Support App: How to Implement - Mac

Contributed by Bret Bentley 
District: Hudsonville Public School District (MI)

During a recent Lunch and Learn in Michigan, I discovered an interesting widget created by Bret (​@BBentley 2405c76 hpseagles ) for Hudsonville’s upcoming launch of their Ticketing system. This simple widget allows Hudsonville to pin a "Submit Ticket" button on all Macs, making it easier for staff to create work orders. It's a great tool! I asked Bret if I could share this with our community, and he agreed. Enjoy!

Purpose

The Support App is a valuable resource for both your staff and IT department. It offers your team quick access to essential device information and equips staff members with the tools they need to resolve simple issues on their own or easily contact IT support for assistance.

What it Looks Like

1. Download the Package

First, download the Support App package and add it to your MDM solution.
Download link: Support App v2.6.3

2. Customize with a Configuration Profile

After downloading the package, customize it using a .mobileconfig file.
You can find an example configuration here:
Sample configuration: Support App Configuration Sample

Open the file in a text editor to make your changes.

3. Customize the App

Set the App Title:
To change the app’s title, include the following in the .plist:

<key>Title</key>

<string>Your Title Here</string>

Configure Info Items:
Info items display key details about the device, such as:

• Network/IP Address
   
• Computer Name
   
• macOS Version
   
• Last Reboot
   
• Storage Used
   

To configure or reorder info items:

<key>InfoItemOne</key>

<string>Network</string>

Adjust the keys (InfoItemOne, InfoItemTwo, etc.) and their values as needed.

Add Custom Items:
You can add custom buttons to open websites or apps directly. For example, to add a link to submit a support ticket:

<key>FirstRowLinkMiddle</key>

<string>https://[school].incidentiq.com/</string>

<key>FirstRowSubtitleMiddle</key>

<string>Submit a ticket</string>

<key>FirstRowSymbolMiddle</key>

<string>arrow.down.app.fill</string>

<key>FirstRowTitleMiddle</key>

<string>Submit Ticket</string>

<key>FirstRowTypeMiddle</key>

<string>URL</string>

You can also link to additional apps if you know their package names.

4. Deploy the Profile

Once your configuration is complete, upload the customized .mobileconfig file to your MDM under Custom Profiles.

If you use Jamf Pro, you can take advantage of the Support App’s Jamf integration. For more information, refer to the Support App GitHub documentation.

Once deployed, your staff will have easy access to essential device information and quick links to IT support resources. Feel free to ask questions in this thread and thank Bbently ​@BBentley 2405c76 hpseagles for his contribution to this integration!