.
Select the I have a URL for the manifest file option, and paste the following URL in the box:
https://govdash-public.s3.us-gov-east-1.amazonaws.com/office_manifest.xmlPlease Note
If pasting the link does not work, you can download the XML file from the link above and upload it through the Upload manifest file (.xml) from device option.
Click Upload.
On the Configure add-in pane, select an option under Assign users, and click Deploy.
On the Review and finish deployment screen, review the information and click Next to finish deployment.
Click Done.
Please Note
According to Microsoft, it can take up to 24 hours for a newly deployed add-in to appear on the app ribbon in your users' Microsoft Word. Your users may need to relaunch Microsoft Word to view the add-in icon on the app ribbon.
Word Assistant Settings
Accessing Settings
To access your Word Assistant settings, navigate to Settings in GovDash, and then Assistant within the Settings menu. You can also access using this direct link.
Word Assistant Consent
By enabling this setting, this will show an acceptance message each time the Word Assistant is opened within a Word document requiring consent from team members to use the Word Assistant within the document they have opened. This acts as a confirmation layer to ensure the Word Assistant isn’t being opened within documents unintentionally.
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Web Search
You may optionally enable or disable the ability for the Word Assistant to be able to search the web as a source of information using the Web Searching toggle.
Removing the GovDash Word Assistant
In the event that you need to remove the GovDash Word Assistant from your tenant, please follow the steps below.
In the admin center, go to the Settings > Integrated apps page.
Select the deployed add-in and then select the Configuration tab.
In the Configuration pane, go to Advanced Settings > Add-ins.
Select the add-in from the list again.
Choose Remove Add-In. Remove the Add-in button on the bottom right corner.
Validate your selections, and choose Remove.
FAQ
What versions of Microsoft Word does the GovDash Word Assistant add-in support?
The GovDash Word Assistant add-in supports Microsoft Office 2016, 2019, 2021 (Retail/Volume-Licensed), and Microsoft 365.
Is it necessary for a global administrator to give consent for the add-in permissions?
Yes, only a global administrator can give consent for the app permissions.
What information does the Word Assistant have access to within the document that it’s opened in?
The Word Assistant does not have access to any document that is open without a user specifically selecting text within the document with the add-in open. This selected text gets used/processed in conjunction with a prompt sent using the Word Assistant, but it does not have access, nor does it process the document in its entirety.
Can I remove the GovDash Word Assistant from my tenant?
Yes, you can remove the GovDash Word Assistant by following the steps in the admin center under Settings > Integrated apps.
Will it take time for the add-in to appear in Microsoft Word after deployment?
Yes, it can take up to 24 hours for the newly deployed add-in to appear on the app ribbon in Microsoft Word.
I am seeing a “Cannot connect to catalog.” error when viewing my managed add-ins.
Logging out of Microsoft Word and logging back in should resolve this issue!