FileWave Anywhere Help Menus

Many views within the FileWave WebAdmin have tables in them that can be customized to match your needs.

We will customize views when we find there is a data element missing from a table we'd like to add, when we'd like to sort records in a different way, and even to rearrange column order.

Each of the customization options are detailed in the below articles, and apply generally to almost all web admin table views.

Customizing Views

Column Searching Criteria

What

Whenever we are in a particular table view, the data may be quite extensive and perhaps hard to find. The search tool allows us to temporarily enter search criteria for any table view to quickly find content.

When/Why

Assume for a moment that we got a call from the field from a customer having an issue with their laptop. We ask for, and they give us, the asset tag number from the sticker on the physical device. Quickly finding this device in the Devices view is critical for us in this case, and as long as we have the Asset Tag field in the view then we can quickly search for it using the data filter.

How

Below you'll see an example of filtering within the Licenses view. In this example, there are only a few dozen licenses, but in a production environment there are quite likely thousands so the filter becomes quite important. You'll also note in the below that the filters for any view are "sticky" and will remain as a filter in that view until you either change or remove the criteria.

Customizing Views

Columns Adding and Removing (Customizing)

What

The Edit Fields tool allows you to choose to display/hide additional inventory fields beyond the standard fields that are included by default.

When/Why

Typically, we'll want to use this tool when there are elements that are important to us beyond the default fields. Inclusion of the fields in the view then allows us to do things like quickly search and filter by those values.

How

You can Edit the fields in a view wherever you see the () icon on the right of the table (it is shown here horizontally, but is vertical in the web admin).

In the following example, you can see that we are adding the custom field "Asset Tag" to our devices view. This is important to us, because when a customer calls from the field to report an issue, the asset tag is the easiest way for them to identify their device. Including the field in this view allows us to then quickly filter for the troublesome device.

Removing a field from a view is as easy as unchecking the checkbox.

Customizing Views

Columns Pinning

What

Pinning columns allows you to make sure that a particular column is always where you want it.

When/Why

Most of the time that we pin a column it is because that column is really important and we want to see it all of the time. For instance, if I constantly refer to Asset Tag, then I may want to pin that to the left side of the devices view along with device name. That way, if I scroll right within the window, those two fields will always be shown.

How

Below you will see an example of pinning the Device Name column to the left, and then removing the pin. Note that you access the pinning menu by clicking on the hamburger icon () in the column header:

Customizing Views

Columns Sorting & Moving

What

Once we have customized a table view to contain the columns we want, it makes sense for us to want to order the data in the table and to order the columns themselves. Both of these are possible in the FileWave WebAdmin.

When/Why

Generally we will want to re-order and sort columns to make data in tables more meaningful to us. As an example, if I am looking at a table with FileWave Client Version in it, then I am probably going to want to sort that table by FileWave Client Version ascending (the up arrow indicates ascending) because what I really care about are old clients and fixing them:

How

As you will see in the below, sorting by columns is as easy as clicking on the column header, and order columns is as easy as drag and drop:

Exporting Data

What

From almost any view in the FileWave WebAdmin you can export the data in the current view.

When/Why

Typically we will want to export data when we want to put it into some other format, like a spreadsheet or a presentation.

How

As you'll see below, exporting data from the current view is as easy as right-clicking, and choosing "Export to CSV":

Search Criteria

What

The general upper-right Search tool () will search for devices from within any view in the FileWave WebAdmin.

When/Why

We'll use this tool to quickly get to any device, from anywhere within the admin for those quick one-off support types of issues. We'll be adding more functionality to this search function over time.

How

To search for a device, you can use the most common field values, such as device name, operating system name, and current username to isolate devices. Once the list appears, click on the device name to go to the device detail view:

Currently, this search does not search against additional fields that you have added to the client view, but we will be making improvements on this in future.

Update Model

What

In every view of the FileWave WebAdmin, you are going to see this icon () in the header right beside a label for the Model Number (). The "model" in FileWave is the concept of committing changes to be ready for production so to speak. Each time the model is updated, the Model Number itself increments by one and the devices in the field compare this number to their model number to know whether a change has been made.

When/Why

We'll update the model each time we want a change to be committed. For instance, if we have just created a new payload from VPP, and have assigned that payload to devices in a deployment, we will then update the model to make that change effective. Until the model is updated, nothing will happen with our new deployment. Model Update rights do NOT have to be given to every FileWave admin...you can control that preference for each administrative user.

Updating the model is not done in a silo. All changes that have been made by all FileWave admins are committed each time a model update is performed. So, in a shared environment it is best to have a team plan for model updates.

How

Actually updating the model is as easy as clicking the icon as you'll see below:

You will see this Update Model dialog popup whenever anyone updates the model in the environment.

View - Deployments

The Deployments view allows you to see and create Deployments. Deployments are not Associations, but they are similar. Deployments connect payloads to endpoints like Associations, but deployments have more advanced capabilities than their earlier cousins.

We'll use the Deployments view whenever we want to create new, or edit/delete existing deployments. In each case a deployment will define a relationship between payload(s) (the things to install) and the endpoint(s) (the thing to install to).

View - Deployments

Create Deployment

What

The creation of a new deployment connects one or more payloads with one or more devices/groups. You can also use deployments to create exclusions on devices or groups.

When/Why

Deployments may be quite straightforward. It may be as simple as "I need to deploy Adobe Photoshop to each device which owns a license". But, it may be more complex, such as "I need to deploy Adobe Photoshop to all devices in our Production group, but not to any manager's device." In the first instance, our deployment will probably pick a manual group or individual machines as the endpoints. In the second instance, we might target a group for "Production", but add an exclusion for and devices in the Managers smart group. Deployments can even target LDAP OUs as well.

How

To create a new deployment, select the plus ( ) in the top right.

Then give the deployment a name in the top left. it is important to name the deployments appropriately so that you can filter for them later.

We'll discuss each of the tabs in this view in the below linked articles.

View - Deployments

Deployment Targets

What

The Targets of a deployment are the endpoints that we'll define for deploying to. Targets allows us to choose individual devices, groups, smart groups and LDAP sources for our deployment. Targets also allows us to avoid deploying to certain devices or groups as well.

When/Why

We'll want to define here the targets and exclusions:

Targets - What you want to receive

Groups - Static, Smart Groups, and LDAP OUs to include

Devices - Specific devices to include

Exclusions - What you don't want to receive

Groups - Static, Smart Groups and LDAP OUs to exclude

Devices - Specific devices to exclude

If left blank, the deployment can be saved, but without targets it won't send payloads anywhere. This may be nice for archival purposes.

How

From the Targets tab.
Select devices you want to get a payload(s). Either groups or individual devices
(optional) Select exceptions, groups or devices you do not want to receive any payload(s)
Save your work to finish later or next to finish creating your deployment

View - Deployments

Deployment Payloads

What

In the Payloads tab, we'll choose all of the payload(s) we want to include in this deployment. That is, items, such as software you want to deploy. This can be one item, many items, or even nothing.

When/Why

Of course the point of a deployment is to deploy something, so we'll pick payloads we want in this view. Note that the list of payloads can always be amended. Additions will be installations, and removals of payloads will be uninstalls (based on verification settings).

How

Press the plus () in the top right or "Add Payloads" button in the center
Select one or many payloads
You may delete them with the x ()
Select Save to continue later or next to finish the deployment

View - Deployments

Deployment Options

What

The Options tab allows you set the "rules" for the installation, such as the timing and the license assignment type for instance. These settings vary by type of payload

When/Why

For the most basic type of installations (an iOS VPP app for instance), we may not change anything at all on this tab. But, if we are doing a Windows MSI deployment scheduled for Friday night after 5PM, then we might set several different timing options in this tab.

How

Select Install type
1. Direct (installs automatically)
2. kiosk (Shows in a list of installs for customer to install)
(optional) Select Timing, if no times are selected, FileWave will download and install as soon as it can
(Optional - VPP only) Select License distribution
1. Device
2. User

View - Deployments

Deployment Summary

What

The Deployments Summary tab shows you the effective action that your deployment will perform.

