Application Manager Only
Installation & Setup Guide

1 About the Application Manager Only edition

The Application Manager Only edition is a focused, lightweight configuration of SoftwareCentral for teams that only need application and package management. Its interface is streamlined to four work areas and defaults to the dark theme.

2 Installation overview

The complete process, at a glance:

3 Prerequisites

Pick the column that matches your environment. Both share the same Windows Server baseline.

Windows Server minimum requirements

Required server roles/features (IIS, ASP.NET 3.5/4.8, Windows Authentication when used) are installed automatically by the installer if missing. Firewall ports are listed in the appendix.

📄 Detailed page: Prerequisites · original: Prerequisites

4 Azure App Registration Azure / Entra

For Azure OpenID authentication and Intune connectivity you need an Entra ID app registration. The SoftwareCentral installer can create this automatically — do the manual steps below only if you prefer to prepare it in advance or reuse an existing one.

1. Azure portal → your Entra ID → App registrations → New registration.
2. Give it a name; choose single- or multi-tenant. Do not set a Redirect URI yet. Click Register.
3. On the overview page, copy the Client ID and Tenant ID — you'll need them in the installer.
4. Add a platform → Web. Enter the SoftwareCentral host name; set the front-channel logout URL to the same host followed by /logout. Tick ID tokens. Do this for both the localhost and the regular binding.

Images show the standard installer flow; the Application Manager Only build is identical for these Azure steps.

📄 Detailed page: Azure App Registration · original: Create App Registration for Azure OpenID Authentication

5 Run the installer

Download the installer from SoftwareCentral Update and run it on the web server. Steps may vary slightly with your choices.

Step 5.1 — Requirements check

The first screen validates that the server meets the minimum requirements. Follow any prompts.

Step 5.2 — Service account

Enter the service account credentials. For ConfigMgr / hybrid this must be a domain user; for Intune only it can be a local account as servername\username. The account must be a local administrator.

Step 5.3 — Site & database information

Accept the default names and paths where possible. Enter the SoftwareCentral database server (use servername\instance for a named instance, or servername.database.windows.net for Azure SQL).

Step 5.4 — Edition, authentication & Intune

• ConfigMgr support: choose Disable ConfigMgr support for an Intune-only install. Azure / Entra
• Authentication: Azure OpenID (default; work-account sign-in, MFA, SSO) or Windows Authentication (on-prem AD, domain users only).
• Multi-tenant support: allow users from multiple Intune tenants (only added tenants can sign on).
• Use Entra ID: source group memberships from Entra ID instead of on-prem AD.
• Connect to Intune tenant: creates/updates the app registration automatically — or enter an existing Tenant ID / Client ID. After connecting, grant admin consent using the link shown.

Step 5.5 — ConfigMgr connection ConfigMgr

For ConfigMgr installs, enter your Configuration Manager (MECM) details and click Check MECM to verify the connection and create the MECM database login. Assign permissions manually if the installer cannot (see the security role XML).

Step 5.6 — Install

Click Install. For Azure SQL you'll be prompted to sign in with an account that can add logins/users. Errors are highlighted with suggested fixes; details are written to SoftwareCentralInstaller_Log.txt next to the installer.

📄 Detailed page: Run the installer · original: Install SoftwareCentral

6 First-time configuration (from localhost)

The first configuration must run on the server, from the localhost binding — a security measure so remote connections can't change critical settings. In IIS Manager, select the SoftwareCentral site and click Browse *:8080 (https).

6.1 — Database connection

The database details are pre-filled. Click Test to confirm connectivity, then save and continue.

6.2 — Intune configurator Azure / Entra

If Intune wasn't configured in the installer, this screen appears. Generate a certificate and upload it to the app registration, assign the required permissions, and Test. Then Save Azure configuration.

6.3 — Administrator group

Choose the administrator group (you must be a member). With Entra ID you can also create the group here and be added automatically.

