View - Payloads

• About Profiles / Policies
• Add Profile
• Editing Payloads / Payload Properties
• FileWave Anywhere Payload Script Editor
• Payload Actions (Move/Remove)
• Payload Groups
• Upload a Configuration Profile in FileWave Anywhere
• MSI & PKG Payloads

About Profiles / Policies

What

Profiles and Policies are conceptually the same. They are used to manipulate the configuration of a device using a standard framework.

When/Why

You can create Apple Profiles, Windows Profiles, Google Policies, and FileWave Policies on the Create Configuration button in the Payloads section.

How

Apple Profiles - To be added

Windows MDM Policies (aka Profiles)

Google Policies - To be added

FileWave Policies - To be added

 

Add Profile

What

Apple profiles let you control settings, features, and restrictions for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and tvOS devices.

When/Why

Use profiles for initial setup, requested restrictions, and ongoing configuration changes. Common examples include Wi-Fi settings, camera restrictions, wallpaper settings, certificates, privacy controls, and other managed-device behavior.

How

Select the plus () in the top right to open the profile editor for a new profile.

Basic Profile Properties

Every configuration profile needs a few basic properties before it can be saved. At minimum, set a profile name and add at least one payload category.

How

The three most common elements to set, or change from the default value, are highlighted below:

In order, those elements are:

• Name: Must be unique, should be descriptive, and cannot be left blank.
• Security: Specifies when this profile can be removed by the user.
• Installation scope: Defines whether the profile installs for the system or for the user of the device.

The highlighted warning in the screenshot is a reminder that the profile must contain at least one payload category before it can be saved.

Navigating an Apple Profile

Configuration profiles are straightforward, but finding the right setting can take a minute. Use the platform, OS version, and search filters in the profile editor to narrow the list of available payload items.

How

For example, assume you want to set the wallpaper for an iOS device. Start by choosing the platform in the upper left:

Once the platform is set, the list of profile categories becomes smaller. If you know a setting is tied to a specific OS version, you can also use the version filter, though most profile builds do not need it.

With the platform filter in place, search for wallpaper to narrow the payload list further. The matching payload names are highlighted in the editor:

Setting Profile Payloads

The purpose of a configuration profile is to change endpoint configuration. The exact settings, and how they behave, depend on the payload you choose.

Profile work usually falls into two categories:

• Settings you have already built and tested before.
• New settings you have not worked with yet.

The first category is usually routine. For example, if you have already created Wi-Fi profiles for 41 locations, building the 42nd profile should be familiar.

For new settings, use both testing and documentation:

1. Experiment and test on a device you can inspect directly.
2. Use Apple's current device-management documentation:
   • Intro to device management profiles
   • Intro to device management payloads
3. For third-party payloads or settings, use the vendor's documentation.

FileWave, like other MDM providers, exposes settings defined by Apple or the relevant vendor. Those references are the authoritative source for what a payload key means and which OS versions support it.

How

Defining every MDM payload is outside the scope of this Knowledge Base, but these practices will keep profile work safer:

• Build profiles, especially restrictions, as small and focused as possible. Avoid mixing unrelated settings in one profile when you can.
  • This makes exceptions easier later because you do not have to split a large mixed profile apart.
• Test, test, and then test again against a device you control.
• Never create and deploy a profile directly to production without testing.
• Be especially careful when editing profiles that are already assigned, particularly Wi-Fi profiles or anything else where a mistake could disconnect devices or break management.

Here is a simple example that sets a wallpaper and prevents it from being changed. Notice that it uses two related payloads:

Editing Payloads / Payload Properties

What

In FileWave Anywhere, you can edit profile payloads, change properties for other payload types, and review basic payload deployment information.

When/Why

Use the Payload view when you need to inspect a payload, check deployment status, or adjust payload properties.

How

Select a payload to open its detail view:

The available tabs depend on the payload type. For example, a VPP payload shows licensing information that does not appear for other Fileset types:

 

Payload properties do not have a separate Save button. Changes such as platform requirements are saved immediately and take effect after the next model update.

