Installation Labels Overview:

When using App Auto-Patch, app labels are employed to define the behavior of installations and updates. These labels ensure a tailored approach to your App Auto-Patch deployment. Here's a breakdown of the label categories:

Required

Functionality

These labels mandate installation regardless of their current status on the computer.

Use Case

Ideal for essential software that should be consistently available across all computers. For example, ensuring that an organizational app (i.e. Microsoft Company Portal) is installed and kept up-to-date. Even if a user uninstalls it, App Auto-Patch will reinstall on the next run, ensuring compliance with your standards.

Ignored

Functionality

Labels in this category instruct App Auto-Patch from interacting with installed applications.

Use Case

Perfect for situations where certain software should be left untouched by App Auto-Patch. This enables you to manage updates through alternative methods or preserve specific configurations without interference.

Optional

Functionality

These labels direct App Auto-Patch to update only if the corresponding software is already installed on the computer.

Use Case

Suited for software that is not mandatory but should be updated when present. For instance, if an app label is set to be optional, if it is installed, App Auto-Patch ensures it stays current. However, if not present, App Auto-Patch simply moves on without intervention.

Priority Rules

Both Optional and Required labels take precedence over Ignored labels.

This flexibility allows a nuanced control, enabling the use of wildcards in Ignored labels for broad exclusions, while still specifying certain applications, that would otherwise be ignored, for updates using the Optional label.

With this approach, App Auto-Patch empowers you to strike a balance between enforcing essential software installations, preserving specific configurations, and selectively updating non-essential software as needed.