When/Why

It is very important to review this tab to make sure that at minimum the number of devices being impacted makes sense. This is your opportunity to sanity-check your settings before you update the model and commit your changes.

How

Note that no actions can be taken directly on the summary tab, but it gives you to overview to evaluate your deployment:

The tab shows the number of endpoints impacted, and the overall size of the deployment. Note that an explicit exclusion wins over an inclusion. (e.g. a device is in a group that has a payload assigned, but that device is also explicitly exluded means that that endpoint will NOT have the payload(s) installed.)

View - Deployments

Deployment Drafts

What

When creating Deployments in the WebAdmin you may see Deployment drafts on the deployment page.

When/Why

Because the WebAdmin is not a local application, and you could be interrupted while creating a Deployment by accidentally closing the browser or simply going off to work on something else after starting to define a Deployment, there is a concept in FileWave 14.6+ of Deployment drafts that was introduced. You will see them in the Deployments section of the WebAdmin if any exist. The only drafts you will see are ones created by you in the current web browser. So if you have a draft in Chrome and then login with Firefox you will not see the draft.

How

The drafts show up in the WebAdmin like in the below image. If you want to continue to work on your draft you can click the ... icon and pick to Edit it or you can pick to Delete it from there. Additionally you can click on the Name of the draft and go back to editing it as well.

When you are editing your draft if you click Cancel on the bottom of the page you will have the below prompt which will give you the option to keep the draft for later or to delete it now.

View - Deployments

Deployments Targeting LDAP Groups

What

The FileWave WebAdmin has the capability to directly target LDAP OUs when defining a deployment. This is a significant improvement over previous FileWave versions which required special smart groups to be built for this purpose.

When/Why

We will likely want to use this feature whenever we have something to deploy to a particular group of devices, and those devices all exist in an OU we can reference. Note: Using Directory structure to deploy content is perfectly viable, but ONLY if the data in the directory itself is reliable.

How

To target (or exclude) an LDAP OU in a deployment, target it in a very similar fashion to how we target a smart group. Example shown below:

View - Devices

View - Devices Overview

What

The Devices View () is where you will work with all of the devices that are enrolled in FileWave, and also where you can choose to enroll new devices.

When/Why

You will use this view whenever you want to see specific information about a particular device, whenever you want to manage/see devices that are in groups and smart groups, and whenever you want to dig a little deeper in troubleshooting.

How

From this top level Device view, you'll be able to do all of the items listed below. Check out the articles in this book to go into depth on each topic.

View - Devices

Basic Filtering

What

Operating System and manual filters in the Devices view help you isolate specific platform and device subsets from your client pool. For instance, if we were in a role only responsible for Windows devices, we would probably always filter for Windows devices only.

When/Why

The primary time we'll use these filters is when we care about a singular platform or a singular device. For instance, looking very quickly for a singular device by asset tag as shown below:

Note that a manual filter only functions on fields that are actually in the view...the tool only evaluates fields that you can see. So, in the above example, Asset Tag (a custom field) was added to the view.

Also note that these filters are "sticky", meaning that moving to another view and then back will NOT remove these filters automatically.

The OS and manual filters are additive to each other and to the relative location in the Group navigation. Meaning all three items combine to show you results.

How

Selecting a group at left will show only items in that group at right; adding an OS filter will then additionally isolate for that platform; filtering on top of both of those with a manual filter can further isolate as shown below:

View - Devices

Adding Devices

What

Shows a list of devices awaiting enrollment and allows the creation of placeholders. Additionally you can specify Actions, such as what group the device(s) is added to, what fields to set, and more.

When/Why

If you don't have automatic import turned on for new clients, you will come to this dialog to allow new clients to enroll. You will also use this dialog anytime you want to create placeholders for not-yet-existing devices. (i.e. if you want to image a Windows device that has never been enrolled before, or if you want to assign content to a device so that it gets installed immediately upon enrollment)

Inevitably you are going to want to add new devices into FileWave. The "Plus" and the "Upload" icons in the Devices View allow you to accomplish this:

How

From the devices view press the plus () to enter the UI on the Selected Devices screen. See articles listed below to get details on the individual tabs within the dialog.

Actions

Fields, destinations, and other actions to take once a devices is brought in

"Actions" is where you can set data for inventory fields, manually assign a DEP profile, and set destinations for the imported devices/copies (aka "clones") after a device has been enrolled.

You would use the import actions listed above typically only when you don't have "automatic" import turned on. These actions are only preformed after everything has been saved.

How

Select the action dropdown and choose one of the following:
1. Assign Field Value - Allows you to set inventory values fields
  1. Then select a Device Field (like "Comment")
  2. Then Select a Value for that field (like "Front Desk Checkin Station")
  3. (Optional for string/text fields) Select "Replace" (overwrite any value the device currently has), or "Append" (add your text to the end of the value)
2. Import/Move to group - Specify the group where the original device will go
  1. Then select the group you want the original sent to
3. Create Copies in Group(s) - Specify where clones/alias/copies of the original will be created
  1. Then select any groups you want copies created in
4. Copy in the same group - Copy your incoming devices to that of an already existing device (i.e. mirror its groups)
  1. Then select an existing placeholder or device
5. Associate DEP Profile - Manually assign a specific DEP profile for this device
  1. Then select the specific DEP profile
If you need more than one action taken, press "Add Action" and start from 1 again

Assign Field Value can be added many times. The other Actions can only be selected once.

If you select "Import/Move to group" you can't also select "Copy in the Same Group".
Similarly, if you select "Copy in the Same Group" you can't select "Import/Move to group"

Add Placeholder

A placeholder is a temporary item that represents a device you intend to enroll at a later date.

You can use placeholders for a device that you will be adding eventually. Placeholders allow you to specify the connections from payloads to the device through deployments so that when a device is ultimately enrolled, it will immediately get all assigned content.

How

From the Selected Devices interface, press the "Add placeholder" button
Enter text into the fields
- Name (required)
- Comment (optional)
- Platform (required)
- Serial / MAC (Serial number for Apple devices, MAC address for Windows devices)
Press "Add Placeholder"

Upload Devices and/or Data

Digging Deeper

Keep in mind that you can also create a clone by doing a Copy to Group thereby creating many instances of your original. These groups can also have associations/deployments on them. Use this to create a layered structure.

Selected Devices

These are devices pending enrollment. They can be devices checking-in with a client already installed or from a service such as Apple DEP/ Android EMM

Shows a list of pending devices that are either clients checking-in or devices in your pending DEP/EMM list. You will select devices from the list for import whenever you are ready for them to be a part of the managed environment. You do not have to import all devices that show in this list (you can pick and choose individuals).

How

Once you have started the Adding Devices process, Select Devices is the first tab showing what can be added.

From the Pending Requests section you can select devices or DEP/EMM placeholders for import
Select the checkbox to the left of each device you wish to include
Press the Move to Selected Devices button
(Observe) that device moves to the lower list
(Optional) Add Placeholder devices
Select "Next" to move onto Actions

Summary

Preview the results of your changes

The summary tab view will show a preview of the action you are about to perform.

Some views, Like the Summary in Mass import Upload Devices and/or Data will have check boxes for confirmation of changes.

Use this view to verify what you want to happen.

How

If everything look correct, hit "Save"
If there are issues select "Back" and change them
If you want to stop the process, or perhaps start over, select "Cancel"

View - Devices

Upload Devices and/or Data

What

Mass import devices/data from a CSV

The upload option () allows en masse import of devices and/or field data, and allows you to specify additional import actions.

When/Why

You would use this option any time you need to create a lot of placeholders at once or if you need to update data fields for a large number of devices. For instance, if my asset management system had given me data in a csv linking device serial number to a physical asset tag number, then I might use this tool to upload that asset tag information into FileWave.

How

From the View - Devices
Press the upload icon (

)

This takes you to the Import File tool
Select your txt/csv file and move to Map Fields
In Map Fields, match the fields you want to import to FileWave fields
In Actions, define other options

Import File tool

This window will allow us to import a large amount of data from a CSV source.

