Custom mobile apps

Use the Mobile Apps section of Woodford if you want to have your own branded application available on application stores (Play Store and App Store) or if you want your own line-of-business app distributed using mobile device management tools.

Branded application can have a custom name and brand information, as well as custom icons. Icons are used in the application itself, in the device application menu, or in store.

Creating a new configuration

1. On the Administration menu in Woodford, click Mobile Apps. The main page shows a list of all existing mobile app configurations of your organization. Use it for creating new and managing your existing configurations (edit, delete, request build, or download application build files).
2. Click New to open a window that holds all configuration data. The window is divided into three tabs – General, Android, and iOS.
3. Enter the details on all tabs and click Save.

General tab

The General tab has common information that apply for both platforms. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory, others are optional. Mandatory fields with missing data are highlighted when you try saving configuration without setting mandatory fields.

Application Title

Title of the application visible in the app menu on device. Max 32 characters.

Package Name

Represents the unique ID of the application package. Only a-z, A-Z, 0-9, and period (.) are available. it is strongly recommended to use your website domain name in reverse order and app name. Example: com.myorganization.mobilecrm. Keep in mind that the package name is read-only after saving and you can’t change it anymore (because it uniquely identifies your app).

Warning

If you plan to use maps on Android, please contact our support to whitelist your package name in Google API Console.

URL Scheme

It is generated from Package Name. It can be modified. Use a simple but unique lowercase string (e.g. myorgmcrm – in this case, it will be possible to interact with your app using the URL myorgmcrm://open).

Warning

In case you plan to use OAuth2 to authenticate the app with your CRM, please contact our support and ask us to activate this URL as allowed OAuth redirect.

Email

Email address of the person responsible for mobile application build configuration. This person will receive emails about build process (approval, completion, or denial).

Application Background Color

Color used to colorize icons with transparent background. This applies on Android versions 8+.

Manufacturer

Company name or other identification of application owner

Application About Title

Descriptive application title will be used in email communication and in the About section of the app.

Application Subtitle

Subtitle / short description of the application will be displayed in the About section of the app.

Select Set default sync dialog information (optional) if you want to configure parameters that become the default values in the synchronization window within the app, so that users don’t have to type them manually. However, you cannot set a default email address and password.

Organization URL

Default URL for synchronization

User mode

Default user mode

Domain, Home Realm, ADFS User Name

Please contact Resco support if you want to use these parameters.

Hide User Mode

Select if you want to hide user mode selection in the app.

Hide Organization URL

Select if you want to hide organization’s URL in the app.

Save Password

Select if you want to save password automatically.

Android tab

Check Set Android Configuration if you wish to build an application for Android devices. Enabling this setting reveals Android-specific configuration and icons section.

Check Include MS Intune MAM SDK if you plan to distribute the application as a line-of-business app using Microsoft Intune and you require support for app protection policies, app-specific configuration, VPN, or other Intune security features.

Other MDM systems are supported just partially (Learn more).

All icons must be in PNG format and they must have the required size in pixels (px). Also, ensure that the background color of the icons is transparent, or the build won’t be successful. Keep in mind that you are adding one icon with different dimensions and transparency.

Launcher icons can be easily generated using URL link Custom icon generator for Android. It opens a simple app for generating icons.

These are the different types of icons that you must provide:

• Icons for old version of Android: Android version 7 and older need full-color icons to be used in the Android application. Since we support compatibility from version 5, full-color icon must be added to configuration in all requested sizes.
• Icons for Android version 8+: Transparent images are used in the applications from Android version 8. These icons use app’s background color and add it to icons’ background. Add transparent icons in all sizes.
• Common icons: The notification and splash icons are common for all versions.

iOS tab

Check Set iOS Configuration if you wish to build an application for iOS devices. Enabling this setting reveals iOS icons section.

All icons must be in PNG format and they must have the required size in pixels (px). Also, ensure that the background color of the icons is transparent, or the build won’t be successful. Keep in mind that you are adding one icon with different dimensions and transparency.

In this case, icons with transparent background get background color calculated by iOS OS.

If you plan to distribute the app to your App Store account or as a line-of-business app using the Mobile Device Management system, you will need Apple Developer program and you must perform additional steps with resulting IPA app installation (Learn more). You can either resign the resulting IPA app installation yourself or leave it to us by providing us right distribution certificate with a private key, password, and provisioning profile. In this case, fill in the following items:

• iOS Signing Certificate (.p12 file)
• iOS Signing Password
• iOS Provision Profile (.mobileprovision file)

Check Include Citrix MAM SDK if you plan to distribute the app as an LOB app via Citrix Xen Mobile. The resulting IPA must be wrapped into an MDX container. This process is described on the Mobile Device Management page.

Microsoft Intune users don’t need to include any SDK but they must use MS Intune App Wrapping Tool to include support for app protection policies and other Intune security features. This process is further described on the Mobile Device Management page.

Requesting a build

Once you have completed the configuration, added all icons, and saved the configuration, it has Draft status. This status means that the configuration is editable, and a build hasn’t been requested. To request build, click Request.

Note	By clicking Request you are officially asking for application build. This is paid service. Contact Resco sales for more information.

You will receive a confirmation email about this request, and later also emails about approval, denial, and completion.

Downloading application files

Once build is complete, you can download application files using the Download button. This button opens a window with all builds available for the selected configuration. Use separate Android and iOS download links. Links are available only for the platform that you have selected in the configuration.

Download links are also sent to the email address entered in the configuration. These links are valid only for 7 days. After this period, you must request renewal of the links by clicking Request Renewal. Renewal isn’t immediate, it takes some time. Check the links later that day.

When links expire, the build remains visible, but the links are not.

Statuses and their meaning

Draft

New configuration which is saved but has not been requested yet. It is possible to Edit, Request or Delete such a configuration.

Existing and already requested or completed configuration which is changed, and these changes are saved. If this configuration has already been requested and built before, it is not possible to delete it.

Requested

Configuration which is saved and requested. In this state, it is not possible to delete, edit or request build for this configuration. It is possible to download its already completed builds.

Approved

Configuration which has been approved and its build is being processed. Shortly download links will be available. Notification email is sent to responsible person.

Completed

Configuration build is completed, and application files are available for download. Notification email is sent to responsible person. Once user edits configuration in this state, it becomes Draft again.

Denied

Configuration build request was denied. You will be contacted shortly with more information.

See also

• Feature introduction Webinar
• Creating fully branded apps in Woodford Blog
• Enterprise deployment on iOS

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