Class Naming Format

When you integrate the JSS with Apple School Manager, you choose variables in the JSS that match values for class information in Apple School Manager. When a class is imported from Apple School Manager, the variables are applied to the display name of the class in the order you select. For example, if you select "Course Name" and "Class Source ID", the class is imported to the JSS with a name like "Biology12345".

The default values for the class naming format are "Course Name" and "Class Source ID".

The following table displays the available variables in the JSS and the values for class information that the variables match in Apple School Manager:

Note: If a value is not available in Apple School Manager for the variable selected in the JSS, a blank value is displayed in the JSS for that selected variable in the class name.

Apple School Manager Sync Time

Configuring an Apple School Manager Sync Time allows imported user and class information to be updated automatically if there is updated information available in Apple School Manager. You can choose to sync never, daily, once a week, every other week, or once a month. The default sync time is "Never". In addition, you can force the JSS to sync immediately with Apple School Manager. (For more information, see Forcing an Apple School Manager Sync.)

Information is only synced from Apple School Manager to the JSS, not from the JSS to Apple School Manager.

When the configured sync time is reached or you have forced an Apple School Manager sync, inventory information in the Roster category is updated for the imported users and users associated with an imported class. Class information, such as the display name, is also updated. If you modify the class naming format after a class has been imported, the class name is updated and the class naming format is re-applied to the classes that have been imported.

Important: Any information that is manually entered in the Roster category of user inventory information is replaced with information from Apple School Manager at the sync time.

If a student or teacher is added to a class in Apple School Manager after a class has been imported, the user is imported to the JSS and matched with existing users at the configured sync time based on the criteria for matching imported users from Apple School Manager. If there is no match, the imported user is added to the JSS as a new user in the Users tab. (For more information, see Matching Criteria for Importing Users from Apple School Manager.)

If you have not yet imported users and classes from Apple School Manager when the configured sync time is reached, information is synced at the time configured and stored in the JSS database for the user or class until they are imported. (For more information, see Import and Configure Classes for Apple's Classroom App.)

Matching Criteria for Importing Users from Apple School Manager

When you integrate the JSS with Apple School Manager, you choose JSS user criteria to match with Apple School Manager user criteria. Users that are imported to the JSS are matched to existing users in the JSS based on the selected user criteria.

The following table displays the criteria you can use:

*It is recommended that you match "Source System Identifier" from Apple School Manager with the student ID number in the JSS. One way to do this is to create a user extension attribute that collects the student ID number in the JSS. (For more information on how to create a user extension attribute, see the User Extension Attributes section in the Casper Suite Administrator's Guide.)

The default criteria selection matches "Email (JSS)" with "Managed Apple ID" from Apple School Manager.

Note: Imported users from Apple School Manager cannot be matched to users with manually entered information in the Roster category of user inventory information. This results in duplicate users.

Requirements

To integrate with Apple School Manager, you need the following:

• The JSS v9.98 or later

• The JSS integrated with DEP. (For more information, see the Integrating with the Device Enrollment Program section in the Casper Suite Administrator's Guide.)

Configuring an Instance of Apple School Manager

1. Log in to the JSS with a web browser.

2. In the top-right corner of the page, click Settings .

3. Click Mobile Device Management.

4. Click Apple Education Support .

5. Click Edit.

6. Click the Apple School Manager tab.

7. Select the Enable Apple School Manager Integration checkbox.

8. Click Add.

9. If you have not integrated the JSS with DEP, click the Device Enrollment Program settings link.
   For instructions on how to integrate with DEP, see the Integrating with the Device Enrollment Program section in the Casper Suite Administrator's Guide.

10. Enter a display name for the Apple School Manager instance.

11. Use the Class Naming Format options to select a variable to apply to the name of a class when importing the class from Apple School Manager. To add more variables, click Add and select "Variable" or "Custom Text".
    To remove a variable, click the "X" next to the variable field.

    

12. Choose a DEP instance from the Device Enrollment Program Instance pop-up menu.

13. (Optional) To select a time that the JSS should sync with Apple School Manager, choose a time interval from the Apple School Manager Sync Time pop-up menu, and then configure the days and time to sync.
    The time zone that is displayed is the time zone that is configured in System Preferences.
    Note: It is recommended that you choose to sync with Apple School Manager at a time other than when you choose to flush logs or back up your database.

14. Choose criteria to use for matching the students and teachers associated with an imported class from Apple School Manager with existing users in the JSS using the Matching Criteria for Importing Users options:

    1. Select JSS or Apple School Manager user criteria from the User Criteria pop-up menu on the left.

    2. Choose an operator from the Operator pop-up menu.

    3. Select JSS or Apple School Manager user criteria from the User Criteria pop-up menu on the right.

       

15. Click Save.

When you import a class, the variables selected for the Class Naming Format are applied to the class display name, and the user information from Apple School Manager is matched to existing user information in the JSS based on the selected criteria.

The JSS updates user and class information from Apple School Manager at the time configured.

Forcing an Apple School Manager Sync

You can force the JSS to sync immediately with Apple School Manager. This allows you to update user and class information in the JSS when needed. (For more information about syncing the JSS with Apple School Manager, see Apple School Manager Sync Time.)

Note: Forcing the JSS to sync with Apple School Manager can add significant network traffic in the JSS. It is recommended that you force the JSS to sync at a time other than when you choose to flush logs or back up your database.

1. Log in to the JSS with a web browser.

2. In the top-right corner of the page, click Settings .

3. Click Mobile Device Management.

4. Click Apple Education Support .
   A list of Apple School Manager instances is displayed.

5. Click the Force Sync button next to the Apple School Manager instance that you want to manually sync the JSS with.

The JSS immediately syncs information from Apple School Manager.