Assigning a Profile

About this task

Assigning a profile pushes its settings down to your devices. You can assign a profile immediately after creating it or create a profile and then assign it.

To assign a profile to devices:

Procedure

  1. In the Profiles view, select a profile to open its Profile Information panel and select the Assign button from the Profile Actions list to open the Assign dialog box (see Assign (Profile)). The dialog box layout changes depending on the platform the profile pertains to.
    You can also select > Assign beside the profile.
  2. On the Devices tab, select the devices or device groups that you want the profile to target.
  3. Optional: Select the Search icon and type a complete or partial name of the device group in the text field that appears.
    If the search finds matches, the matching groups replace the initially displayed "all groups" list. You can return to the "all groups" list by selecting x in the search field. If the search finds no matches, the corresponding text message appears under the search field.
  4. Switch to the Users tab and select one or more directory services or identity provider (IdP) groups to use to determine which devices to assign the profile.
    You can specify that devices belonging to a directory service or IdP group are either included in, or excluded from, profile assignment.
  5. Switch to the Filters tab and define filter criteria to further refine which devices receive the profile.
    Filter criteria use the same filtering logic as the Devices search. You can use device properties and the Apps extended property to create filters.
  6. Select Options to set installation methods and schedules.
    Supported options differ by platform.
    Installation Method Choose how to install the profile's content on the device:
    • Automatic: the contents of the profiles are automatically installed on the device once it receives the profile.
    • Self Serve: the device user chooses which configurations or packages to install.
    Network Restrictions Specify over which networks the device can download the contents of the profile.
    Minimum Battery Level Set the minimum battery level a device must exceed before it can begin profile installation.
    Store Packages Persistently When enabled, this option stores packages persistently on the device.
    Reinstall Every Update Schedule and Check-in When enabled, this option reinstalls packages on the device on every check in.
    Uninstall Contents After Profile Revocation/Deletion When enabled, this option removes package contents from the device when removing or deleting the profile.
    Install Date Set a date and time to install the package on the device. Choose which time standard to use: Device Time or UTC Time
    Custom Package Installation Schedule Set time frames to install the packages. You can set multiple time frames. Select Add to add a time frame. Select Edit to edit an existing time frame.
    Assign Date Enable to select a date and time to assign the profile. If you also enable Delay to next update schedule, profile assignment takes place on the first update check-in following the assign date.
    Disable Date Enable to select a date and time to disable the profile.
    Revoke Date Enable to select a date and time to revoke the profile.
    Custom Deployment Schedule Set time frames during which to install the contents of the profile. You can set multiple time frames. Select the Add button to add a time frame.
    Note: You can set both a profile assign date/time and a time frame. If the profile assign date/time does not fall within the time frame, the profile is not automatically installed. Instead, the profile is only deployed if the device checks in during the time frame and after the profile assign date has passed. The start of the time frame does not automatically trigger a check in.
    Note: Depending on the number and size of the packages contained within a profile, the download duration of a few packages may exceed the custom deployment time frame. For example, when you trigger a package download, the package downloads completely, even if it exceeds the custom deployment time frame. Also, if a package download interrupts because a device goes offline, the download resumes from where it left off after the device comes online.
    Profile Scheduling Assign and revoke profiles from devices based on a reoccurring weekly schedule for the selected days of the week. Based on the set profile schedule, the server requests all assigned devices to check-in at the time of assignment to apply the profile. The server again requests all assigned devices to check-in at the time of revokement to remove the profile.
    Start Day Specify the day of the week to assign the profile to the selected devices. Select any day of the week.
    Start Time Specify the time of the day to assign the profile to the selected devices. The time zone corresponds to the server’s local time.
    End Day Specify the day of the week to revoke the profile from the selected devices. Select any day of the week.
    End Time Specify the time of the day to revoke the profile from the selected devices. The time zone corresponds to the server’s local time.
  7. Select Save Options to return to the main Assign dialog box.
    Note: The number of devices affected during assignment displays at the bottom of the window.
  8. When you're finished, select Assign.

Results

Your profile targets your devices according to the specified assignment criteria.

Note: If your profile fails to install across multiple devices, it may indicate a flawed configuration or a missing dependency. Edit the profile and assign it again. Otherwise, you can use Retry Installation in the Profile Actions list in the Profile Information panel. This forces devices with a Failed or Partially Installed profile to try to reinstall the profile.
Note: For a given profile, you can configure either Profile Deployment Actions or Profile Scheduling but not both.