Addigy Self Service is an app that gets installed on each iPhone and iPad. It gives your users a curated list of pre-approved apps they can install themselves, along with your company contact details, without needing to contact IT.
You do not push the Self Service app out manually. Addigy installs it on a device automatically once the five conditions in What Self Service Needs to Reach a Device are all met. If Self Service has not appeared on a device, one of those five conditions is almost always the reason.
Self Service works differently from other Apple Apps. Every other app you distribute has to be assigned to a policy before it deploys. Self Service does not. Once you have purchased its licenses in Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager and they are assigned to your VPP token, Self Service is assigned automatically to any policy that has a Self Service configuration. There is no app assignment step to perform, and you will not find Self Service in the policy's app assignment list.
What Self Service Needs to Reach a Device
Read this list before you start. Each item corresponds to a step below, and the app will not install until every one of them is satisfied.
- The device meets Addigy's system requirements.
- You have purchased enough Addigy Self Service licenses in Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager to cover your devices, and they are assigned to your VPP token — Step 1.
- That token is assigned to the policy, or inherited by it — Step 2.
- The device is in the correct policy, and the device's Location is set to that policy — Step 3.
- At least one app is assigned to Self Service. With no apps assigned, Self Service will not deploy — Step 4.
Note: The Location requirement catches people out most often. A device can sit in the right policy and still not receive Self Service if its Location points somewhere else. Check the Location in GoLive, or Location (Policy ID) on the Devices Page.
Prerequisites
- Permission to purchase licenses in Apple School Manager or Apple Business Manager.
- Access to your Addigy tenant and the policy you intend to configure.
- The device's Location assigned to the policy that will hold the Self Service configuration.
Step 1: Get Licenses in Apple School Manager or Apple Business Manager
Self Service is distributed as a Volume Purchase Program app, so you acquire it the same way as any other managed app. This purchase is the one action you must take for Self Service to become available — acquire enough licenses to cover every device that should receive it.
- Log in to Apple School Manager or Apple Business Manager.
- Click Apps & Services in the main menu bar, then click View Store.
- In the search bar, type Addigy Self Service and select it once it appears.
- Enter the quantity of licenses and ensure an Organizational Unit is assigned for them.
- Click Get.
Step 2: Upload Your Content Token to a Policy in Addigy
- Navigate to the policy you would like to configure Self Service for and select Integrations & Settings > Apple Apps. Upload the .vpp token with Self Service licenses.
- In that same section, confirm Addigy Self Service appears under Apple Apps Assets. If it does not appear here, the licenses from Step 1 have not reached this policy and the app cannot deploy.
Note: Confirming Self Service appears under Apple Apps Assets is all that's needed here. Do not look for a way to assign Self Service to the policy — unlike other Apple Apps, it assigns itself to any policy holding a Self Service configuration.
For more detail, see Configuring Apps & Books before continuing.
Step 3: Create and Assign a Configuration in a Policy
The configuration controls what users see inside the app — your branding and contact details.
- Within the policy you want to assign Self Service to, click the Self Service tab in the sidebar.
- Choose New, then click iPhone/iPad Configuration.
- Name your Self Service configuration.
- Optionally, add context in the Description field.
- Customize the Info page. Click Add to include a photo.
- To change the default details, select Override Info Panel Details. The defaults are pulled from your Account Settings.
- Enter the company name. You'll see updates in the Preview Window as you type.
- To display a description, check Show Description and enter the details.
- To include an address, check Show Address and enter it.
- To add an email, check Show Email and enter the address.
- To add a phone number, check Show Phone and enter it.
- Click Save & Assign to complete the configuration.
- Once created and assigned, the configuration details appear on the Configuration page.
Step 4: Assign Apps to Self Service
Self Service will not deploy to any device until at least one app is assigned to it. Do not skip this step, even if you plan to add your full app list later.
- Navigate to the Self Service section in your policy.
- In the top navigation tabs, select iPhone & iPad.
- Select the checkbox next to an app on the left side of the table.
- Click Add/Remove and add the app to Self Service.
How to Confirm Self Service Is Installing
Once all five conditions are met, deployment begins on its own. To check that it has started:
- Open the device's events log.
- Look for an event from the sender Addigy MDM reading:
Queued VPP asset 'Addigy Self Service' installation on device.
Initial deployment may take up to 30 minutes, though it is often faster. After the app is installed, app assignments and company information inside it update in real time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to install the Self Service app myself?
No. Addigy installs it automatically once all five conditions above are satisfied. There is no separate step to push the app.
Why can't I find Self Service in my policy's app assignment list?
Because it isn't assigned there. Self Service is the exception to the normal Apple Apps workflow: purchasing its licenses in Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager and having them on your VPP token is sufficient, and it then assigns itself to every policy that has a Self Service configuration. If you have been looking for an assignment step, there isn't one to find — check the five conditions above instead.
I finished all four steps but Self Service hasn't appeared. What now?
Work back through the five conditions. The two most common causes are a device whose Location is not set to the configured policy, and a policy with no apps assigned to Self Service. Then check the device's events log for the Queued VPP asset event to see whether deployment has been attempted at all.
Why does Self Service need its own license?
Self Service is distributed through Apple's Volume Purchase Program like any other managed app, so each device that receives it draws on your available licenses. If you run out, additional devices will not receive the app.
How long does installation take?
Up to 30 minutes for the initial deployment, though it is frequently sooner.