1 Overview
This guide describes how to configure and use your own custom tools in SoftwareCentral. Custom Tools are shown as menu items under the Tools menu button.
A custom tool can be a script executed on the server, that for instance refreshes the machine policy on a computer or it could be a quick way to launch a program on a user’s local computer, like the remote control tool.
Please note, that to run programs locally, you must configure SoftwareCentral to do so. See the guide “External Tools Configuration” for information on how to configure SoftwareCentral.
2 The Manage Tools page
Open Manage Tools to see your tools in a grid, add new ones and change the order they appear in.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Add new | In the left menu. Opens a window where you create a new tool. |
| Search box | In the left menu. Type one or more values and press Enter to show only the tools whose name contains them. |
| Drag column | Drag a tool up or down to change the position it has in the Tools menu. |
| Name | The name shown in the menu. Click it to edit the tool. |
| Edit | Opens the same window as Add new with the settings of the tool. |
| Delete | Opens a confirmation window with Delete and Cancel. |
The grid only lists the tools that are assigned to the security role you are using, so a colleague with another role may see a different list.
In the window for a new or existing tool, fill in:
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Name | The name of the tool, at most 50 characters, as it is shown in the Tools menu. The name must be unique among your tools. |
| Description | A description of the tool. The users who use the tool see it. |
| Type | Run on Server, Run Locally or Open URL. See the next section. |
| Parameters | The drop-down boxes and the text box the user fills in before the tool runs. See the Parameters section. |
Click Save to store the tool.
3 Tool types
The Type decides where the tool runs and which fields you fill in.
| Type | What it does | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Run on Server | Runs a VBScript or PowerShell script (.vbs or .ps1) on the server that hosts SoftwareCentral. You upload a new script or select one that has already been uploaded, and you choose the user that runs it (Run as). Typical use: refresh the machine policy on a computer. | Run on Server |
| Run Locally | Starts a program on the computer of the user who clicks the tool, in that user's own context. You enter the Path of the program and optional Arguments. The program must be installed on the user's computer or reachable from a network location. Typical use: launch the remote control tool. | Run Locally |
| Open URL | Opens the URL you enter in a new browser tab. The URL must contain a scheme such as https://. Some browsers block pop-ups, so allow them for SoftwareCentral. Typical use: open a web site, or the Intune remote assistance tool. | Open URL |
4 Parameters
Parameters are the choices a user makes before the tool runs. Tick the ones your tool needs and SoftwareCentral shows the matching boxes when the tool is opened.
| Parameter | What the user sees |
|---|---|
| Computers | A drop-down box to select a device. For ConfigMgr devices the value is the resource ID, for Intune devices it is the managed device ID. |
| Computers 2 | A second device drop-down box, for tools that work on two devices. |
| Users | A drop-down box to select a user. |
| Packages | A drop-down box to select a package or application. |
| Text | A text box where the user types any extra parameter, which is added to the command line as typed. |
| Software Variables | A list of the software variables you can add to the tool by ticking them. The name and value of each is passed on to the script or program, and you can drag them to change the order. |
The boxes in the tool window are only an example of what the user will see. The guides for Run on Server and Run Locally show how each parameter is passed to the script or program.
5 Using and delegating tools
A saved tool appears in the Tools menu. Open it, fill in the parameters and click OK to run it. A coloured dot next to a device shows whether the device is online.
A new tool is assigned to your own security role. To let other roles use it, assign it to them like any other menu button. See Use Tools and Assign Tools to Security Roles.
6 Best practice
- Give every tool a clear name and write a description, because the users who run it see the description.
- Let a Run on Server tool run as an account that has only the permissions the script needs. Use the application pool user when you debug a script or need it to write to the SoftwareCentral log.
- Do not put passwords or other secrets in the arguments of a Run Locally tool, because they are passed to the client as clear text.
- Assign a tool only to the security roles that need it.
- Test a new tool on a test computer before you assign it to other roles, and check the log if the tool fails.