6.4 — SoftwareCentral license

Enter the username/password from your retailer (online), or exchange the shown installation key for an offline license key. An Installation Title helps identify multiple installations. You cannot proceed without a valid license.

6.5 — Verify settings

After the license step you land on the Settings interface. Mandatory fields are marked * Required in red and must be filled in before you continue — for example the Central Site Code, SCCM Server, SCCM Database Server Name/Name and the Application Base URL (e.g. https://softwarecentral/). Complete them and click Save Settings.

6.6 — SCCM Folders and Collections ConfigMgr

Once the mandatory settings are saved, go to Settings → SCCM Folders and Collections and set up the default collections and folders. SoftwareCentral uses this structure to find the correct collection to use when it creates, deploys and reads packages and applications.

Configure each root by selecting a node in the tree and saving it:

• SCCM root collection (devices) and SCCM root user collection
• Package root folder
• Application Distribution Devices and Application Distribution Users

Click Create default structure to have SoftwareCentral build its own default structure automatically, or point the roots at your existing structure and use Create collection / Create folder as needed.

For a full explanation of the structure SoftwareCentral expects — and how to use your own — see Default Collection Structure and Custom Collection Structures.

📄 Detailed page: First-time configuration · original: Configure SoftwareCentral for the first time

7 Application Manager Setup Guide (in-app)

After the first-time wizard, the Application Manager Only edition opens its own guided checklist at Settings → Setup Guide. Each card shows a status indicator (● done, ● attention, ● action required) with Configure / Re-check actions. Use Re-check all at the top when finished.

Card 1 — Intune

Card 2 — Mandatory settings & connection tests

Card 3 — Robopack

Card 4 — Templates

8 Hostname & HTTPS (remote access)

Give users a friendly, secure URL by adding an HTTPS binding for your host name.

1. Configure the host name in DNS.
2. In IIS Manager, add an https binding for the host name with a certificate your clients trust.
3. Optionally add a port-80 binding for the same host name — a rewrite rule redirects users to https.
4. Azure / Entra In the app registration, add the new host name to the Redirect URIs, and add the front-channel logout URL (https://yourhost/logout) for single sign-out.

📄 Detailed page: Hostname & HTTPS · original: Configure HTTPS

9 Verify & performance

9.1 — SoftwareCentral service

A Windows service handles long-running tasks and schedules, installed automatically. Confirm it under Settings → Service Manager. If it isn't running, the Log explains why and how to fix it.

9.2 — Performance tuning (optional)

• Application pool → Start Mode = AlwaysRunning, Idle Time-out (minutes) = 0.
• Site → Advanced Settings → Preload Enabled = True.

10 Appendix & references

Firewall ports (ConfigMgr / hybrid)

ConfigMgr security role ConfigMgr

Import this XML in the ConfigMgr console → Administration → Security → Security Roles → Import to grant the service account the exact permissions SoftwareCentral needs.

<SMS_Roles>
  <SMS_Role CopiedFromID="SMS0009R" RoleName="SoftwareCentral" RoleDescription="">
    <Operations>
      <Operation GrantedOperations="1890811559" ObjectTypeID="1" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="805446663" ObjectTypeID="2" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="524289" ObjectTypeID="6" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="140295" ObjectTypeID="7" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="537011207" ObjectTypeID="9" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="1031" ObjectTypeID="11" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="813835269" ObjectTypeID="17" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="140295" ObjectTypeID="19" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="537011207" ObjectTypeID="20" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="805448711" ObjectTypeID="31" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="536871943" ObjectTypeID="33" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="9" ObjectTypeID="42" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="9" ObjectTypeID="43" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="1031" ObjectTypeID="219" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="142359" ObjectTypeID="224" />
      <Operation GrantedOperations="1031" ObjectTypeID="226" />
    </Operations>
  </SMS_Role>
</SMS_Roles>

Detailed guide pages

Other topics & original pages