We'll use this method whenever we have a large number of new device placeholders to enter or whenever we want to update fields for existing devices.

For instance, we may have a spreadsheet from a hardware vendor sharing details of 100 new laptops we'll be receiving next week which includes Mac Addresses and Asset Tag information. With placeholders imported for these new devices, we could image them immediately out of the box.
Alternatively, we may already have the devices enrolled in FileWave, but perhaps our property management folks have given us a spreadsheet that has serial numbers and associated physical asset tag information. We could use this tool to import that asset tag information into FileWave for quick reference.

How

To import a file, we will:

Create a CSV/TXT with a header row, followed by a row for each device

"Serial Number","OS Type","Device Name",comment,location,asset_tag
C02WP0hgHTDF,macOS,"HR-John-MBP","John's laptop","north site","123456"
ABC456123DEF,iOS,"ThatsABeautClark ","no comment","Normal, IL","651241"
215487958754,Windows,"PR-Sal-1258","that other device","south site","654321"

The data can be in pretty much any order, but it must include at minimum a device name, and an OS Type.

Browse for the file with the Browse Button ()
Preview your upload and continue to the Map Fields

Map Fields

Connect CSV columns with FileWave inventory fields

Here is where you match up the columns heading with existing FileWave Inventory Fields.

How

From the Actions Tab

View - Devices

Group Navigation (Devices View)

What

When/Why

We will use this navigation pane extensively to set our location and just generally to browse the device tree.

How

How your devices are organized into groups and smart groups will largely influence the navigation, but the levels of the tree are always organized alphabetically, the same as the native FileWave admin. You can expand and collapse groups to navigate quickly. And notice below that when you select a group at left (selected groups show highlighted with blue text), only devices that are in that group will show at right:

When using either search or OS based filters in the devices view, the choices are additive. So if we are filtering for macOS, and then highlight a specific group, then we are ONLY going to see macOS devices that are in that specific group. (Filters themselves have no impact on the display of groups in the left-hand pane, which always show)

View - Devices

Individual Device View

What

The individual device view is a detailed level view of all pertinent details about any individual device. The URL for this view is always going to be in the form of https://my.server.address/devices/<fw_device_id>/info. This deep url allows you to easily share a link to this specific device with any other administrator.

When/Why

We'll use this view extensively for general data browsing purposes, but especially when we are looking to troubleshoot the behavior of any particular device.

How

The Device Detail view is accessed primarily by clicking on the name of any device showing in the Devices View:

Once you are in the detail view, you'll see tabs that break out all of the data. We'll cover each of the tabs in the articles linked to below

You can send pertinent action commands to a device in the device details view from the vertical ellipsis (top-right):

Applications

The Applications tab in the Device Detail view gives you a list of applications installed on the particular endpoint. The details provided differ by platform and type of enrollment. The view is directly linkable via https://my.server.address/devices/<fw_device_id>/apps

This view will gives us details on installed applications, which allows us to quickly look and see information such as what version of a particular application is installed. Note that the data that shows on this tab is only as accurate up until the last time the device reported inventory. Assume that you have a device that has been offline for 3 months in a desk drawer while you are rolling out a new version of Chrome. This view for that device is going to show an old version, as we would expect.

How

We access the Applications tab just by clicking on the tab at the top of the view. This view can be controlled by sorting and pinning columns. The filtering option for this table makes it really easy to isolate records.

Certain enrollment types (like iOS BYOD enrollment) prevent the inventory of applications beyond the applications that are "managed". That is, with those devices, you can only see what has been installed by FileWave.

Command History

The Command History tab is only shown for devices that are Apple MDM enrolled. This tab shows the recent history of MDM commands that have been sent to this device. Command History is reached at https://my.server.address/devices/<fw_device_id>/commands

This view is used very heavily whenever troubleshooting anything related to an Apple MDM device. For instance, if a device seems to not be getting a profile installed correctly, one might go to the Command History view to see the status of the latest Install Profile command.

How

Simply click on the Command History tab to see the latest info:

Note that the default view is ordered showing most recent commands at the top. We hope to see "Acknowledged" as the state for any good command, but sometimes you might see errors as well, and this view gives good detail on what the issue may be as you can see below:

The Command History view has a special filter in the top-right of the view to filter by command states.

Device Info

The Device Info tab of the Device Detail view allows you to see the most pertinent inventory details about any particular device. In this view, you will see an overall deployment status, you can see how much memory a device has all the way to how many, and what type of Network cards are installed. The Device Info tab is addressable here: https://my.server.address/devices/<fw_device_id>/info

We'll use this view whenever we want to see device specific information. We could create a report to do the same thing of course, but this view is much simpler and quicker.

How

The Device Info tab is the default tab when you click on a particular device in the Devices view. You'll see some of the most used summary information at the top of the view:

With detailed tables below broken out into data categories. Here we are looking at network details for a Windows device:

The sub-tables in this view do have their own filter. Filtering for search terms will highlight the content in the view:

Groups

The Groups tab of the Device Details view gives information about in which FileWave Groups a device is located. This view is addressable at: https://my.server.address/devices/<fw_device_id>/groups

This group information is generally not actionable content, but sometimes can let you see that you have "surprise" group membership. That is, the device is in a group you didn't expect it to be in...perhaps from a custom field wrongly set, or a mistaken criteria on a smart group.

How

Just click on the Groups tab to see what FileWave groups the device is in as we have done on the Windows device below:

Location

The Location tab of the Device Detail view gives information about the reported last location of a device. This tab is only shown if location data has been submitted for the particular device. The url for this tab is: https://my.server.address/devices/<fw_device_id>/location

Seeing this data is very helpful for either a lost or stolen device.

How

Simply click on the Location tab to see the map (if available):

Media

The Media tab of the Device Details view shows documents that are managed on the endpoint through FIleWave. This tab will only show for iOS device types.

PDFs are the most common type of media delivered to endpoints, and the PDFs (once installed) will show in the Books app. You can get to the Media tab at the following url: https://my.server.address/devices/<fw_device_id>/media

How

Just click on the Media tab to access the data reported from the endpoint. As with all inventory, the data shown is accurate as of the last data submission from the device.

Payloads

The Payloads view is one of the most important tabs in the Device Details view. This table shows you all content assigned to the chosen endpoint and is accessable at: https://my.server.address/devices/<fw_device_id>/payloads

We will typically use the payloads tab to get summary information on payloads sent to (or pending) to an endpoint. This information can tell us where we have potential issues with deployments. It also can be very useful simply to backtrack how something is associated...that is, how that particular payload is assigned to this device.

How

Note that the Associations column shows how the individual payload is assigned. In this case, three individual associations and one association to a smart group:

From the ellipsis to the right of any payload, you can choose to Reinstall if you have an error as you see below:

Software Updates

The Software Update tab shows all pertinent software updates for the particular device. The URL for this tab is: https://my.server.address/devices/<fw_device_id>/updates

Using this tab is an excellent way to see any missing patches for a particular device, which gives us a sense of the device's relative health.

How

Note that the updates that are shown will be any updates not yet applied, as well as updates deployed through FileWave that still have an association remaining. Examples shown below for macOS, Windows, and iPadOS respectively.

. .

Clicking on the "Install" button to the right of any update will associate that update to this particular device. A subsequent model update will make that change effective. While that association exists, you'll see a status for the particular update.

Users

The Users tab in Device Details gives information about users who have logged into the endpoint. You can reach this tab at: https://my.server.address/devices/<fw_device_id>/users

Normally, we are going to use the users tab to get information about who has logged onto a device. Login count gives a pretty good indication of whom the primary user is (assuming of course that folks do logout/login occasionally).

How

Note that data will only show where it makes sense for the OS flavor. Below is an example of a simple Windows device:

View - Devices

Tree / List View Toggle

What

The Tree/List View option within the Devices view allows you to toggle between a traditional "tree" or "directory" type of view and a more "flat" view that just shows endpoints.

