Plan for content distribution in Apple School Manager
App and book distribution works best when content is assigned before devices are configured or given to users. After the user receives the device and completes the Setup Assistant, your mobile device management (MDM) solution can send the user an invitation by email or push notification. When the user accepts the invitation, the user has access to all of the MDM-assigned content—which MDM can install on the user’s device remotely.
Recommendations
To simplify your deployment, it is highly recommended that you assign apps to devices instead of users. With device-based app assignment, there’s no invitation process or requirement to use an Apple ID on the device. Books can’t be assigned to devices.
Note: In-app purchases aren’t compatible with apps assigned to a device.
To alleviate bandwidth saturation during the initial mass deployment, consider distributing only the apps necessary for the first day of class, and make additional apps available to users for download over time. If the device is supervised, apps are installed silently by your MDM solution.
Precautions
Apps that are assigned to a device through your MDM solution:
May be automatically removed when a user unenrolls the device from MDM.
This also applies to user-assigned apps.
Are not automatically reinstalled after an iTunes, Finder, or iCloud restore from backup.
Note: To learn whether purchasing content in volume is available in your country or region, see the Apple Support article Availability of Apple programs for education and business.