Supporting Multiple PowerPivot Versions

Since the release of SQL Server 2012, users can choose between two different versions of PowerPivot for Excel: SQL Server 2008 R2 and SQL Server 2012. Both PowerPivot versions are free of charge, but the 2012 add-in includes more features than its predecessor and offers several improvements to the user interface, so it's reasonable to assume that users would want to upgrade. However, not all users are rushing at once to the Microsoft Download Center. Some are perfectly happy with the 2008 R2 add-in, others might not even be aware that a 2012 version exists, and yet others might want to upgrade but can't because they don't have permissions to install software on their workstations. Whatever the reason, if your users are working with different PowerPivot add-ins, they might encounter interoperability issues on the desktop and in SharePoint environments.