--- title: "Dash in Microsoft 365 Setup Guide" slug: "word-assistant-setup-guide" description: "Set up the GovDash Word Assistant add-in in Microsoft Word 2016, 2019, 2021, or 365 with our easy guide for seamless integration and support." updated: 2026-09-21T20:04:28Z published: 2026-09-21T20:04:28Z canonical: "support.govdash.com/word-assistant-setup-guide" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.govdash.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Dash in Microsoft 365 Setup Guide > [!WARNING] > Please Note > > This guide is for users to get the Dash add-in set up in their Office apps. If your organization controls your Microsoft/Microsoft 365 access and account, please have your IT administrators [follow this guide](/v1/docs/word-assistant-add-in-deployment-guide) to allow you to install the add-on in your Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel applications. > [!CAUTION] > Supported Versions > > The Dash add-in supports the following desktop versions of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. > > - Microsoft Office 2016 (Retail) > - Microsoft Office 2019 (Retail) > - Microsoft Office 2021 (Retail/Volume-Licensed) > - Microsoft 365 (Desktop) --- ## Installing Through GovDash Installing the Dash add-in in your supported Microsoft Office applications only takes a few steps, and the steps are the same for both Windows and macOS. **Dash is currently supported in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel**. 1. Access the add-in page on Microsoft’s online add-in store: [https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/product/WA200006048?tab=Overview](https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/product/WA200006048?tab=Overview) 2. Click the blue **Get it now** button. If you are not currently signed in with a 365 or Microsoft account, you will be prompted to sign in before you can continue with the installation. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/104c3542-bffe-46a6-901f-aa7a848851a4/Images/Documentation/image-PQYDBOHR.png) 3. Click the **Open in Word** button to continue the installation of the add-in. This will automatically open your Microsoft Word application. 4. After the Microsoft Word applications opens, the GovDash Word Assistant will appear on the right-hand side and prompt you to login to your GovDash account. Complete the login process, and you'll be good to go to start using the Word Assistant. ## Installing Through Your Office Applications You can also install the Word Assistant add-in directly through Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Excel using the Add-ins button. 1. Open your Microsoft Office application (Word/PowerPoint/Excel), and click **Add-ins** in the top right of the application/ribbon. 2. Search for **GovDash** within the search bar. 3. Click **Add** next to the GovDash search result, as shown below. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/104c3542-bffe-46a6-901f-aa7a848851a4/Images/Documentation/image(86).png) > [!NOTE] > If you can’t find Add-ins > > Depending on your version of Microsoft Word/PowerPoint/Excel, the Add-ins button may also be located under the Developers tab. If you're not seeing the Developers tab and your add-ins button is not displayed as it is in the picture above, please see [Microsoft's support article for enabling the Developers tab](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/show-the-developer-tab-in-word-e356706f-1891-4bb8-8d72-f57a51146792). --- ## Dash Settings ### Accessing Settings To access your Dash in Office settings, navigate to **Settings** in GovDash, and then **Configurations → Apps & Extensions**. You can also access [**using this direct link**](https://dashboard.govdash.us/settings/apps). ### Dash in Microsoft 365 Consent By enabling this setting, this will show an acceptance message each time Dash is opened within a Word/Excel/PowerPoint 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. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/104c3542-bffe-46a6-901f-aa7a848851a4/Images/Documentation/image(894).png) ### 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. --- ### FAQ #### What if my Microsoft account is controlled by my organization? If your organization controls your Microsoft/Microsoft 365 access and account, please have your IT administrators [follow this guide](/v1/docs/word-assistant-add-in-deployment-guide). #### Which versions of Microsoft Word are supported by the GovDash Dash Assistant? The GovDash Dash Assistant add-in supports Microsoft Office 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365 versions of Microsoft Office. #### Can I install the Dash Assistant directly through Microsoft Word? Yes, you can install the Dash Assistant add-in directly through Microsoft Word/Excel/PowerPoint. #### What should I do if I can't find the Add-ins button in Microsoft Word? If you can’t find the Add-ins button, it may be located under the Developers tab. You may need to enable the Developers tab as per Microsoft's support article. #### What information does the Dash Assistant have access to within the document that it’s opened in? The Dash 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 Dash Assistant, but it does not have access, nor does it process the document in its entirety. ## Related - [Dash in Microsoft 365 Add-in Deployment Guide](/word-assistant-add-in-deployment-guide.md)