WinCC Configuration Tool in Excel: Installation & Troubleshooting

WinCC Configuration Tool in Excel: Installation and Troubleshooting

The WinCC Configuration Tool is a Microsoft Excel add-in shipped as part of the WinCC "Smart Tools" component family. It enables engineers to bulk-edit WinCC tags, internal tags, and structure tags directly inside an Excel worksheet, replacing the manual point-and-click workflow in the WinCC Tag Management with spreadsheet-style mass data handling. When the tool has not been installed, the Excel toolbar appears with all buttons grayed out, leading to the common field symptom reported on WinCC v6.2 with Office 2003 and Office 2007 deployments.

This guide explains how to install the Configuration Tool, integrate it with Excel, restore the toolbar, and fix the most common enablement problems. Every step is anchored to the official Siemens installation procedure and the Smart Tools overview document (Entry ID 13681075).

1. Overview of the WinCC Smart Tools Family

The Smart Tools are an optional component group that is not selected by default during a standard WinCC installation. They are listed individually in the WinCC Setup's component tree and must be opted in to be deployed.

The WinCC Smart Tools currently exposed by Setup include (this list reflects the package contents documented in the Siemens support entry "Overview of the Smart Tools for WinCC" - Entry ID 13681075):

• WinCC Configuration Tool – Excel add-in for editing tags/structure tags outside of WinCC Explorer.
• WinCC Archive Configuration Tool – Excel add-in for configuring archive tags and their storage parameters in bulk.
• WinCC Dynamic Wizard Editor – Tool for creating custom Dynamic Wizard scripts.
• WinCC Documentation Viewer – Viewer component for the project documentation tree.
• WinCC Cross Reference Assistant – Cross-reference tool for variables, functions, and pictures.

Both the Configuration Tool and the Archive Configuration Tool load directly into Microsoft Excel, register a custom command bar/ribbon, and write/read project data via the WinCC API. Because they share the same Setup payload, both must be selected on the same installation pass.

2. Prerequisites

2.1 Software and License Requirements

2.2 Compatibility Verification

Before installation, confirm that the target Excel build is listed in the WinCC "compatibility list" referenced in the application FAQs. Compatibility is published per WinCC version and per Service Pack; a mismatch is the second most common cause of the grayed-button symptom after an uninstalled Smart Tools component. Always consult the official compatibility matrix shipped with the relevant WinCC Service Pack readme before deploying Smart Tools onto Office 2007 or 2010.

3. Step-by-Step Installation Procedure

3.1 Launch the WinCC Setup in Maintenance Mode

1. Insert the Simatic WinCC installation media (DVD or mounted ISO). If WinCC V6.2 was deployed from a network share, browse to the Setup.exe at the root of the share.
2. Right-click Setup.exe and select Run as administrator. On Windows XP, the current user must be a member of the local Administrators group; on Vista/7/Server 2008 the elevated token is mandatory.
3. When the WinCC Setup dialog appears, choose "Select the components for installation or deinstallation" (i.e. maintenance/modify mode) instead of "Install WinCC". This allows the Smart Tools to be added without re-installing the entire SCADA runtime.

3.2 Add the Configuration Tool Component

1. In the components tree, scroll down until "Smart Tools" appears. On a fresh installation it is collapsed by default; expand the node to reveal its children.
2. Select the Smart Tools parent node.
3. In the right-side description panel, tick the checkbox labeled "Configuration Tool". Tick "Archive Configuration Tool" at the same time if archive tag configuration is required.
4. Optionally enable the Cross Reference Assistant, Dynamic Wizard Editor, and Documentation Viewer.
5. Click Next to advance through the wizard, accepting the license agreement and confirming the destination path. The default install path is C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\WinCC\SmartTools\.
6. Click Finish. Setup will register the OLE/COM components, write the registry keys under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Siemens\Automation\WinCC\Smart Tools\, and add a Start menu shortcut.

3.3 Verify the Installation

• Confirm the file C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\WinCC\SmartTools\CCConfigTool.xla (WinCC V6.2) or the equivalent .XLAM for V7 exists.
• Confirm the registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Excel\AddIns\WinCCConfigTool.Connect was created.
• Open Excel → Tools → Add-Ins. The entry "WinCC Configuration Tool" should now appear and be ticked.