When/Why

In the Tree view (the default), as you navigate the group structure on the left, you will only see devices and groups on the right that are specifically in that group. In the list view, if you click on the same group, you will only see the devices in that and all downstream groups (you won't see any nested groups).

How

In the below, we'll show you an example of toggling between the views from the same location so you can see the difference:

View - Devices

Working with Groups and Smart Groups

What

Groups and Smart Groups are essential organizational elements within FileWave. They allow us to look at devices at a higher level than on a device by device basis, such as by department, by location and even by company.

When/Why

We are going to use groups throughout FileWave to help us organize, and to help us improve efficiency...which is the point of FileWave after all. We'll use these group and smart group elements to help us perform actions in meaningful, efficient, and wholesale manner.

How

The articles linked below will give you quite the overview of these tools, and we think you'll find that groups and smart groups will become the backbone of your FileWave implementation:

Creating a Group

Groups are a very important concept within FileWave. Groups allow us to organize devices and even other groups. You can think of them similarly to folders in a filesystem.

We are going to use these (static/manual) groups whenever we have a need to organize in general or to group devices in some non-programmatic way. For instance, if we need to deploy an application to random devices throughout the environment based on random license purchases, then we might use a manual group.

How

Creating a manual group is as easy as clicking the new group icon () and giving the group a name (the name must be unique). See an example below:

Creating a Smart Group

Smart groups are the brains, and most of the power, behind FileWave. In a nutshell smart groups are like regular groups, except devices end up in them automatically based on the criteria you specify. Smart groups are essential in automating your workflows, and hence, reducing your work load.

We are going to use smart groups just about every time that we can define a rule in our heads for them:

Deploy an MSI to all Windows devices in the Accounting department...smart group
Deploy a VPP app to all third grade iPads...smart group
Deploy a PKG to all macOS devices...smart group
Deploy Photoshop to the random ten people throughout the environment that need it...probably not a smart group

How

There are multiple levels of complexity when creating smart groups (and reports), but we'll start simply. Watch below as we define a a smart group that will contain all Windows devices. Also, please check out all of the additional related content to go deeper into building complex smart groups!

Condition Groups

Condition Groups within Reports and Smart Groups are a method of isolating specific logic for data queries.

Condition groups are always used when you need to combine AND with OR logic within the same report. If you are familiar with SQL, Condition Groups in FileWave are the equivalent of parentheses in SQL. If you wanted a report that looked at all Windows or macOS devices, you wouldn't need a condition group, but as soon as we look for something like macOS or Windows AND Office is installed, then we need a condition group, because we need to combine AND with OR.

How

Following our example from above, watch below as we create the more complex smart group using condition groups:

Digging Deeper

Note that you'll find some quite complex examples of advanced condition groups in the Reports view under Sample Queries:

Conditions

Conditions are used to define what devices or other elements will show in the results of our smart group or report.

We will almost always use at least one condition in a smart group or report (unless we wanted to see literally every device). The conditions allow us to refine the list down from "everything" to just specific devices, such as "Windows devices that have an older FileWave client".

How

Watch below as we specify criteria (conditions) to match our example above:

Fields in Smart Groups (Preview)

When we are building smart groups and reports, it is very helpful to have a live representation of what our query is returning. This data preview (the bottom half of the smart group/report definition window) gives us this data live as we edit the query. Frequently though, we want different fields in this preview than what are given to us by default.

Let's assume for a moment that we want a smart group or report that contains information on FileWave clients that have not been upgraded to version 14. Now, we can edit our conditions to say "FileWave Client Version" ≠ 14.0, and we can just trust that this works and we have the proper results. Yeah, we wouldn't trust that either! Much better to actually put the FileWave Client Version field into our preview so that we can "eyeball" the data to make sure it is right.

How

Watch below as we remove some of the default provided fields and add FileWave Client Version:

Note that in Version 14, smart groups do not have preview fields, but this will be added shortly.

Finding Fields for your Condition Statements

When it comes to creating smart groups and reports, we will always want to filter by some criteria. This article explains how you can find the data elements available for these filters.

If you know the field name you are looking for, you can always just type it in and allow the type-ahead to help you. Alternatively, we can browse through all of the fields to find specific elements.

Sometimes it is helpful to have context to find a field name...that is, having the data showing with the field name. The easiest way to do that is to go look at the Device Details page for any particular client where you can see the fields and the data together.

How

Type-ahead is useful (albeit a bit cramped), so the full field browser is a bit easier, and includes field descriptions. Let's look below as we look for any software developed by Microsoft:

Smart Group/Report Example Conditions

The world of advanced smart groups can be a little daunting at first blush. That is why we try to help you get started with examples pre-built into FileWave.

Sometimes the smart group criteria can be quite complex, but it almost always pays off to try to map out a sentence that mirrors your needs. If you can write the sentence, then you can also build the smart group.

How

Here are some good examples to get your creative juices flowing:

I want to upgrade all Windows devices to FileWave client version 14. Therefore the conditions are going to be that the OS Type is Windows AND the FileWave Client Version does not begin with "14."

I want a Smart Group with all devices that have Office 365 installed. Any machine that has version 16.x of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, etc will be an indication that "Office" is installed. To accomplish this, we will have to use condition groups like this "SQLish" statement... (If Excel AND version 16.x), or (if Outlook and version 16.x), or...

I want to create a report, or a smart group of all devices that are "missing" certain software. In this case, "7-Zip" for Windows devices. Note that in this case we use a "NOT" to indicate we want our query to return all devices that DO NOT have an app called 7-Zip Installed. (You'll see results below with and without this NOT...see how the results are opposite?):

Device Actions

Device Actions are all of the "actions" or "commands" that you can execute against an endpoint from the FileWave WebAdmin. Actions are taken from the (...) button in the Devices view, or from the detail view of any particular device.

Having inventory devices is never quite enough. We will frequently want to do something to the devices in the field immediately, and the Actions list is a way to do that. Note that all actions have some degree of pre-requisite...i.e the device might need to be supervised, or a certain command can't work if the device is BYOD user enrolled for instance. Some pre-requisites are accounted for in the UI and those commands won't show if not applicable. For instance, Wipe Device won't show if the device happens to be user enrolled.

Device Actions

Device Actions Overview

What

When/Why

Having inventory devices is never quite enough. We will frequently want to do something to the devices in the field immediately, and the Actions list is a way to do that. Note that all actions have some degree of pre-requisite...i.e the device might need to be supervised, or a certain command can't work if the device is BYOD user enrolled for instance. Some pre-requisites are accounted for in the UI and those commands won't show if not applicable. For instance, Wipe Device won't show if the device happens to be user enrolled.

How

As mentioned above, actions are taken from the (...) menu in the Devices view, or in the Device Detail view:

Device Actions

Clear Activation Lock

What

The Clear Activation Lock command removes an Activation Lock that has been imposed on a device through the use of an AppleID and the FindMy options.

When/Why

There are two main instances when you'll use this command...while erasing a device, Clear Activation Lock is an option of the Wipe Device command and can also be done as a direct command from the device actions menu:

How

To clear an Activation Lock from a device, select Clear> Clear Activation Lock

You can also configure Activation lock in the DEP profile.

Device Actions

Clear Passcode

What

The Clear Passcode command is used to remove the current passcode that is assigned to a device. (Will not show unless a passcode is set on the device in question)

When/Why

You can use this command clear that passcode (if set). Particularly useful when the user "forgot" the passcode.

How

Use the ellipsis () to the right of the device in the View - Devices and select "Clear Passcode"

Device Actions

Clear Restrictions Passcode

What

The Clear Restrictions Passcode command is used to remove a passcode that has been set to prevent restrictions from being changed. A restrictions passcode must be set on device for this command to show in the admin.

You can make an Apple Profile that would prevent a restriction passcode from being set.

When/Why

You would use this command to remove the passcode if one was set that you don't know (or was forgotten). Note that you must have the proper management of a device to issue this command (for instance it could not be sent to a User Enrolled BYOD device).

