Automating set friendly names for devices?Solved

Participant
Discussion
17 hours ago Feb 26, 2026

Hey everyone! We’re currently managing about 500 iPads and Windows laptops. Right now, the “Device Name” in our portal is just a string of serial numbers or “iPad.” It’s a nightmare when trying to find a specific user’s device during a support call. 

I know Hexnode has a way to automate “Friendly Names,” but I’m curious—what are the actual best-use cases for this beyond just “making it look pretty”? And how do I set it up? 

Replies (3)

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Participant
13 hours ago Feb 27, 2026
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@ace_98 , it’s a game changer. “Pretty” is just the surface. Here are a few high-value use cases we use it for: 

  • Asset Management: We sync the friendly name to include the Asset Tag. If a device is found in the cafeteria, we know exactly who it belongs to without opening it. 

  • Inventory Audits: When exporting CSV reports, having a name like LDN-Sales-JSmith is much more useful than XYZ12345. 

  • User Empowerment: On Windows/Mac, the friendly name can be pushed to the local computer name. It helps users identify their own device on the network or when AirDropping. 

  • Automated Grouping: You can use naming conventions to automatically sort devices into Dynamic Groups. 

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Hexnode Expert
10 hours ago Feb 27, 2026
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Spot on, @skylar-a ! Automating this saves hours of manual entry and prevents “naming drift”. @ace_98 , in Hexnode, we use Wildcards (Variables) to do the heavy lifting. Instead of typing a name for every device, you create a pattern. You can create an automation that applies the Set Friendly Name action for the devices in your fleet. Here’s how you can do it, 

  1. In your Hexnode UEM portal, go to the Automate tab and click on New Automation. 

  1. Choose your device platform and under Device Control select the action Set Friendly Name. Here, you can use wildcards to assign names to those devices as per the details in the portal, such as device ID, serial number, or username. 

  1. Under Settings and Schedule, you can initiate the action based on time or activity, such as Device Enrollment. 

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Participant
6 hours ago Feb 27, 2026
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Thanks for this, @kylian_parker .

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