Payload Tab	Example
The Payload Info Tab shows: Summary information on deployment Verification Settings Kiosk Icon Reboot flag
The Devices Tab shows the devices that have this payload assigned, and their current status.
The Platform Requirements tab controls which platforms can receive the payload.
The Dependencies tab is where we specify relationships between payloads for simpler deployment.
VPP payloads include a licensing details tab.

FileWave Anywhere Payload Script Editor

What

The FileWave Anywhere script editor lets you edit scripts inside payloads that support scripts, without leaving the web console.

When/Why

Use this editor for quick payload-script changes. For larger edits, work in a code editor first, then paste the reviewed script back into FileWave Anywhere. Changes to published scripts are sent to affected devices on the next Model Update, so test before deployment.

How

To open the script editor, go to the Scripts tab in a supported FileWave payload or Fileset and click the edit button for the script. From this view, you can also drag scripts between script types or remove them from the payload. The example below shows the editor in use:

Related Content

• Script Best Practices
• Fileset / Payload Script Exit Code Status

Payload Actions (Move/Remove)

What

In FileWave Anywhere, payloads can be moved to another location or removed when they are no longer needed.

When/Why

Move a payload when you are reorganizing payloads or when a payload was created in the wrong location.

How

Use the ellipsis menu to the right of the payload, then choose the move or remove action:

Payload Groups

What

Payload groups are used to generally organize payloads and to mass assign payloads to groups of devices.

When/Why

We'll use these groups whenever things get a little bit messy.  They can be very helpful to organize and we highly recommend that you don't let your payloads get out of control without some type of storage system.  A lot of FileWave customers also use these groups to create associations (deployments) for many apps/profiles to devices.

How

Creating a group is simple...you just click the new group icon in the upper right ().  Payload groups can also be nested below other groups, so your storage can be quite detailed.   Take a look below at creation of a new group and then the move of a group (and its children) as well:

A few rules about payload groups:

• Payload group names must be unique
• Payload groups always create at the root of the tree
• Payload groups can be moved to another location (and nested)
• If you move a payload group, the group (and anything below it) will be moved

Upload a Configuration Profile in FileWave Anywhere

What

FileWave Anywhere can import an existing Apple configuration profile in .mobileconfig format. Use this when a profile was created in another tool or supplied by a vendor and you do not need to rebuild its payloads in FileWave.

When/Why

After import, review the profile name and payload settings before assigning it to devices.

How

1. In the Payloads view, select Create new profile ().
2. Select the Upload icon in the upper-right corner, browse to the existing .mobileconfig file, and open it.
3. Review the imported profile, then select Save.

The video below shows the upload workflow.

MSI & PKG Payloads

What

FileWave Anywhere can create computer Payloads for MSI installers on Windows and PKG installers on macOS. Use this for straightforward installer uploads when you do not need the full FileWave Central Fileset workflow.

Quick answer: In FileWave Anywhere, open Payloads, create a new Payload, add the MSI or PKG file, and let the upload finish. The upload can continue while you leave the page or start another upload.

When/Why

MSI and PKG installers are the normal package formats for Windows and macOS software deployment. FileWave Anywhere lets you upload those installer files directly from the web console, which is useful for simple app Payloads and remote admin work.

How

In the Payloads view, click the icon, name the new Payload, and choose one of the Add File options. The example below creates a Payload for the FileWave Central installer for Windows.

 

After you select the file, the upload starts immediately:

Uploads created this way have two practical advantages:

1. The upload can recover from a temporary network interruption.
2. You do not need to stay on the upload screen. You can move to another area of FileWave Anywhere or start another Payload upload while the first one continues.

After the Payload uploads, you can make simple changes such as removing or replacing a file and setting installer properties:

For Payloads that need scripts, revisions, or more advanced file-level control, use FileWave Central. FileWave Anywhere is best for direct MSI and PKG installer Payloads.

Need revisions for MSI or PKG installers? Use FileWave Central and follow Desktop PKG and MSI Filesets. For a PKG or MSI Fileset that only contains the installer, drag the new installer onto the existing Fileset and choose to add a revision. If you duplicate a revision because the Fileset also contains other files or scripts, keep the replacement installer filename the same as the original when you manually replace it.

Edits made to Payloads in FileWave Anywhere take effect immediately. There is no separate Save button for these modifications, so review the Payload before assigning it to devices.