Introduction
This article will briefly go over the benefits of having all employees install the extension and take you through the steps in order to do this.
G-Suite Installation
If G-Suite is used within your organization the SmartSpending Chrome extension can be force installed via the Google Admin console. This will force install the extension onto any managed Chrome OS device and any Chrome browser where a G Suite user is signed in.
Instructions
- Select Devices on the G Suite Admin dashboard
- Select Chrome > Apps & Extensions > Users & Browsers
- Select the Organisational unit that you want to install the extension to
- Select the + button and click “Add Chrome App or Extension by ID”
- Enter the following ID: akjlnngigpbekgfjcbpohdfnfjfgflpb
- The Installation policy drop-down needs to be changed to “Force Install”
- This will install the extension automatically to the selected OU
JAMF Installation
The SmartSpending Chrome Extension can be force installed via JAMF for Apple devices.
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Login to the JAMF admin portal and select Computers > Configuration profiles > New
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Under the General settings enter the following:
- Name: Chrome - Extensions
- Select a Site and Category as appropriate
- Distribution method: Install Automatically
- Level: Computer Level
- Now select Application & Custom settings and click Configure
- Select Upload file (PLIST file)
- Preference Domain: com.google.Chrome
- For simply installing the SmartSpending extension a template PLIST can be downloaded here
- Upload the PLIST into JAMF and save
- Scope the profile to the required devices and upon next sync the extension will automatically install
Intune Installation
In order to install the SmartSpending Chrome Extension to windows devices Chrome preferences need to be managed by intune.
If you already manage Chrome preferences through Intune and custom ADMX settings proceed to step 2.
Step 1: Set up managed Chrome preferences through Intune
To manage Chrome preferences through Intune a custom device configuration needs to be created.
- Download the Chrome enterprise bundle for Windows here. This includes an ADMX file that will need to be copied later
- Go to Intune > Devices > Configuration Profiles and select Create profile
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Select Windows 10 and later and then Custom in the two dropdown fields
- Name the profile: Windows 10 - Chrome configuration
The next window will ask for some OMA-URI Settings. These can be used to set specific policies to Chrome from Intune.
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Click Add and then enter the following details into the fields:
- Name: Chrome ADMX ingestion
- OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/ConfigOperations/ADMXInstall/Chrome/Policy/ChromeAdmx
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Choose String for the data type and then copy the contents from the Configuration/admx/chrome.admx file located in the Chrome enterprise download into the text field
- Click Create to generate the profile. Now more OMA-URI settings can be added for each Chrome policy
Step 2: Force Install Smart Spending Extension
- Proceed to the Windows 10 - Chrome configuration policy and click Edit
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Select Add to generate another OMA-URI
- Add the following values into the fields:
- Name: Chrome – ADMX – ExtensionInstallForcelist
- OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Chrome~Policy~googlechrome~Extensions/ExtensionInstallForcelist
- Data type: String
- Value: <enabled/> <data id="ExtensionInstallForcelistDesc" value="1akjlnngigpbekgfjcbpohdfnfjfgflpb;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx"/>
- Select the scope of the profile and save. The selected devices will now update with the SmartSpending extension.
Note: There are other preferences that may affect extensions. A full list of preferences can be seen here.