Why is my VPP "Content not available to assign to mobile devices"?

[mschroder]

Dear Experts,

I 'bought' some licenses of a free app via VPP. I made sure the app is 'device-assignable'. I added the app to the Mobile Device Apps, I have set it to 'Install automatically'. But in the VPP pane it always tells me "Content not available to assign to mobile devices".

I have made sure there is no user assignment for this app, 'Site' is set to 'None', so what else might make this content unavailable for device assignment?

I also tried to assign it to a device in scope, but the result is that the user is asked to sign in to iTunes for the installation - this is exactly what I want to avoid.

Any hints are welcome.

[Chotipradit]

Hi mschroder,

Do you have your VPP account and token associated with your JAMF instance?

[nvandam]

Do you have more than one VPP account? I just did this today and couldn't figure out why I wasn't seeing the licenses show up as assignable. "Bought" them on the wrong account...

[mbracco]

We see the same behaviour, but have only one VPP account. Not sure if the apps are device-assignable .... maybe only user-assignable ?
i asked support and wait for answer... in our case Microsoft Word, Excel, ....

[mschroder]

Thanks for all the feedback. We only use one VPP account, and it is associated to the JSS instance in question. I do see the correct number of licenses in the JSS. I just can not assign them to devices.

[Macsburg]

Make sure you VPP is not set to a site, this will cause any app that isn't assigned to that site to give this message.

[jamesandre · Accepted solution]

I think the VPP and Apps need to match. If your VPP is set to a site, then set each App to the same site. If your VPP is not set to a site, then don't set your Apps to a site.

[mschroder]

The VPP is set to to site None, whereas the apps are all set to a site. I will need to do a bit more reading here. What is the recommendation: use one VPP and have all apps in site None (is that possible at all?), or use one VPP instance per site?

[tommrkr]

i had a brief freakout with a similar issue yesterday. As I was creating the Mobile Device App in JAMF, I'd click the VPP tab and get the same "Content not available to assign to mobile devices" error. However, when I saved the Mobile Device App, and re-opened it to edit, the VPP content info appeared.

So for me, the workflow become create app in jamf, save, then re-open to scope and add vpp content.

[orlando_cantu]

tommrkr, I shared the same experience. I almost feel as if I didn't give enough time for Apple to communicate with jamf.

[mschroder]

I am coming back to this old thread since I made a new observation today. I have been buying a bunch of more apps, and there where again two for which I could not do a device assignment, despite the fact the were marked as device assignable. And in fact these two apps where in a Site other than 'None'. Changing that back to 'None' made these two apps device assignable. But what is really strange is this: three of the five apps for which the assignment worked from the beginning are assigned to a 'Site' other than 'None'.

Conclusion: the behaviour is not consistent, some apps can be in a 'Site' and still be device assigned, others can not.

In any case toggling the 'Site' can change whether or not an app can be device assigned.

[afej]

Noticed the same here. My experience: The VPP account I have been using is also in ASM. Which it has always been without issue until today. However I noticed that I needed a "server token" shown at the bottom of the(https://school.apple.com/#main/settings/appsandbooks) Screen. I downloaded the server token and uploaded it in the JSS > Settings>Global Management> VPP Accounts> Server ASM account (no Apple ID). I then went to VPP Device assignment and was able to select the Server ASM account. Seems Apple is making changes with regards to ASM/JAMF integration and we are seeing the initial signs.

[jyespicer]

Removing the app from MDA in Jamf and then adding it again as a new App worked wonders, as always have to scope devices before I can assign Managed Distribution again and the "Content not available to assign to mobile devices" was no more!

[eaititig]

Normally, this would work -- we have our VPP set to no Site and so you can add an app with No Site just fine but today, it's not working and I keep getting "Content not available to assign to mobile devices".  :(  Existing ones can be edited just fine.

[eaititig]

Still no joy being able to add Free apps ... 

[eaititig]

Okay I figured it out ... what this post fails to mention is that if you get that message, you also have "purchased" the app in Apple School Manager. Login to School Manager > Apps and Books > Search for the App > Assign it to your JAMF and pick a number of licenses. NOW ... it will show up in JAMF and let you assign without getting that error "Content not available to assign to mobile devices".

Hope this helps someone.