VPP Workflow

[GabeShack]

Hi all!

So I have just started playing with VPP and wanted to see if this sounds correct:

1. I have one to one based ipads that I have enrolled with the Apple deployment website and assigned them with a pre-stage enrollment in Casper.

2. I then have them log into an itunes account.

3. I then set a VPP assignment for their user with a paid app.

4. I then send them a VPP invitation (which they may or may not get prompted to accept, but can open self service to accept as well).

5. They accept and the app shows in their purchased history.

6. To push the App remotely though - I then create a New APP in the JSS and mark it as "Free" and tell it to scope to their device (make managed if possible).
   Then the app pushes to their device without prompting.

Is this really what has to be done to get devices getting paid apps without asking? This is really quite involved.

I did also check the box for automatically download apps added to other devices when I saw the app would not push but I'm not sure this actually did anything.

Gabe Shackney
Princeton Public Schools

[John_Wetter]

The first part is DEP which is separate but related to a nice workflow.

For VPP, you purchase the app, invite the user, then assign to the user (or group). The user accepts the invite. Then, you have the option of either pushing the app or making it available in self service, or just sending them to the app store. BTW, you can have all this set up ahead of time before a person even gets their iPad, this isn't something you need to do only after they have the iPad and are set up.

The above workflow assumes a connection to LDAP for users and groups.

[GabeShack]

So i am not getting the choice to have the app between self service or pushing it or the app store..Id love to make it push without asking.

[adamcodega]

If you goto Mobile Devices > Apps in your JSS you can push apps to devices or you can link to apps via Self Service.

However, VPP apps can not be automatically installed by the JSS. The user goes to Purchases in the App Store. If a user installs an app via VPP, then the app is kept up to date by the App Store.

[GabeShack]

@adamcodega

I did get it to install automatically, because once the app is in the users purchase history you can add it to the Apps list in the JSS as a Free app and scope it to the same group and it pushed. I just thought this was too many steps and there must be an easier way.

[CairoJXP]

The whole VPP distribution is a multi-step process for sure! I'm happy to chime in more with details from what I've done with our many devices, but it sounds like you may be all set.

[wilfredov]

Question for everyone regarding workflow :: There are two tech's here at my school (myself included) - the other tech used his school Apple ID to create a VPP Account for our school. Which means only he can go to deploy.apple.com and gather the required Apps we need via VPP. I discovered the VPP Account in Global Settings and saw the one Account (the other tech guy). My question is, would it be good practice to download the token from my own VPP Account and input it into our VPP Account (giving us two VPP Accounts), so that I can also manage Apps and deploy as needed. As it stands, I'd have to rely on my colleague to search, purchase and add Apps for our iPad fleet.

Thanks!

[John_Wetter]

Best practice would be to create a generic account (apple.devices@MySchoolDistrict.org) as your agent account, and then under that account allow purchasers such as yourself. You'll want to work with your SE to do the account moving as once you establish the Agent account, you'll need to transfer all of your purchases into that one. Obviously this would be best done outside of the school-year as you'll need to re-assign apps and people will get the 'this app is no longer assigned to you' notice if they are user based assignments.

[cdenesha]

@john_wetter Is it indeed possible to transfer licenses from one VPP account to another? Does it matter if they are the old spreadsheet codes or the newer managed licenses? I would love to combine several older VPP accounts into my current one so I can 'recover' those purchases for use. I don't know how I would effectively use multiple VPP accounts and apply the licenses to the same group of iPads.

[CSNavigateurs]

Hello
DEP and VPP are two different animals. In our school district we used to deploy our apps with Apple configurator this meant one Macbook per K12 school. Once we upgraded to an MDM and JAMF Casper suite we logged onto our VPP account and ask APPLE SUPPORT to change ALL our App licences to Managed licences. Since then ALL our apps are push through by Self Sevice ... For the paid apps we scope the apps to install automatically on the iPads of the appropriate school's kart and teachers. With one VPP account we can scope apps to any of our seventy-three K12 schools and their karts.. Management is alot simpler and large quantities of apps can be bought so we can save money an also ease of management. We usually deploy large amounts of apps due to the fact that we have a departement (SEJ) that recommends which are the best apps for the different class levels and needs for the school year.

Danyel