Installation Instructions

System Requirements:

Pentium II 400 megahertz, 256 MB RAM, and 50MB available disk space. This software works intermediately with Microsoft Excel, and therefore should be added on top of the system requirements for any of the following supported versions of Microsoft Excel.

Operating System(s) 

Windows Vista or later (including Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7); Windows Server 2008 or later.  Note: Both 32 bit and 64 bit versions of MS Windows are supported.

Excel Version(s) 

32 bit Windows installation of Microsoft Excel 2010 or later. 

Notes:

  1. The 64-bit version of MS Excel / MS Office does not support many popular add-ins, including SPC IV Excel. SPC IV Excel will only work with the 32-bit version of Excel. Per Microsoft's recommendations, we suggest you install the 32 bit version of MS Excel on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows operating systems.
  2. An Office 365 subscription provides the user both an online version of MS Excel, running in a browser, and a downloaded version of the current desktop version of MS Excel (e.g. Excel 2016). Add-ins will not function in the browser version, since there is no local Excel installation available to install the add-in; Instead, you install the add-in to the installed desktop version of Excel.

Installation Instructions for new installations or upgraded versions:

  1. Use the Save or Save As command from your browser to save the downloaded file to a convenient location on your computer (typically, the Downloads folder).
  2. Open Window's File Explorer program and navigate to the Downloads folder (or wherever you saved the downloaded file).
  3. Select the downloaded zip file, then use the Extract All option from the right mouse menu. You will be prompted to specify a location for the extracted files; the default location is suggested as it will create a new folder of the same name as the downloaded zip file.
  4. Verify you have the 32-bit installation of MS Excel. In MS Excel, select the Account option from the File menu, then the About Excel button. The top line will indicate if the installation is 32-bit or 64-bit. The add-in will not install to the 64-bit installation. Uninstall MS Excel and reinstall the 32-bit version of MS Excel.
  5. Close MS Excel (if open). Install the software on your computer by selecting the setup.exe application file in the new folder, then the Run As Administrator option from the right mouse menu. Standard users will need an Administrator to enter their administrative credentials. If the Run As Administrator option is not available, then:
    • You did not extract the files from the zip file;
    • You did not select the setup.exe application file that was extracted; or,
    • (less likely) Your Secondary Logon service has been disabled. To enable Secondary Logon services, navigate to the Services (Local) list (e.g. search on "services" from Control Panel), then double-click on the Secondary Logon item. Change the Startup Type from Disabled to Manual, then click the OK button to save the change and close the dialog box).
  6. The installation should proceed. Select a suitable folder within the Program Files folder (or Program Files (x86) folder for 64 bit systems); the default folder is recommended. 
  7. After the installation is completed, open a new blank worksheet or a suitable data file in MS Excel. If MS Excel prompts you to Enable Controls when it opens, then select Yes to enable the control. If you don't do that, you won't see the SPC IV Excel menu option within MS Excel. 
    • If you still don’t see the SPC IV Excel menu option within MS Excel, check your Trust Center Settings in Excel Options. (From File menu, choose Options, then Trust Center from left pane, then Trust Center Settings button in right pane). Which option is selected for the ActiveX Settings? The third option (Prompt me before enabling all controls with minimal restrictions) is recommended. The first two options will not load the control. Also in Trust Center add the installation folder (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Quality America, Inc\SPC IV XL) to the Trusted Locations using the Add New Location button.
    • If all of the above checks out, then close MS Excel, and use the Run As Administrator option to open MS Excel, while logged into Windows using the end-user's account. (In Windows 8 this is a right mouse option from the Start pane). 
      • Verify which account is shown in Excel’s Account page (File/Account). If the administrator’s account is shown here, rather than the end-user's, then (per MS) you need to temporarily give the end-user Admin credentials in Windows, then repeat the Remove/Add of ExcelSPC.dll in the COM Add-Ins dialog while the user has the administrator credentials.
      • From Excel's File menu, choose Options, select Add Ins from the left pane, then select COM Add-Ins from the Manage list at the bottom of the window, then the Go button. Select the ExcelSPC.Connect item, then the Remove button to delete the entry. Select the Add button, navigate to the location of the ExcelSPC.dll file that was installed during your SPC IV Excel installation (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Quality America, Inc\SPC IV XL), and select it to add it to the list. Select OK and the option should be available in the menu bar. Note the Remove and Add must be done when MS Excel is opened using the Run As Administrator option.
  8. From the SPC IV Excel menu on Excel's task bar. Select the New Chart button, then: 
    • Use the Enter button (if you're running the 30-day trial or one-year student license) to open the chart wizard and proceed with an analysis. (You will need a suitable data file to complete an analysis).
    • Use the Activate button to enter a license code provided for a perpetual-use license for the product.
    • Use the Extend button to enter a trial period extension code provided by Quality America.
    • Use the Buy button to open a browser window for purchasing the product from our site.
    • Use the Remove button to remove the installation from your computer.
  9. Use the New Chart button to select the chart type, then proceed through the remaining 3-steps to select the data, the chart options, and the worksheet for the chart placement.