Adding or updating the Apple VPP token in MaaS360

Add or update the Apple Volume Purchase Program (VPP) token in the IBM® MaaS360® Portal so you can manage the VPP licenses for specific users or a group of users, or for devices.

Before you begin

To update an existing VPP token, download the latest VPP Service Token from the Apple Business Manager portal. For more information, see Downloading the Apple VPP token from Apple Business Manager.

Procedure

  1. In the IBM MaaS360 Portal, go to the App Catalog.
  2. Click More > Apple VPP Licenses.
  3. On the Apple Volume Purchase Program (VPP) page, click Add Token to add a token or click Update in an existing token.
  4. In the Enable VPP Licenses window, select the relevant options for your configuration on each tab.
    • On the Token Detail tab, if you select the Add Apps Automatically checkbox, any iTunes and B2B apps that are associated with the VPP token are uploaded to the App Catalog.

      This option pushes any new updates that are available for an app in the B2B app store. When an administrator or a developer updates the app in Apple Store Connect, these app updates are automatically available for MDM servers that are configured with a VPP token. This update might take up to a day for MaaS360 to receive from the B2B app store. Updates are pushed to devices based on the automatic update settings that are set in the IBM MaaS360 Portal. The update mechanism for custom B2B apps uses the same rule sets for public app store updates. For more information about automatic app update settings through the App Catalog, see Configuring app settings in the IBM MaaS360 Portal.

    • On the Distribution tab, the token is available to a specific user group. If you are working with a single token, only users from that group receive the apps that are assigned the attached Apple VPP license. Users in other groups that are pushed the same apps receive those apps without an associated Apple VPP license. Those installations do not reduce the license count.
  5. Click Submit.
  6. To specify one or more target user groups for a token, select the token and then click More > Distribution.
  7. To refresh the licenses for the selected VPP token, click Sync.
  8. To update an existing token, click Update.
    1. On the Enable VPP Licenses page, click Browse and select the latest VPP token file that is downloaded from the Apple portal.
    2. Enter a unique Token Name, configure the relevant settings, and click Submit.

Results

The VPP token is successfully uploaded to the IBM MaaS360 Portal and the status of the token is displayed as Active. You can track the status of the apps that are added from VPP Token upload from the Token Details page. For more information, see Tracking the status of apps added from an Apple VPP Token upload.
Important: When a token is revoked, MaaS360 updates the status to Revoked and displays an error message on the Apple VPP page. The token is revoked in the following cases.
  • A change in password for the Apple ID that was used to download the token.
  • When the VPP license is renewed for many apps all at once, the inventory update suggests that the Apple VPP might flag your account. If your account is revoked, contact Apple Support.