How

Use the ellipsis (...) to the right of the device in the View - Devices and select "Clear Restrictions Passcode"

Device Actions

Copy to Group

What

A device can have many clones/alias/copies in many groups

When/Why

Use this function to place a clone/alias/copy into many groups

How

Use the ellipsis (...) to the right of the device in the View - Devices and select "Copy to Group(s)"

Device Actions

Edit Device Fields

What

A device can have many fields both custom and built-in.

When/Why

Use this option when a single device needs its inventory fields updated.

For changing many at once see Upload Devices and/or Data

How

Use the ellipsis () to the right of the device in the View - Devices and select "Edit Device Fields"
From the edit device fields UI add, edit, or delete existing fields
Select "Save" when done

Device Actions

Lock Device

What

An iOS device can be locked using FileWave Anywhere. Locking a device is the same as if you pushed the device lock button locally. If no passcode exists, the device can be unlocked without one. If a passcode exists, it is required to unlock the device.

When/Why

We often use this command internally just to test that command functionality is working. With device in hand, if you send this command you should see the device lock momentarily.

How

Use the ellipsis () to the right of the device in the View - Devices and select "Lock Device"

Device Actions

Move to Group

What

The Move to Group command is similar to the Copy to Group command, but Move to Group will move the current object rather than copy it. This also means that the selected object must be capable of being moved. For instance, a copy in a smart group can be copied, but it can't be moved.

When/Why

This command can be used with both Groups and devices and allows the move of objects (and their children). It is a very useful command, especially when reorganizing. Always remember though that you have to be very careful about unintended deployment related complications from using move. (That is, devices could lose or gain software inadvertently.)

How

Use the ellipsis () to the right of the device in the View - Devices and select "Move to Group..."

Device Actions

Performing Actions on Multiple Devices

What

We are pleased to announce that in version 14.5+ of the FileWave WebAdmin console, you can now perform "Actions" on multiple devices at a time.

When/Why

When managing a large environment, it is a frequent occurrence to want to make the same change to multiple devices at one time. Version 14.5+ of the WebAdmin console now gives you the ability to perform like-actions on multiple devices at the same time. This is especially important when we want to do something like erase multiple iOS devices, or maybe bulk-change a custom field.

How

It is very simple to use this feature. In the Devices view, simply choose multiple devices by selecting the checkboxes in the tree-view as shown:

Then, when you select the Action menu, and possible bulk actions will be shown:

Note that you will only see Actions that are available for the types of devices chosen. In the above case, because we have two iPads chosen, we see elements available for iPads, such as Wipe and Restart. If we were to mix client types though (such as Windows devices), the list of actions would not show either of those iPad-specific options.

Device Actions

Remove from Group

What

The "Remove from Group" command is what you might remember from the native FileWave admin as "Delete", and it has the same consequences. But, in the native admin Delete was the same for the original object and the copies, even though the result was different. The WebAdmin has split this into two commands to help clarify.

When/Why

We'll use this command whenever we want to remove a copy of a device from a manual group. There are no consequences to data in FileWave, and any other copies will be unchanged. Note that if this copy had payload content assigned it via a deployment that it would lose that payload.

How

Highlight any device copy (in a manual group), from the (...) button, choose "Remove from Group":

Device Actions

Remove from System

What

The "Remove from System" command is what you might remember from the native FileWave admin as "Delete", and it has the same consequences. But, in the native admin Delete was the same for the original object and the copies, even though the result was different. The WebAdmin has split this into two commands to help clarify.

When/Why

The "Remove from System" command entirely (and destructively) removes a device and all of its copies from the system. Any payloads through deployments will be lost, and all inventory from this object will be removed from the system. In the case of an MDM-enrolled device, the deletion acts as an unenroll and can not be reversed. The model has to be updated in order to fully remove the device from the system.

An un-enrol will be triggered, only if the following FileWave Central preference is enabled:

Preferences > Mobile > 'Remove MDM profile from devices removed from FileWave model'

This preference will send a command to remove the enrolment profile, which should be honored by devices, even if the enrolment profile is configured to be non-removable in DEP settings.

For client devices, they will check in again as long as a client remains installed but has to be onboarded again.

Note; Remove from System is a destructive command, and should only be done when you are certain.

How

To perform this action, choose "Remove from System" from the Device action menu (...) and Update Model when finished.

Device Actions

Rename

What

The "Rename" command as the name implies is a command for renaming a device. The behavior of this command varies widely based on the OS of the device and other factors.

When/Why

In its simplest form, this command (<iOS 12 with no naming restrictions or iOS 13+ with or without restrictions) will send an MDM command to rename the device itself, and rename the record for the device within FileWave. If a computer client, or an iOS device with renaming restrictions, is the recipient of the command then the device itself will NOT be renamed, but the record within FileWave will have the name updated to reflect the chosen name. (This isn't highly recommended though as it can become confusing to support)

Renaming devices in FileWave can be complex and have unintended consequences. Before any mass-updating of device names, we suggest you check your plan with our Service Desk folks to ensure the plan is solid.

How

To send the Rename command, choose "Rename" from the Device Action menu (...):

Note that there is a followup prompt to choose the device name you would like:

Device Actions

Restart (Windows)

What

Starting from FileWave version 14.7+ we added support for remotely rebooting a Windows system from both the Web and Native administrators.

When/Why

As an IT administrator, a remote reboot is sometimes required to address a problem or complete an installation.

How

This new action can be performed from both the Web and Native admin interfaces.

There is no "confirm" dialog when issuing the restart command. Choosing the command directly executes the restart action.

FileWave Central

In the Native admin there is a Restart Windows Devices command that can be seen when right-clicking one or multiple devices as shown here:

FileWave Anywhere

In the Web Admin there is a Device Action seen when viewing the details of a device:

And, from the devices view, you can also select multiple devices as shown and then Restart several at once:

After issuing the reboot command a dialog will be seen by any logged-in user that will look similar to the first dialog below. Note that the below images are from Windows 11, and this will look slightly different on Windows 10.

3 minutes after the first dialog appears another dialog will display similar to the below dialog. After this second warning has shown indicating that a device reboot is 2 minutes away the Windows system will reboot 2 minutes later.

Device Actions

Send Verify Command

What

The Send Verify command is one of the most frequently used commands because it is such an excellent way to find out "Is stuff working?"

When/Why

This command sends a series of inventory requests to the device in question. Basically we are asking the device "Tell me all about yourself". It is exceptionally useful to measure the speed of MDM command processing, and brings all device information up to date. What actual inventory commands are sent though are defined by the type of device and type of device enrollment.

How

We can execute the "Send Verify" command from the Device action menu (...) and from the device detail views ():

Note that we can watch the progress of this (and other) MDM commands from the Device Detail View Command History tab.

NAT Support for Client Monitor/Verify

Device Actions

NAT Support for Client Monitor/Verify

What

Especially with devices being remote from a corporate or school network more and more, it is very important we can manage devices while they are remote in all ways. Version 14.5+ of FileWave introduces the ability to send a Verify command to a device no matter what network it is on.

When/Why

Historically Client Monitor tools required direct "network line-of-sight" to be able to manage devices. Chief among those tools is the ability to send a Verify, especially while testing a new payload or fileset. With FileWave, you'll be able to use this tool regardless of whether the client device is NATed away from your admin console.

How

It is very simple to send a Verify to any device now through FileWave Anywhere in multiple ways.

From the Devices pane you can send a Verify action to a single device:

Or you can send a Verify to MULTIPLE client devices:

You can also send a Verify from the individual device management page too:

Note that not all Client Monitor functions have been copied to the FileWave Anywhere console at this time, but you can see device status and send a Verify. Additional features will be added over time, and this NAT support for Verify will also be added into the native admin console as well.

Performing Actions on Multiple Devices

Device Actions

Set Tracking Mode

What

Device tracking, or Tracking Mode is used to find the geolocation of managed devices. Setting your expectations about device tracking data is very much key when using these commands, as the capabilities differ widely by OS of the device, the type of device enrollment and even user choices on the device.

When/Why

Some organizations like to track devices continually, but the most typical use of this command that we find useful in practice is Missing mode in regards to iOS devices as they are frequently misplaced. FileWave Missing mode leverages Apple's Lost Mode functionality and can be used with any Supervised iOS device.

