How to Create a Task Pane App in Excel Using Visual Studio 2012

In this article we will discuss how to create an app that prints a message in the task pane of an Excel sheet using Visual Studio 2012.

In this application we will learn how to create the good morning task pane in Excel 2013. In order to create this application we will use the Visual Studio 2012 and Microsoft Office Developer Tools for Visual Studio 2012.

Here are some steps to make this application:

1. First start Visual Studio 2012 RC.
    
2. Now click on the File menu and choose New project.
    
3. A New Project Dialog box opens like this:
   
   
    
4. In this just expand the Visual C# and under it just expand the Office/SharePoint:
   
   
    
5. Now select the Apps option from it and select the App for Office 2013 in the center pane, as in:
   
   
    
6. Now give the name to the application and click the ok button, as in:
   
   
    
7. The Create App for office dialog box will display. In it by default the Task pane app option is selected; just click the Finish button, as in:
   
   
    
8. Now Visual Studio creates the project and it will be displayed in Solution Explorer, as in:
   
   
    
9. Now develop the application and to design the appearance of the app we will add HTML code in the default page of the project.
    
10. In it just remove the HTML code under the body tag and replace it with whatever code you desire.
    
    
     
11. We want to create the Good morning World task pane application so write the following code under the body tag:
    
    
     
12. Now press the F5 key or click on the Debug menu and select the start debugging menu item to run the application.
    
    
     
13. The output will look like this: