Force Location for EMM Android Devices

Description

This article describes the process of enabling Location Services on Android Devices.

The EMM FileWave client companion app sends coordinates every 15min, once configured.

A server side setting is required since FW 13.3.x.  Details highlighted in: Location Tracking

Users may disable Location Services, preventing positional data being returned.  However, each time the policy is redelivered to a device (for example policy changes), the policy should re-enable the feature.

Ingredients

• FileWave Central Admin App
• EMM enrolled Android Device

Directions

Play Store App

A policy to manage the location will be created, but this policy must reference the FileWave Client App.  To do this, there must be a Fileset for the FileWave Client Android App.

There is no need to create an Association or Deployment for this below created Fileset.

1. From the FileWave Central Admin App, create a New Fileset

   1. Select: Google > Android > Play Store

   2. Search, open and select the "FileWave" app

       

      

       

Android Policy

The policy created will enable location reporting once active on devices.  From the FileWave Central Admin App, create a New Fileset, for Google > Android > Policy and name the policy, e.g. "Force Location On".  Two payloads to be considered.

Device Restrictions (Required)

1. Highlight "Device Restrictions" and select "Configure..."
2. Alter Location Mode and Sharing to Enabled and Allowed respectively, as per the screenshot: 

   

Dedicated Device (Optional)

FileWave Android App must have background running services to report location, notifications, etc.  The Dedicated Device Policy is included to ensure the App is launched at least once; a requirement for the background services to be enabled.

If it is known that the App has already been launched prior, this payload is not required.

1. Highlight "Dedicated Device" and select "Configure..."
2. Set "Locked Task" as "Locked Task"
3. Select the "Play Store App - FW Client" Fileset from the list. 

   

Assignment

On saving the Policy, choose to assign the Policy to devices either as an Association or Deployment and Update Model.

From assignment, opening the Device Info for a relevant device should now show an additional tab called "Position Map".  However, until the Policy is active and the device has subsequently returned the initial coordinates, no map will yet be shown.

If Device Info is already open, Position Map may remain this way until the Device Info window is closed and re-opened.

The Status of the Policy may be observed from the Fileset Status view:

The map will then display the device location once reported.