Skip to main content

​
Overview

Pincites for Word may not load due to two main types of issues:
  • Microsoft 365 configuration issues: Your organization’s Microsoft admin settings may prevent add-ins from loading
  • Security software blocking: Network security platforms (Netskope, Zscaler, etc.) may block connections to Pincites or Microsoft Office domains

​
Prerequisites

Before troubleshooting, ensure you have:

​
Latest version of Microsoft Word

Pincites for Word requires the latest version of Microsoft Word. Outdated versions may cause issues or prevent the add-in from loading. Windows:
  1. Open Microsoft Word
  2. Go to File → Account
  3. Under Product Information, click Update Options → Update Now
  4. Restart Word after the update completes
Mac:
  1. Open Microsoft Word
  2. Go to Help → Check for Updates
  3. If updates are available, follow the prompts to install
  4. Restart Word after the update completes
Word Online: Automatically kept up to date. If updates are managed by your IT department, contact your administrator to request the latest version.

​
Supported Microsoft 365 plan

Confirm your organization is on a supported Microsoft 365 plan. For enterprise deployments requiring central admin deployment, your plan must include Exchange Online. Contact support@pincites.com if you need the production XML file for deployment.

​
Symptoms

White screen or blank sidebar after installation Typically caused by security software blocking connections. See Security Software Blocking below. Unable to install the add-in Usually indicates an issue with your Microsoft 365 account or admin configuration. Confirm your plan supports add-ins and your account has the required permissions.

​
Microsoft 365 configuration issues

If you see specific error messages: “Error loading add-in” See Microsoft documentation on supported plans or Microsoft’s official add-in troubleshooting guide. “We couldn’t get the information needed to start this add-in” See Microsoft’s documentation on this error for resolution steps. “Microsoft 365 has been configured to prevent individual acquisition and execution of Office Store Add-ins” Your organization’s Microsoft admin has restricted add-in installation. Contact your IT administrator to request access to Pincites for Word.

​
Security software blocking

If you see a white screen or blank sidebar, your organization’s security software may be blocking connections. Have your IT team allowlist the following domains.

​
Pincites domains

  • app.pincites.com
  • *.pincites.com (wildcard for all subdomains)

​
Microsoft Office domains

  • *.microsoft.com
  • *.office.com
  • *.office365.com
  • *.officeapps.live.com
  • *.onenote.com
  • *.outlook.com
  • *.sharepoint.com
Both Pincites and Microsoft Office domains must be allowlisted. Blocking either will prevent the add-in from working.

​
Configuration by security platform

To allowlist domains in your security platform (Netskope, Zscaler, or similar):
  1. Log in to your security platform’s admin console
  2. Navigate to web filtering or URL filtering policies
  3. Add Pincites domains and Microsoft domains to the allowlist
  4. Set the action to “Allow” or “Bypass” for these domains
  5. Save and apply changes (allow several minutes for policy propagation)
If your platform has both URL filtering and cloud app control, configure allowlisting in both areas.

​
Verification steps

After allowlisting is configured:
  1. Close Microsoft Word completely
  2. Clear your browser cache (if using Word Online)
  3. Reopen Microsoft Word
  4. Click the Pincites add-in in the ribbon
  5. The sidebar should load with the Pincites interface

​
Additional network considerations

​
SSL/TLS inspection

Some security platforms perform SSL/TLS inspection that can interfere with the add-in. If allowlisting doesn’t resolve the issue:
  • Bypass SSL inspection for Pincites and Microsoft Office domains
  • Ensure your security platform’s SSL certificates are trusted on user devices

​
Proxy settings

If your organization uses a proxy server:
  • Verify proxy settings allow connections to the allowlisted domains
  • Check that authentication requirements don’t block background requests

​
Firewall rules

Ensure your network firewall allows:
  • Outbound HTTPS (port 443) traffic to the allowlisted domains
  • WebSocket connections if required by your security platform

​
Still having issues?

If you’ve followed these steps and still experience problems:
  1. Share this documentation with your IT department
  2. Have them review security logs to identify blocked requests
  3. Contact Pincites support at support@pincites.com with:
    • Description of the issue
    • Your security platform (Netskope, Zscaler, etc.)
    • Any relevant error messages or logs