Apple Business Guide

What is Apple Business?

Apple Business (formerly Apple Business Manager) is Apple's organisation portal for Managed Apple Accounts, app purchasing, and controlled app distribution.

AppDeploy uses Apps and Books token sync to bring your licensed apps in. Every plan, Free included, can also add Apple Business user and group sync to reduce manual provisioning.

Connect Apple Business to AppDeploy

Sign in to Apple Business, open Apps and Books, and download the location token you want AppDeploy to use.

Upload the .vpptoken file in AppDeploy so the workspace can validate it and sync your purchased apps automatically.

• Use a separate Apple Business location if another tool already manages your main one
• Expect the initial sync to finish in under a minute for most workspaces
• Renew tokens before annual expiry to avoid delivery interruptions

Directory sync

Every plan (Free, the AppDeploy paid plan, Distribution and Enterprise) can connect an Apple Business API account in Directory Sync. Scheduled directory sync is Enterprise-only.

This imports managed users and groups into AppDeploy so admins spend less time on manual Managed Apple Account mapping.

• Directory sync is separate from Apps and Books token sync
• It does not import passwords or manage devices
• Directory sync does not change how apps install: private apps install on enrolled company iPhones and iPads

Distribute apps to employees

Share the branded distribution page URL with employees so they find your apps in one consistent place.

Private apps install on enrolled company iPhones and iPads.

Troubleshooting

Employee not found usually means the email does not match a Managed Apple Account in Apple Business.

No available licences means your Apple Business location needs more app purchases before AppDeploy can assign another copy.