How

Tracking mode can be set to Untracked (the default), Tracked (occasional location lookup) or Missing (device locked down) through the Set Tracking Mode> command on the device actions menu(...)

Device tracking can become very frustrating given the many variations of pre-requisites for the many OSes. The reality of this functionality is that each operating system treats geo-location data as Personally Identifying Information and gives the customer the option to disable it in most circumstances. See the article linked below on Location Tracking for an in-depth review of what is required for this command to work.

When location data is returned from the device, you'll be able to see the device on a map in the Location Tab of the Device Detail view.

Device Actions

Wipe Device

What

The command name of "Wipe Device" is probably warning enough, but this command is a destructive command to erase the current device. In v14 of the WebAdmin, this command is restricted to iOS devices.

When/Why

With iOS devices, the Wipe command is the equivalent of being local to the device and clicking on the Erase all Contents and Settings command. This command is frequently used whenever you want to erase and re-enroll a device in FileWave MDM.

As stated above, the Wipe Device command is a destructive command.

How

To execute the command, simply choose "Wipe Device" from the Device Action command (...):

Note that there is a subsequent dialog to choose options:

Remove Activation Lock is particularly important so that if an Activation Lock exists it will be removed during wipe...otherwise you are left with a device prompting for AppleID credentials.

Activation Lock properties can now be set in DEP profiles to control when/if Activation Lock can be used.

Apple ID prompt still appears even when Activation Lock Bypass Code is used during Remote Wipe

Device Actions

Windows MDM Wipe Command

What

14.8+ FileWave introduces the option to Wipe MDM enrolled Windows devices from the Web Admin console.

When/Why

The options from the ellipsis now include the Wipe option.

Option to Wipe will only be visible for Windows devices which are MDM enrolled.

How

Select device
Select ellipsis
Choose Wipe option

View - Imaging (Windows)

View - Imaging Overview

What

The Imaging View shows us information for Windows imaging related associations, and allows us to create new.

When/Why

We are going to use this view whenever we want to check that a device has an imaging assignment, if we want to assign an image to a device for future imaging purposes, or if we want to change current association settings.

How

Creating, deleting and editing associations are available in this view and are covered further in the articles linked below. Having an image associated is the only way the IVS (Imaging appliance) knows what Windows image to assign to a device.

View - Imaging (Windows)

Imaging Association Deletion, Enable and Disable

What

Previously created image associations can have three actions taken on them, depending on their current state. They can be deleted, enabled or disabled.

When/Why

Deletion is always the same...it removes the association between an image and a device. We'll use this when we no longer want the association (it removes the potential for accidental imaging). Enable/Disable toggles the association between being enabled or disabled. This toggle is used primarily to avoid re-imaging a device that was just imaged and is toggled automatically by the IVS during imaging. It can be changed manually as well though...usually for re-enabling.

How

With one or more devices selected in the view, you can delete, or enable/disable from the bottom bar prompt:

Image 2023-05-24 at 9.04.28 AM

View - Imaging (Windows)

Imaging Association Properties

What

Image Associations are how we assign a captured Windows Image to a device for re-imaging. Every association has three basic properties: the image, driver packs (if used), and what devices are assigned.

When/Why

We will edit the properties when we initially create an association, and whenever we edit one.

How

The image selected is limited by the images that have been previously created (creation can only be done in FileWave Central), but most organizations have one image per Windows version, and per bios type (MBR or UEFI), depending on devices.

Driver packs don’t always have to be used, but best practice would be to do so. In practice that means that you would have an imaging association for every combo of image/device type. The below example shows assignment of a driver pack for a specific device type.

Multiple devices can be assigned in one association addition so that you don’t have to repeat the process individually…conceptually you’ll see these are handled very much like Deployments, although after creation they are stored as individual associations.

View - Imaging (Windows)

Create Imaging Association

What

By clicking the button in the upper right-hand corner of the imaging association view, we can create a new association.

When/Why

We'll create a new association every time we want to assign an image/driver pack to a device that doesn’t have one. Each device can have one and only one imaging association.

How

We'll choose the image to use from the "Choose Image" button shown above, the driver pack (optional) in the center, and the device(s) at the bottom. The process is shown in brief below:

Note: If you add an association for a device that already has one, you will be prompted for overwite/cancel as follows:

View - Licenses

The Licenses View shows us licensing information for VPP related apps. This is a great view within the WebAdmin to take the temperature of the environment as far as licensing availability for VPP. Policing this view occasionally can help us avoid some of those "surprises" that pop up from time to time. Note that this view gives us excellent summary information on available licenses:

View - Licenses

View - Licenses Overview

What

The Licenses View shows us licensing information for VPP related apps.

When/Why

This is a great view within the WebAdmin to take the temperature of the environment as far as licensing availability for VPP. Policing this view occasionally can help us avoid some of those "surprises" that pop up from time to time.

How

Note that this view gives us excellent summary information on available licenses:

View - Payloads

Profiles allow you to control settings, features, and capabilities for Apple devices; iOS, macOS, iPadOS, TvOS. Devices may need profiles for initial configuration (like to allow them to join a network), in reaction to a request (like please disable the camera on the devices), or to configure settings at anytime.

View - 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

View - Payloads

Add Profile

What

Profiles allow you to control settings, features, and capabilities for Apple devices; iOS, macOS, iPadOS, TvOS

When/Why

Devices may need profiles for initial configuration (like to allow them to join a network), in reaction to a request (like please disable the camera on the devices), or to configure settings at anytime.

How

Selecting the plus () in the top right will open a the profile editor for a new profile.

Basic Profile Properties

Every configuration profile has a few required properties, regardless of the profile type. Every time we create a profile we must specify these basic properties before we can save the profile. At minimum, we must set a profile name and add at least one payload (configuration) to the profile.

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 can not 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 above is reminding us that we have to add at least one payload to the profile before we can save it.

Navigating an Apple Profile

Configuration profiles aren't hard. In fact they are quite simple generally. Finding the right setting can be bothersome though, so FileWave provides some user interface options to make this easier. We'll use filtering and search options in the profile editor to help us narrow down our search for payload items.

How

Let's assume that we want to set the wallpaper for an iOS device. We can narrow down the options first by specifying the platform for our setting in the upper left (iOS in this case):

Once the platform is set, the list of profile categories becomes smaller (but still long). If we know specifically what version of iOS a setting is for, then we can specify that to further refine the list. (Not used frequently)

But, with our filter in place above, we can also search for "wallpaper" to further refine the payloads. Notice that when we enter the search term below, the payloads refine to just two sections, and in that section "wallpaper" is highlighted as well:

Setting Profile Payloads

The intended result of the creation of a configuration profile is always to make some change to configuration of endpoints. What those changes are, and how they are made differs profile by profile.

Profiles tend to fall into two categories:

Stuff we've done before
New stuff we haven't touched before

The first is no trouble, because we know what we are doing. For instance, after we have already created a wi-fi config profile for 41 of our 42 locations, the 42nd one isn't going to be too much trouble.

But, what if we have something new to do that we haven't done before? There are two answers to this:

Experiment and test (no better teacher than experience with a device in hand)
Read the documentation (yes, seriously):
1. https://support.apple.com/guide/mdm/welcome/web#/mdmf0ec4d860
2. FileWave (nor any other MDM provider) defines what the elements in profiles are or what they mean. The above reference explains them all
3. For third-party settings, reference the Vendor's documentation

How

Defining MDM elements is out of scope for our Knowledge Base, but we can give best-practice guidance on building and testing profiles:

Build profiles (especially restrictions) as small as possible...do not intermix settings if at all possible
- This prevents having to split profiles later when you have the inevitable exceptions to deal with
Test, test, and then test again against a device in your hands
Never create and deploy a profile to production without testing
Be especially careful with edits to already assigned profiles (especially wi-fi or anything else where a mistake could cause catastrophic consequences)

Here is a simple example of setting a Wallpaper and preventing it from being changed (notice two payloads, but related):

View - Payloads

Editing Payloads / Payload Properties

What

We can edit profile payloads in the WebAdmin, change payload properties for all other payload types and do some basic reporting in the Payload view.

