What licensing issues arise if I install and use Microsoft Office software (in t

Question

What licensing issues arise if I install and use Microsoft Office software (in this case Visio) as part of my web service backend?

My company's flagship piece of software can convert Microsoft Visio files for use in their environment, but of course requires a local install of Visio to decode the files. The system I'm to create is to offer a sort of web service where people can upload their Visio files, and then we can show off one of the benefits of buying our full price software.

In order to do this I'd need an install of our software on the server, as well as Visio. What I'm a little concerned about is technically any visitor to the site is technically using Visio. I can't really find any other examples when searching online so any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Explanation / Answer

If you have a single license per each web server that should be fine. Technically, your software/the website user identity is using the software.

So long as you don't distribute Visio through the site you are OK.

If you look through technet/MSDN, there are many articles about automating office on the server side, so this is evidence that using office on the server is a supported and expected scenario.

You should contact Microsoft directly and get confirmation from MS - it depends on what Office license you have.

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