While assigning an application, an order of precedence is followed based on criteria such as entity type, assignment type (Marker and Package), computer name specified while attaching packages, and the date on which the application is assigned. This information helps you understand how application assignments take precedence over each other.

The order of precedence is as follows:

  1. Active Directory entity type

    An order of priority based on the entity type is followed while assigning an application's packages to multiple entities. The entity types are as follows: Users, Computers, Groups, and OU (Organizational Unit).

  2. Computer name specified during an application assignment

    A computer name with a longer prefix takes more precedence than a computer name with a shorter prefix. For example, for the agent computer WIN10_1809, prefix WIN10_18 takes more precedence than the prefix WIN10_1.

  3. Assignment type

    Specific version of the application package (Package), takes more precedence than the latest version of the application package (CURRENT).

  4. Assigned date

    This criterion is applied when all other criteria listed in the order of precedence are equal. When multiple packages of the same application are assigned to an entity and no computer name is specified, then the date on which each application package is assigned to the entity determines which package is delivered to the entity. The most recent assignment takes the highest precedence.

Scenarios to Understand the Order of Precedence

For the scenarios listed in the table, the entity type examples considered are as follows: John is of entity type Users who belongs to two Groups: Engineering and Management. These groups belong to an OU, Employees.

Setup Assignment Flow Assignment Resolution
Scenario "Active Directory entity type"
  • An application has three packages: package 1, package 2, and package 3.
  1. Assign package 1 to John.
  2. Assign package 2 to Engineering.
  3. Assign package 3 to Management.
  4. John logs into a computer.

As per the order of priority in assigning application packages based on entity types, Users takes more precedence than Groups and OU.

As a result, John receives package 1 when logged into a computer.

Scenario "Computer name"

  • An application has two packages: package 1 and package 2.
  • Package 1 is marked CURRENT.
  • Agent computer is WIN10_1809.
  1. Assign package 1 to John and attach the package to computers whose name begins with WIN10_1.
  2. Assign package 2 to John and attach the package to computers whose name begins with WIN10_18.
  3. John logs into WIN10_1809.
  1. Package 1 and package 2 assignments are done to the same entity, John.

    As a result the next criterion, which is the computer name, is checked.

  2. Computer names specified while assigning the application packages are: WIN10_1 and WIN10_18.

    For the computer, WIN10_1809, WIN10_18 is more specific than WIN10_1.

As a result, based on the order of precedence, John receives package 2.
Scenario "Assignment type"

Consider the setup of this scenario to be the same as the "Computer Name" scenario.
  1. Assign the CURRENT version (package 1) of the application to Engineering.
  2. Assign the specific version (package 2) of the application to Management.
  3. John logs into WIN10_1809.
  1. Application is assigned to two different groups, but of the same entity type, Groups.
  2. Computer name is not specified in this case.

    As a result, the next criterion which is, assignment type is considered.

  3. Assignment type: CURRENT version of the package versus specific package version of the application is considered.

As per the order of precedence, John receives package 2 because a specific assignment takes more precedence than a CURRENT assignment.
Scenario "Assigned date"
  • An application has two packages: package 1 and package 2.
  • Application is assigned to the Engineering group on all computers.
  1. Assign package 1 to Engineering on Monday.
  2. Assign package 2 to Engineering on Tuesday.
  3. John who belongs to Engineering, logs into a computer on Wednesday.

In this scenario, entity and assignment types remain the same and computer name is not specified. As a result, the "assigned date" criterion is applied while assigning the application package to any user who belongs to Engineering.

Per the date on which the application package is assigned, package 2 is a more recent assignment to Engineering when compared to package 1. As a result, when John logs into a computer on Wednesday, John receives package 2.

For more information regarding the entity type criterion, see Priority Followed in Assigning Application Packages Based on Entity Types.

For more information about the assignment types criterion, see Understanding Assignment Types.

For an understanding of Active Directory Entities, see View Active Directory Entities.