When/Why

Editing a profile is straightforward, but we can do more than that in the payload view. We can also change payload properties of any payload, and report on distribution (which is especially useful).

How

Clicking on any payload will bring up a detail payload view:

This view will differ a little depending on the type of payload. See below that a VPP payload shows licensing info that you won't see on other fileset types:

You'll note that in payload properties there is no "Save" button. All changes made to payload properties (like platform requirements) are immediately saved, and will become effective on 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 is where we specify on which platform the payload is provided.
The Dependencies tab is where we specify relationships between payloads for simpler deployment.
For VPP payloads only you'll see a tab that shows licensing details

View - Payloads

FileWave Anywhere Payload Script Editor

What

FileWave Anywhere script editor allows you to interactively edit script content in any payload that allows scripts.

When/Why

We'll use this feature any time we want to make a quick edit to a script within a payload. If we need to make extensive changes, it is probably still better to work in an outside code editor because changes to published scripts will automatically be sent to all affected devices on next model update. So, be very careful with this tool, and as always, test before you deploy.

How

To enter the script editor, you simply go to the Scripts tab within any supporting FileWave payload/fileset. Click the edit button to edit the script. You can also drag and drop scripts between types and remove them from the payload as well in this view. Example script shown below:

View - Payloads

Payload Actions (Move/Remove)

What

Apart from editing payloads, you can also move them to another location and remove them entirely.

When/Why

Typically we'll want to move payloads whenever we are reorganizing in general, or we just did something silly like create a payload in the wrong location.

How

Moving or removing a payload is as simple as clicking the ellipsis to the right of the item and choosing the appropriate action:

View - Payloads

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

View - Payloads

Upload Profile

What

Of course, FileWave provides an editor to create configuration profiles from scratch. But, you can also import pre-existing configuration profiles (.mobileconfig).

When/Why

If you have already created a profile or another system created a profile for you, then you can import that work into FileWave with the WebAdmin.

How

Create new profile ()
Upload icon (top right), to browse, and open the existing mobileconfig file
Save

Example shown below:

View - Payloads

MSI & PKG Payloads

What

The FileWave Anywhere console, from version 14.5+, now supports the creation of computer payloads (filesets) for MSI & PKG distributions.

When/Why

MSI and PKG installers are the industry standards for Windows and macOS devices respectively. The FileWave Anywhere console now allows you to create these simple payloads directly from the web application.

How

We'll start by simply clicking the icon in the Payloads view. We'll give the new payload a name (in this case we'll create a payload for the native FW admin console for Windows), and then click on one of the Add File options as shown:

Once the file is selected, upload will begin right away:

There are two distinct advantages to creating payloads like this in the Anywhere console:

The file uploads WILL recover from a temporary network interruption
You need not stay in this upload screen for the payload to continue uploading (meaning you can go to other places in the admin, or even start additional payload uploads concurrently)

Once the payload is uploaded, you can perform simple payload manipulation, like removing or replacing a file and setting installer properties:

The FileWave Anywhere client payload tools do not have all capabilities currently in the native admin, so if you need script support in conjunction with a payload such as this, or want to use revisions, you'll still need to use the native admin at this time. More to come on this front though!

Any edits made to payloads in the FileWave Anywhere console are immediately effective...meaning there is no "Save" button for modifications, so use appropriate caution when editing.

View - Reports

View - Reports Overview

What

In many ways, Smart Groups and Reports are the same thing. In both cases the concept is to programmatically identify devices. The difference between the two objects has to do with intent...Smart Groups are created so that you can DO something to the devices in questions, whereas Reports are used to simply "report" on things, such as software rollout progression.

When/Why

We are going to use a reports to help us identify problem areas (proactive management), and to track progress of ongoing projects. The contents of reports can additionally be used to feed the FileWave customizable dashboard for aggregate reporting.

How

We'll go into depth on creating reports in the below links, but here is a quick preview of creating a report to look at Firefox across the environment.

Note that reports have several available actions:

You can Open the Report (view the contents of the report), Edit the Report (see and then change the conditions of the report), Remove a Report (delete it), or Move to Group (move the report to a group for organizational purposes).

View - Reports

Report Creation/Editing

What

Creation of a new report is used for the intent of reporting on some condition, like the version of an application or how much free space devices have.

When/Why

We will typically use reports both for ourselves (to get a feel for the state of the environment), and they are also very useful for communicating "status" to senior management.

How

We'll go into the details of building reports in the articles linked below, but we'll simply start with creation of the report and giving it a name.

Each report we create has the ability to report on one of the following:

Devices (Lists devices based on a criteria)
Applications (Useful for seeing what is installed)
Licenses (For reporting on License utilization)
Payloads (For showing information on items you are deploying)
Boosters (For information about boosters)

View - Reports

Fields in Reports (Preview)

What

When/Why

How

Watch below as we remove some of the default provided fields and add FileWave Client Version:

Note that in Version 14, smart groups do not have preview fields, but this will be added shortly.

View - Reports

Report Condition Groups

What

Condition Groups within Reports and Smart Groups are a method of isolating specific logic for data queries.

When/Why

How

Following our example from above, watch below as we create the more complex smart group/report using condition groups:

Digging Deeper

Note that you'll find some quite complex examples of advanced condition groups in the Reports view under Sample Queries:

View - Reports

Report Conditions

What

Conditions are used to define what devices or other elements will show in the results of our smart group or report.

When/Why

How

Watch below as we specify criteria (conditions) to match our example above:

View - Reports

Report Groups

What

Report Groups are used for basic report organization.

When/Why

Over time, you'll find that hundreds of reports will clutter up your Reports view. Report groups give you a way to organize reports into logical groups and enable us to navigate the user interface more easily. Report groups server no purpose other than organization, unlike payload groups which have dual purpose. Report groups can not be nested, and must all have a unique name.

How

Creation of a report group is quite simple as you'll see below, where we both create a group and then Move a report into it:

View - Reports

Viewing Reports

What

Viewing (Opening) a Report is simply done to see the contents of the report.

When/Why

From this view, we can see our detailed line items and make conclusions based on what we see. For instance, in the below we might review this report and say to ourselves "We need to update our payloads for Firefox for both Windows and macOS devices:

How

Actually viewing a report is as simple as clicking on the report name in the list. Alternatively, you can click on "Open Report" from the action menu. Note that when you are viewing a report, you can get to the report definition (and edit from there) by clicking on the Details button highlighted below:

View - Software Updates

The Software Updates view shows us all patches that have been discovered as "needed" in the environment. An important part of device lifecycle management is patching and updating systems. This view will allow you to see the available software updates that Microsoft, Apple, and others have provided. As your environment lives and breathes over time, this list will continue to change

View - Software Updates

View - Software Updates Overview

What

The Software Updates view shows us all patches that have been discovered as "needed" in the environment.

When/Why

An important part of device lifecycle management is patching and updating systems. This view will allow you to see the available software updates that Microsoft, Apple, and others have provided

How

As your environment lives and breathes over time, this list will continue to change, example below:

Click on an any update's name to see status and manually install on individual devices

click on the ellipsis () to auto deploy for all devices.

View - Software Updates

Software Update Detail View

What

The Software Update detail view shows specific information about any particular patch needed in the environment. You get to this view by clicking on any particular update link from the Software Update view.

When/Why

There are two things this view really gives us: a view of all devices missing this patch, and the ability to assign the patch to all present (and future) devices that may need it.

How

The reporting aspect of this view is really helpful. "Deploy to all requesting devices" will automatically set this patch to be installed on any device that needs it now, and any device that ever asks for it in future.

View - Software Updates

Software Updates: Deploying to Groups

What

With Version 14.5+ of the FileWave WebAdmin, you can now deploy Software Updates to groups of devices.

When/Why

This feature is very helpful for us when it comes to deploying patches to groups of devices. Typical uses would be for assigning patches to Patch Testing groups. or department-based devices.

