Employee mobile app development services

Private distribution routes

Device management is the backbone

A device management system, sometimes called MDM or EMM, lets your organisation install, update and remove work apps, apply security settings and wipe work data if a device is lost or someone leaves. For company-owned phones, it can manage the whole device. For personal phones, it can usually manage only a separate work area, leaving personal apps and data private. Choose the distribution route that works with your device management, and involve the person who runs it early.

If you do not yet manage devices, decide on that before the app launches.

Joiners, updates and leavers

Company devices or bring your own

How the service runs

1. 01

   Device review

   Current devices, management tools and policies.

   Output: Distribution plan

2. 02

   Build

   App built to work with your sign-in and devices.

   Output: Test builds

3. 03

   Pilot

   A team receives the app through device management.

   Output: Proven distribution

4. 04

   Roll out

   All relevant staff, with training.

   Output: In use

5. 05

   Maintain

   Updates, OS changes and access reviews.

   Output: Healthy app

Company sign-in

Signing in with the company account staff already use means one place to grant and remove access. Combined with device management, it ensures that when someone leaves, both the account and the work data on their device are dealt with promptly. Where staff do not have company accounts, plan an alternative sign-in and a reliable way to disable it on their last day.

Store rules still apply in part

Private distribution changes who can install the app, not the need to build it properly. Apps still need signing, accurate privacy information where the route requires it and updates for new OS versions. Check the requirements for your chosen route with Apple and Google, and plan yearly updates accordingly.

Apps for franchisees, contractors and partners

Some business apps are used by people outside your organisation, such as franchisees, subcontractors or partner staff. Apple notes that custom apps can be distributed privately to partners, clients, franchisees and employees, and managed Google Play private apps can be restricted to named organisations. Plan how these users sign in, what they can see and how access ends when a contract finishes, because they will not be covered by your own staff directory.

Agree with partners who manages their devices and how support requests reach you.

Security settings worth applying

Device management can require screen locks, encryption and up-to-date operating systems before work apps run, and can prevent work data being copied into personal apps. Apply settings in proportion to the sensitivity of the data the app holds, and explain them to staff so they understand why their phone asks for a passcode.

Supporting staff

Give staff a simple route for help with the app and their device, and make sure support can see app versions and sync status to diagnose problems quickly.