Show Checked Out Devices

Created: Modified: Checkout

GroundControl usually hides devices as soon as they are unplugged. But you may wish to have an easy way to list checked out devices, in order to identify the users at any given moment.

GroundControl allows the display of checked out devices in three ways:

  • In the Admin console, within the Launchpad detail
  • In the Launchpad display
  • On the device itself, using a Safari bookmark (iOS devices only)

These lists are always grouped by Launchpad. This feature helps each team manage its own pool of devices, without needing to see the entire population of devices at your organization. The idea is that each device has a “home” Launchpad, and devices are expected to return to that home each day.

Enabling Display of Checked Out Devices

The control to display or hide checked out devices is in Admin > Check Out.

The first option enables display of checked-out devices on both the Launchpad display and within the admin console.

In the example above, two devices are connected and Checked In, and another two devices are checked out. The display indicates that users “alice” and “bob” have checked out the devices.

The second display option enables a bookmark on each checked out device. iOS shows this bookmark as an app named “Checkouts” on the device home screen.

This icon opens a web app within Safari, showing a list of checked out devices from the same Launchpad. The display shows each device name, the user ID, and the time the device has been checked out.

Use a Content Filter to limit Safari to the Checkouts System

Safari is required for this web app, but many you may be blocking Safari on your shared devices. As an alternative, you may enable Safari, but use a content filter to block all sites except for the Checkouts web app.

The URL to allowlist is “https://apps.groundctl.com/checkoutstatus”.

If you use a Content Filter, Imprivata recommends the following:

  • Distribute the content filter within a configuration profile using your MDM.
  • Use the allowlist feature, which may be called “Allow Websites” or “Specific Websites Only” or “Whitelisted Sites”.
  • The allowlist feature automatically blocks all sites that aren’t listed.
  • Use only a single content filter for all allowlisted web sites; multiple filters may interact in unexpected ways.
  • Allowlisting also needs a bookmark name; GroundControl doesn’t use that system, so you can use whatever text you wish, such as “Checkouts”.

Here is an example of how the whitelist appears in Workspace ONE:

 

Next: Overdue Devices