How to Integrate Apps Acquired through Apple Business Manager (VPP)

Introduction

This article explains how to manage the distribution of your volume app purchases through what was once known as Apple's Volume Purchase Program, now is a part of Apple Business Manager.

Apple has provided this program to help the enterprise to bulk purchase apps for their employees. Once a volume app purchase is made you receive a spreadsheet with a list of redemption codes to send out to your employees to then use when purchasing the app from the iTunes app catalog. This process is tedious and error prone. Using App47 you can simply upload the list to our platform and then assign redemption codes to your users. It also gives visibility to easily track which user has been assigned which redemption code.

In this section of the wiki we will provide instructions on how to get started uploading and distributing VPP Codes with App47.

Note: Once a user is given a redemption code for an app and the user has downloaded that app, it cannot be unassigned or reassigned. The code can be unassigned until that download occurs.

Acquiring Apps through ABM

1. Navigate to https://business.apple.com/.
2. Click on the link for Enroll Now.
3. On the pop-up for Enroll Your Organization, fill out the information about your company, and click on Continue when finished.
   • Note: All fields are required.
4. Once you have completed the process and have started using Apple Business Manager, you are ready to start purchasing apps for your users. Follow the guides to set up Apple Business Manager to select and buy content.
   • Note: Please pay special attention to the following message on that page if you are purchasing any codes for users to redeem — Codes, once redeemed, can’t be reassigned to other users.
   • Note: If you have any questions about using Apple Business Management, check the ABM User Guide or contact Apple Support.

Adding your Apps from ABM to App47 

How to Check on VPP Order Status

1. Under the Manage selection in the header banner, navigate to the VPP tab.
2. Select the app you'd like to manage VPP codes for from the Select App drop down. The selected app's VPP information will be displayed.
3. The top part of the order will display a status bar showing the number of VPP Codes and how many have been assigned. The colors indicate whether you should plan to order additional VPP codes.

How to Upload a VPP Code file

1. Under the Manage selection in the header banner, navigate to the VPP tab.
2. Select the app you'd like to manage VPP codes for from the For app drop down. The selected app's VPP information will be displayed.
   • NOTE: If you have never uploaded a VPP file, the information will be empty.
3. Click on the green Click or drag and drop a file to upload button to import your VPP Redemption code file you received from Apple.
4. Your VPP codes will now display in the Order section of the screen.

How to View the URL for a VPP Code

NOTE: While possible, it is generally not recommended to send this URL to anyone. See the subheading titled Distribution to Users for more information about deploying VPP codes to users.

1. Under the Manage selection in the header banner, navigate to the VPP tab.
2. Select the app you'd like to manage VPP codes for from the For app drop down.
3. Your available VPP codes will be displayed in the Order section of the screen.
4. Click on the Details link to the right of the code for which you wish to see the URL.
5. A popup will appear with the URL of the code, or a message saying that the code has already been redeemed.

How to Assign VPP Redemption Codes to Users

NOTE: While possible, it is generally not recommended to perform this action. See the subheading titled Distribution to Users for more information about deploying VPP codes to users.

1. Under the Manage selection in the header banner, navigate to the VPP tab.
2. Select the app you'd like to manage VPP codes for from the For app drop down.
3. Your available VPP codes will be displayed in the Order section of the screen.
4. Unassigned VPP redemption codes can be assigned by clicking on the Assign hyperlink.
5. Click on the OK button to confirm.
   • A confirmation message will display and the VPP code will now show as Assigned.

How to Unassign Unused Redemption Codes

1. Under the Manage selection in the header banner, navigate to the VPP tab.
2. Select the app you'd like to manage VPP codes for from the For app drop down.
3. Your available VPP codes will be displayed in the Order section of the screen.
4. Under the Status column, click on the Unassign link.
   • Note: This will only work if the user has not already redeemed their code. Once the user has actually used the code it cannot be unassigned.

How to Delete a VPP Redemption Code Order

1. Under the Manage selection in the header banner, navigate to the VPP tab.
2. Select the app for which you'd like to manage VPP codes from the For app drop-down.
3. Your available VPP codes will be displayed in the Order section of the screen.
4. Find the order you'd like to delete and click on the Delete Order hyperlink below it.
5. Click on the OK button to confirm.

Distribution to Users 

1. Grant permission to a user for a VPP app, that user will see the app as available the next time they open their hub.
2. The user will be able to install the app as if it were any other app.
3. When the user downloads the app, one of the VPP codes will be redeemed. This information will be shown on the VPP page. See the subheading for How to Check on VPP Order Status above for information on how to find this page.