Configure VPP Apps for macOS via Managed Preferences

Review Developer Documentation

The first step is to determine if your application can be configured via XML. The best way to do this is to contact the application vendor to find out what configuration options are available. In our case, for example, a Google search for Outlook Managed Preferences returns the official Microsoft description of how to configure Outlook on macOS devices.

If you follow the link to Set preferences for Outlook for Mac - Deploy Office, you will find a list of the available preferences. In this guide, we will focus on configuring the following configuration keys:

• Specify calendar first day of week
• Allow only corporate mailboxes to be added
• Disable Signatures
• Disable Pride theme
• Disable SMIME
• Specify default weather location
• Enable new Outlook

According to the documentation you will find for each configuration the following important information about the specific domain, the specific key, the available data type and the possible values. It also shows the required configuration profile, which is what we are going to do in this guide, and you can check the supported Outlook version for the configuration. Please note that some keys have an additional comment that they only apply to new Outlook, so keep this in mind.

Adjust Managed Preference Template

In the Apple MDM Developer documentation you will find a template for the Managed Preferences profile and the structure of this payload is always the same, so you can use it as a template and the inserted content is what you need to customize for your application. In this guide, we want to configure Microsoft Outlook and the first step is to use the specific PayloadContent key com.microsoft.Outlook, which is the same as the Domain field in the documentation, but can also be the Bundle ID.

The second focus part is the mcx_preference_settings, where you can add your specific XML configuration for the application. To make your life easier, we have already added all the above mentioned configurations as examples to the template. The third part is the PayloadIdentifier where it is important to adjust at least one character in case you want to deploy multiple Managed Preference profiles. The last point of focus is the Payload Display Name and we recommend to adapt it to the naming convention like in the example for any application you want to configure. Now all you need to do now is to press the view source button in the XML below and copy it to your clipboard and proceed with Create Managed Preference Profile.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>PayloadContent</key>
<array>
<dict>
<key>PayloadContent</key>
<dict>
    <key>com.microsoft.Outlook</key>
<dict>
<key>Forced</key>
<array>
<dict>
<key>mcx_preference_settings</key>
<dict>
    <key>AllowedEmailDomains</key>
    <array>
    <string>imagoverum.com</string>
    </array>
    <key>CalendarFirstDayOfWeek</key>
    <integer>5</integer>
    <key>DisableSignatures</key>
    <true/>
    <key>DisablePrideTheming</key>
    <true/>
    <key>DisableSMIMECompose</key>
    <true/>
    <key>DefaultWeatherLocation</key>
    <string>Berlin, Germany</string>
    <key>EnableNewOutlook</key>
    <integer>3</integer>
</dict>
</dict>
</array>
</dict>
</dict>
<key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
<string>com.example.mymanprefpayload</string>
<key>PayloadType</key>
<string>com.apple.ManagedClient.preferences</string>
<key>PayloadUUID</key>
<string>83c9f6e8-ef4b-4974-b83b-b2e7fe79b75c</string>
<key>PayloadVersion</key>
<integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</array>
<key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
    <string>Silverback Managed Preference: com.microsoft.Outlook</string>
<key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
    <string>macBook-Pro.CBC831CC-1B82-4FBE-B2E7-DBD1C959CE80</string>
<key>PayloadRemovalDisallowed</key>
<false/>
<key>PayloadType</key>
<string>Configuration</string>
<key>PayloadUUID</key>
<string>AED723D7-8DE0-45FC-BFA3-1F40FA17C5E1</string>
<key>PayloadVersion</key>
<integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

Create a new Tag 

• Open your Silverback Management Console
• Navigate to Tags
• Press New Tag
• Enter a name, e.g. Managed Preference
• Enter a description, e.g. Microsoft Outlook Configuration (optional)
• Enable Profile at Enabled Features
• Enable macOS as device type 
• Press Save 

Create a new Profile 

• Navigate to Profile
• Select Custom Profiles
• Press New Custom Profile
• Enter a Name, e.g. Managed Preference for Outlook
• Enter a Description, e.g. Microsoft Outlook Configuration
• Enable the Use XML button
• Paste the payload content from your Clipboard
• Press Save
• Confirm with OK

Assign Tag

• Navigate to Devices
• Locate one of your target devices
• Press the Assign Tag button
• Select the previously created Managed Preference Tag
• Press Save
• Confirm with OK
• Now ensure that your device is connected to the internet 
• Open the Device Overview
• Press Refresh and select Pending Commands
• Locate the InstallProfile command that contains Custom Profile and ensure that there is no Error in the Status column

Review Profile Installation 

• Head over to your macOS device
• Open System Settings
• Navigate to Privacy & Security
• Scroll Down and press Profiles
• Select Silverback MDM Profile
• Review the Silverback Managed Preference: com.microsoft.Outlook profile 
• Perform a double-click on this profile
• Review the Custom Settings area