How

To utilize group deployments, go to Software Updates→ Any individual update and you'll notice the Groups on the bottom left:

Groups are only used once you add them (future iterations will most likely include the ability to set favorite groups). But, to add any pre-existing manual or smart groups, just click the Add Group Button and select group(s):

Once your group(s) are added, you can select the group, and then click the Deploy to Selected Group option to deploy to that specific group of devices:

You can also deploy to specific devices within a group by manually selecting them and choosing the same deploy option.

Software Updates: Rollout Plans

View - Software Updates

Software Updates: Rollout Plans

What

FileWave Version 14.5+ now adds the capability to deploy Software Updates during specified hours of the day/week. We are quite excited for this feature as it expands to more options in future FileWave versions.

When/Why

Software Updates can be bothersome in a production environment because they so often require a reboot of the endpoints, and no one wants that interruption during a production day. Rollout Plans allow you to specify what time of day, or time of week these installations can happen.

At current, the installation windows are hard-coded, but future iterations will allow customization of these time windows, and will expand to more than just Software Update deployments.

How

Using Rollout Plans is rather simple...with any Software Update selected, just select group(s) and device(s), then click on Rollout Plan in the lower right:

Once you have made you selection, you will see it reflected in the admin, like:

When you then click on "Deploy to Selected devices" (and update model), the updates will download immediately, but won't actually install until the effective time window.

Software Updates: Deploying to Groups

View - Sources

The Sources View of the FileWave Anywhere can be thought of as a configuration view for the FileWave system. Today it is limited to Apple configuration elements, but before too long we'll see Google and Microsoft settings in here as well.

We will use this view whenever we need to do something like renew an APNS certificate, DEP, or VPP token.

View - Sources

Apple General Settings (APN)

What

At the very top of the Sources View for Apple services, you will find some overall settings related to Apple in general.

When/Why

We will need to specify these settings when our FileWave server is first setup, and will need to revisit this section at least annually to renew our APN (Apple Push Notification) certificate.

How

We'll discuss APN renewal in a moment, but let's talk about the other two preferences first:

MDM Profile Removal (if on) forces removal of the MDM enrollment profile from the device if we remove the device from FileWave
Payload Importer (recommended in most circumstances) will ensure that any newly purchased VPP apps will automatically show up as payloads in your FileWave system without you having to do anything

APNS renewal (the first item in the above) must be done at least annually. The APN cert is the certificate that allows your MDM server to talk to Apple, which in turn then talks to devices on our behalf. If the certificate expires, then all communication to devices is cut off from the FileWave server. So yes, a relatively important certificate!

The only piece of the renewal that is done in the WebAdmin is the upload of the new certificate, but you'll want to reference the below documentation on APN renewal for all of the detailed steps for creating that certificate (dependent on platform of your admin workstation).

APNs Certificate Creation & Renewal on macOS Computers

View - Sources

DEP Accounts (Tokens)

What

DEP Token(s) allow your FileWave server to talk to Apple's DEP (Device Enrollment) services. This service is critical in supporting automated enrollment workflows, and is also critical in making sure your devices are able to be managed at the enterprise level.

When/Why

We are going to use the DEP Accounts section of the Sources view whenever we want to add, remove or update a DEP token. Only through valid token(s) can the FileWave server talk to Apple to get device based information. This same method of communication is used to send our DEP profile information back to Apple for installation on the endpoint during the Setup Assistant phase. So, yes, it is critical!

How

Edit and Deletion of Tokens are done from the actions menu for any particular token as shown below. Obviously one needs to take care before deleting a token, so you will be prompted for confirmation.

Editing (aka renewing) or adding a token consists of the following 3 steps:

Download the FileWave server's public Key and save it locally (this identifies the server to Apple)
Login to either ASM or ABM and add or update MDM server as appropriate with above public key, and then download the generated DEP token
Upload the DEP Token back into FileWave

Apple's DEP servers prevent communication when your external IP changes, and traffic will be blocked until you renew your token. This most often happens in the instance of your network doing some type of disaster recovery failover.

DEP Synchronization

Your FileWave server synchronizes nightly with Apple DEP servers automatically. However, if you need to sync manually in the mean time you can do so from this view by clicking the () icon. You'll be prompted for either a Sync (recommended) or a Full Sync (use only under special circumstances) as shown below:

View - Sources

DEP Profile Workflows

What

Having DEP Profiles defined is one thing, but having them assigned to devices is another...and critical. DEP Profile workflows allow us to automatically assign DEP profiles based on programmatic criteria.

When/Why

As much as possible we always want to use automatic profile assigning rules. Automatic assignment saves us time from having to manually assign profiles, and ensures that even brand new devices that are still in shrink wrap will have a DEP profile assigned correctly.

Reminder: DEP profile assignment, or changes in assignment impact nothing on the device's current state. Those changes are only pertinent the NEXT time the device goes through the setup assistant.

You might find you only need one workflow, or you may find you need many...it tends to be driven by the number of DEP profiles you have. In general, fewer DEP profiles is better (to reduce complexity).

How

Creating a new profile workflow is very similar to creating a smart group or a report. However, you'll notice in the below that we use the Operating System field from the DEP Devices table to assign our AppleTV profile to all AppleTV devices. We explicitly use that field because it comes directly from the DEP sync with Apple, and will always be populated, where FileWave normal inventory fields will only be populated AFTER enrollment.

Watch below as we assign all AppleTVs to the AppleTV profile we created earlier:

View - Sources

DEP Profiles

What

The DEP Profile section allows us to create, edit and remove DEP (Apple Device Enrollment) profiles.

When/Why

There are a lot of different reasons for creating and editing DEP profiles, but in general DEP profiles control device setup behavior for Apple devices. With these profiles we can control what dialogs users see during device setup, force devices to enroll in our MDM environment, and even control device naming. DEP profiles are a critical part of setting up automated device enrollment and setup.

How

The below is a quick run-through of creating (and editing) a new DEP Profile targeting AppleTV devices.

See the link below for more information on automatically assigning DEP profiles to devices.

DEP Profile Workflows

View - Sources

VPP Tokens

What

VPP (Volume Purchase Program) Tokens from Apple allow us to utilize licenses purchased for App store resources on our FileWave server. You may have one or many VPP tokens.

When/Why

In ABM/ASM (Apple Business Manager / Apple School Manager) terminology tokens are created and allow access to licenses purchased within a location. The VPP tokens section of the Sources View allows you to Add, Edit and Remove VPP tokens.

How

Adding a new token is done by simply clicking the plus icon (). Editing and removal are done through the actions menu, and removal is only possible if all payloads are removed beforehand.

Whether adding a new, or refreshing an existing, token, the steps are the same, and and require the token from Apple:

Download the appropriate location based token from ABM/ASM
Upload the Token to FileWave
Set the Country/Language as needed
Provide a local descriptive name for the Token
Specify where you would like VPP payloads to be created (default is root)

Be aware that if you attempt to import a VPP token already in use on another system, FileWave will warn you as shown:

Only import a token in this circumstance if you are certain it will not interfere with another MDM server.

FileWave Anywhere Help Menus

Customizing Views

Column Searching Criteria

What

When/Why

How

Columns Adding and Removing (Customizing)

What

When/Why

How

Columns Pinning

What

When/Why

How

Columns Sorting & Moving

What

When/Why

How

Exporting Data

What

When/Why

How

Search Criteria

What

When/Why

How

Update Model

What

When/Why

How

View - Deployments

Create Deployment

What

When/Why

Deployment Targets

What

When/Why

How

Deployment Payloads

What

When/Why

How

Deployment Options

What

When/Why

How

Deployment Summary

What

When/Why

How

Deployment Drafts

What

When/Why

How

Deployments Targeting LDAP Groups

What

When/Why

How

View - Devices

View - Devices Overview

What

When/Why

How

Basic Filtering

What

When/Why

How

Adding Devices

What

When/Why

How

Actions

How

Add Placeholder

How

Related Content

Digging Deeper

Selected Devices

How

Summary