Device workflow in Apple Business Manager
Apple Business Manager provides a fast, streamlined way for you to deploy Apple devices that your organisation has purchased directly from Apple, a participating Apple Authorised Reseller or an authorised cellular carrier. You can automatically enrol devices in mobile device management (MDM) without having to physically touch or prep the devices before users get them.
After you sign up for Apple Business Manager, you have five steps to complete before you can start managing devices.
Step 1: Link to Apple or to a participating reseller
If you link your Apple Customer Number or Reseller Number to Apple Business Manager, after the linking is complete, any orders of the following devices appear automatically in Apple Business Manager: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro. See Manage device suppliers.
Step 2: Link to an external device management service
You need to link to at least one external device management service in Apple Business Manager before you can begin assigning devices.
Step 3: Add your devices to Apple Business Manager
Devices purchased with your Apple Customer Number or Reseller Number appear automatically in Apple Business Manager. You can also manually add devices you own using Apple Configurator. See Add devices from Apple Configurator.
Step 4: Assign a device to a device management service
After a device appears in Apple Business Manager, you need to assign it to a device management service. You can manually assign a device to a device management service or set up automatic assignment. See Assign, reassign or unassign devices.
Step 5: Enrol a device in a device management service
Organisations can enrol devices in a device management service and apply management policies to them. You can automatically enrol devices you own or users can enrol their devices manually. When a user enrols their device, the device management enrolment configuration assigns it to a device management service and adds it to the device list in Apple Business Manager.
Account-driven enrollment
Account-driven User Enrollment and account-driven Device Enrollment provide a seamless, secure way for users to set up Apple devices for work by signing in with a Managed Apple Account.
This approach allows both a Managed Apple Account and an unmanaged (personal) Apple Account to be signed in on the same device, with separation of work and personal data. Users maintain privacy over their personal information, while IT can support work-related apps, settings and accounts.
Apple Business Manager provides your linked external device management service with the ability to configure alternate service discovery for verified domains. You can set the default device assignment for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro to the respective device management services.