Enabling Email approvals for your requested applications in Configuration Manager 2012
By default application approvals must be done from within the ConfigMgr 2012 administrator console. If you have Service Manager 2012 you can use that to implement an approval process.
For those of you who do not (yet) have Service Manager here is a tool that you can use. The solution consists of a Website and a Web Service. None of them have to be installed on the same server. Also there is no requirement to install any the components on the site server.
Download our beta 0.9.8 version here
How it works
The Coretech Application Approval Server (CAAS) is installed on the Site server and will monitor any approval requests made by users.
- A request is made by the end user from the software web catalog
- CAAS will monitor the request, look up the user in Active Directory and find the manager. In this example I’m my own manager.
- Send an approval mail to the manager.
- The manager approves or rejects the request.
- Request rejected by the manager
- Application approved by the manager and ready for installation.
Installing the Website
- Start the installation and click Next.
- Enter the FQDN, the Site Code and click Next.
- Set a checkmark in the allowed actions and Click Next.
Allow Action by Id:
Allows managers to deny/approve requests that match an Id
http://fqdn/CAAWebsite?id=GUID
Required to work the the Coretech AA Service
Allow Action by User: Allows managers to deny/approve requests that match an User
http://fqdn/CAAWebsite?user=domain\usernameAllow Action by Application:
Allows managers to deny/approve requests that match an User
http://fqdn/CAAWebsite?application=ApplicationNameAllow Wildcard:
Allows managers to deny/approve requests that match on wildcard
http://fqdn/CAAWebsite?id=C75%
http://fqdn/CAAWebsite?user=domain\userna%
http://fqdn/CAAWebsite?application=ApplicationNa% - Select a Site to place the Virtual Directory.
Give the Virtual Directory a name (Default: CAAWebsite).
Choose an Application Pool that runs ASP.Net v4 in Integrated mode.
Click Next.
- Click Next to start the installation.
- Installation Complete, click Close.
Installing the web Service
- Start the Installation and click Next.
- Enter the FQDN of the Site Server and the the Site Code.
Enter the FQDN of the Web Server that holds the Coretech AA Website.
Enter the Virtual Path of the Coretech AA Website (Default: CAAWebsite).
- Enter the FQDN of the mail server to use, the port to use on the mail server and the mail address to send as.
- Enter the folder to install the Service, or keep the default.
- Click Next to start the installation.
- Installation is complete, click Close
A huge tribute goes to Claus Codam who is the main developer behind the tool
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[...] Enabling Email approvals for your requested applications in Configuration Manager 2012 written by: admin http://blog.coretech.dk/kea/enabling-email-approvals-for-your-requested-applications-in-configuratio... [...]
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Thanks, but i am having some issues with the installer. The webservice installer throws an 1001 event cannot find service. And it rolls back the installation. programfiles(x86)\Coretech\Coretech Application Approval Service\ only contain the file : CM_AppReqListen.InstallState
Seen this before?
I have the same problem in my lab.
Error 1001 An exception error occurred during the commit phase of the installation.
Any help would greatly be appreciated.
I’m experiencing the same problem, the website installs fine, but the service install fails.
Would it be possible to make a user/password field for log on to the mailserver ?
Error 1001 An exception error occurred during the commit phase of the installation.
thank you
a very useful thing
been very different if it were possible to specify the email recipients are statically
There are some great websites out there but Google isn’t the best at finding them. Try finding a relevant directory, they will often list a few lesser known websites
I have the same 1001 error while trying to setup the Application Approval service, rerunning the install won’t fix the failed install. Is any development work being done to the beta 0.9 version and will a fixed version be published?
thanks
[...] Kents Solution [...]
I also got an error during installation.
“Error 1001. An exception occurred during the Commit phase of installation. …”
The Service was created but isn´t running. Did you have any solution for this? I would nicely use your tool. So please give us any hints!
Thanks
any way to have replace the “manager” lookup in AD with a static recipient? like an ITPurchasing dept for example or the group responsible for maintaining and managing licenses keys as the “approver”?
Hi Shadster,
There is a new release coming up, which is due to release within the month.
This will have a “fallback” e-mail address, which will either be used when no manager is found for the user, or if specified in the config, always be used.
Would that be sufficient in your case?
If not, then please let us know what you need specifically, and we will make sure to implement it in an upcoming release.
Thanks.
this would be perfect Claus!
What about the possibility to send the request to the “owner” of the application which can be filled in within the application…?
Claus, any word when the “new” version will be available..?
Any news regarding the new version?
The webservice installer throws an 1001 event cannot find service.
Hey,
There is any beta for the new version (that i will supply one email address..?)
Thanks
Is there a new version that does not throw the 1001 error?
You can get the latest beta
We are still some time away from a formal release.
Hi Kent,
I’m working on a similar setup, where-in I am trying to integrate ServiceNow with System Center 2012 Config Mgr SP1 for ticket work-flow + approvals and eventually deployment of software to user/device. Could you provide some guidance on how ServiceNow webservice could integrate with CM12 (web-service or APIs)?
1001 error
service Coretech SCCM Application Request Listener stoped
Has anyone found a solution to the 1001 error yet?
Marc, I’ve updated this post, with our latest internal build.
You can download it, from the link in the top of the post, or here:
http://blog.coretech.dk/download/CTAA-0.9.8.zip
Hi….im getting this when I browse the website…
Unable to Retrieve Manager of User. Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection.
Any ideas?
Yes, you have to setup a Manager in properties of the user under organization.
Hello, mail arrives at administrator configuration manager? or the head do not understand. if Configuration Manager administrator happens when there are more than one
I have having an issue with the webpage. Page not found. Any ideas? Email part works great but when I click Approve, Deny, Details, or pending request they all fail w/ Webpage not found
After clicking the links to Approve or Deny requests in the email message, the Application Approval page displays “No such Id”. When clicking Details or Pending Requests, no data is display although it can be seen in the SCCM console. Any suggestions to resolve these issues?
Hey, cool tool!
I’m trying to install the website on a Windows Server 2012, but the installations fails just seconds after starting with “The installer was interrupted before the …”.
Looking in the log file there’s only a “nice” msi error 1603 with no usefull information.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Nickolaj
Great tool! Thanks for your efforts. I am wondering if it would be possible for this to work with a flat file or database of manager information as opposed to an LDAP query of AD? Unfortunately AD is not the authoritative source for this information in my environment.
Regards,
Matt