Overview
This article walks through how to create a Provisioning Template. Templates control the settings, applications, and modes for a device or group of devices. Once provisioned, every device should look and behave in the same way.
If you plan to install Google Play Store apps through a Template, you should create a Google Play for Work Account before creating a Template.
In this article:
- Create a Template
- Compliance Policy
- Apps
- Apply Device Settings in the Template
- Link a Device Group to a Template
- Preview
Create a Template
To create a provisioning template, navigate to Provisioning Templates and click on the Create Template button.
You can Create a Full Template or Create a Quick Template.
If you create a Quick Template, you'll be asked to enter a unique Template name, select the applications to install, and select Kiosk or Multi app mode. Once you save the template you can go back and edit it at any time with the full template options.
If you choose to Create Full Template, enter a unique name and an optional description for the Provisioning Template, then click Next.
Compliance Policy
A Compliance Policy is a set of configurations or permissions that will be applied to all the devices provisioned through the template. Each configuration determines a behavior. For example, if a lock screen should be applied to the device and which Wi-Fi access points the device can connect to. You can change this after provisioning by defining a new Compliance Policy and then applying it to a Device or a Group. However, after a device is provisioned, editing a template won't change its current compliance policy.
Hover over any item to view a short description. Learn more about these settings in How to Create a Compliance Policy.
Apps
The Applications section lets you choose the applications you would like to have installed on your device during provisioning. You may choose to install Enterprise applications uploaded via the Application Management section of the Console or applications approved via Play For Work from your Managed Google Play Store account.
Kiosk and Multi App Modes
Once you click next Begin by clicking a radio button to choose whether you would like to provision your devices in either Kiosk Mode or Multi-Application Mode
Kiosk Mode
Kiosk Mode pins a single application to the device. For example, many Airport Kiosks utilized a type of Kiosk mode. The app will remain launched on a device until multi-app mode or Admin Settings are applied.
Adding Applications
The "Add Application" section gives you the ability to load any Enterprise applications and approved Managed Google Play applications onto the device when it is provisioned. These applications must have been previously uploaded to Esper as an Enterprise application through Apps or previously approved through Managed Google Play.
Approved Managed Google Play applications will only appear if you have enrolled in Managed Google Play. These applications must have been approved through Play for Work before they can be selected. Read more about adding Enterprise Apps or Google Play Apps.
Once an app is approved or added, select it from the dropdown menu and select its version. Then click on Add Application to add it to the Template.
Notes:
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Before using a managed Google Play account, you need to set up a Managed Google Play account through Esper.
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Non-GMS devices cannot install Google Play Store apps. If you include Google Play Store apps in a Template and provision non-GMS devices with it, those applications will not be installed on those devices.
Once you click on the Add Application button you will see the applications listed.
Installation Rule
You can choose to install applications During Provisioning or Post Provisioning. In general, Kiosk Mode apps should be installed During Provisioning. See Installing Apps During Provisioning for more information.
You can also choose from more actions if you want to clear the application from the list or wish to launch this application on the device when the device is turned on.
Advanced Settings
Clicking on Advanced Settings will launch a dialog box in which you can select either the Esper DPC Launcher or the default Android launcher.
Choosing between Esper and Android launcher in a Template.
Esper Launcher
Most users will use the default setting: The Esper DPC Launcher. If you select Esper DPC Launcher, the Esper Device agent will take administrative control of the device, and only approved applications will be able to be installed or used. All the features of Esper Device agents will be functional. This gives you more control over the applications that can be used, and the actions that can be taken on the device.
Android Launcher
If you select Default Android Launcher, the default Android launcher will be used. The device user will be able to exit the Esper Agent as they would any other Android application. The Esper Agent will continue to run in the background and provide some device management, but many management features will not be available.
Specifically, the following features will be unavailable:
- Over-the-Air OS updates for Esper Foundation for Android OS
- Latest Device Agent updates for Devices running an Android version less than 6.0
The device screen will look and act much like a regular Android device, with the Esper Device Agent showing up as an app that can be opened and closed.
Even when the device user has exited Esper Device Agent, they‘ll be able to see it running in the background in the notification bar. This feature is for very specific use cases. If you are unsure whether you should use the Default Android Launcher please contact Esper.
There is also a checkbox that allows you to include or bypass Google Play setup during provisioning on GMS devices. If this is unchecked, the Google Play store will not be set up on the device, reducing provisioning time dramatically. If you have enrolled the device into a Managed Google Play account, the default value for this is set to On'; if the tenant is not enrolled, then the default is 'Off'. It does not apply to Android Open Source Project devices that are non-GMS. Once you have made your selection, click Close.
Preloaded Apps
Android devices normally come with a number of applications loaded onto them in ROM. The Preloaded Applications section enables you to select which of these will be available on the device after provisioning.
You can access the Advanced Settings section from Provisioning Templates > Apps > Advanced Settings.
After entering the package name and clicking on Add & Change state, you can set the Application state to “Show”, “Hide” or “Disable”.
In the field below the text “Enter package name of preloaded apps”, users may enter the package name of the applications which are pre-existing in the In-ROM memory of the device as packaged by the hardware manufacturer of the specific device.
The feature to disable preloaded applications is also available via 'Device Settings' as well as during the Device Provisioning process via this section in the Template.
Get Play Store Apps
This section appears if you're enrolled in Managed Google Play. Select apps and load them to the devices provisioned through this template. Learn more about approving Google Play Store applications.
Apply Device Settings in the Template
The Settings section lets you determine levels for most of the device settings: These include things like screen brightness, wallpaper, alarm volume, and screen timeout. You can also set up devices with Wi-Fi credentials, along with determining the duration of an ADB session if ADB was enabled in the Compliance Policy section.
To learn more about individual setting details check:
Managing and controlling settings for a single device
What are Extra Settings for Android?
ADB
Enable Android debug bridge (adb) and set the session duration time.
Enable JSON
If JSON is enabled, you'll be able to set additional Android DPC params.
{
"dpc_params": [
{"key": "hideEsperIcon",
"value": "true"}
]
}For default Android Launcher, if set to true, the Esper app icon will be hidden on the device. To make it visible you need to set it to false under template and reprovision the device with that template.
Link a Device Group to a Template
Link a Group to a Template. Whenever a device is provisioned using the Template, it will be added to the Group.
Previously provisioned devices won't be reprovisioned if they're moved to this Group.
Preview
Preview the Template before saving it.
When you are satisfied with your template, press Save. You will see a pop-up to confirm your settings. Then press Okay.
After creating a Template, try provisioning a device.