4. Excel Integration and Toolbar Enablement

4.1 First-Time Excel Launch

1. Start Microsoft Excel as the user that will run the engineering workstation (the same Windows account used to launch WinCC Explorer).
2. Excel may show a security warning that "macros have been disabled". Click Enable Macros; the WinCC Configuration Tool relies on VBA behind the XLA wrapper.
3. The WinCC Configuration toolbar appears as a floating command bar (Excel 2003) or as a dedicated ribbon add-in tab (Excel 2007). On a clean install the toolbar appears; if only grayed buttons are visible, the COM connection to the WinCC project is not active (see Section 6).

4.2 Connecting to the WinCC Project

The Configuration Tool reads and writes the currently open WinCC project database. The connection is established by clicking the "Open Project" or "Project Connect" button on the toolbar and navigating to the project .MCP file. Once a project is bound:

• Tags appear as rows in the Excel sheet.
• Tag properties (name, type, limits, scaling, archive settings) become editable cells.
• The Write Back to WinCC button commits the worksheet to the project.

5. Configuration Tool vs Archive Configuration Tool

Both tools are Excel add-ins and share a common toolbar layout. The Archive Configuration Tool is documented separately as a mass-data configuration helper for WinCC archives and is the second most-installed Smart Tool component.

6. Troubleshooting Grayed or Missing Toolbar

The grayed-button symptom has a defined set of root causes. Diagnose them in the order listed below.

6.1 Root-Cause Matrix

6.2 Registry Reset Procedure

If the Add-In entry is corrupted, perform a controlled re-registration:

1. Close Excel.
2. Open an elevated command prompt.
3. Re-register the automation server:
   %SystemRoot%\System32\regsvr32.exe "C:\Program Files\Siemens\Automation\WinCC\SmartTools\CCConfigTool.dll"
4. Re-open Excel and verify Tools → Add-Ins shows the Configuration Tool ticked.

7. Office 2007 and Office 2010 Considerations

Office 2007 introduced the ribbon UI and a revised security model. WinCC V6.2 with Office 2007 was treated as a partially supported combination in the official compatibility list. The most common field failures are:

• Ribbon tab hidden: The WinCC add-in registers as a "command-based" add-in under Office 2007 and may need to be enabled via Office Button → Excel Options → Add-Ins → Manage: COM Add-Ins → Go.
• Trust Center blocking VBA: Office 2007 introduces the Trust Center. Add the WinCC SmartTools install folder to Trusted Locations or set the macro setting to Disable all macros except digitally signed macros with the WinCC certificate installed.
• Excel 2010 (64-bit): Not supported by WinCC V6.x Smart Tools. To use V6.x Smart Tools, install the 32-bit edition of Office.

For Office 2010 and Office 2013 deployments, upgrade to at least WinCC V7 SP3 or V7.4 respectively and verify against the official compatibility list. The maintenance-mode Setup (Section 3) still applies; the Smart Tools checkbox location is unchanged.

8. Operational Workflow and Field-Proven Tips

1. Always edit a copy. Use File → Save As to write the project spreadsheet to a working folder before performing mass edits. The Configuration Tool retains the last opened path.
2. Bulk import via copy/paste. Paste structured data from vendor tag lists into the tool's Process Tags sheet. Validate column ordering before committing.
3. Use Excel's =CCValidateTag() formula (WinCC V7+) to check syntax before writing back.
4. Coordinate with the runtime. When WinCC Runtime is active on the same station, Configuration Tool changes are blocked. Stop WinCC Runtime or perform edits on an offline engineering station.
5. Generate a CSV export of every batch edit for change-control records. Use File → Export → CSV (audit).

9. Verification After Installation

Run the following checks in order to confirm a valid Smart Tools deployment:

1. Component check: Confirm CCConfigTool.xla / .XLAM exists on disk.
2. Registry check: regedit → HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Excel\AddIns contains the WinCC add-in CLSID entry.
3. Excel check: Open Excel → File → Options → Add-Ins → Manage: COM Add-Ins. The Configuration Tool appears with status Loaded.
4. Project connection check: Open a WinCC project; toolbar buttons become enabled; clicking Write Back succeeds without error 0x80004005.
5. Round-trip check: Add a test tag named Tool_Test_Bool; save; reload in WinCC Explorer; confirm presence.

10. Alternate Deployment Paths

On locked-down engineering workstations (for example, validated pharma or nuclear environments), running the WinCC Setup interactively may be restricted. The equivalent unattended command line is:

Setup.exe /silent /components:"SmartTools.ConfigTool,SmartTools.ArchiveConfigTool" /log:C:\Temp\smarttool_install.log

Verify with the setup's exit code: 0 on success, non-zero on failure. The exact switch syntax was introduced in WinCC V7.2 and may differ on V6.2 — consult the V6.2 setup help before scripting unattended installs on legacy deployments.