Where to start with Apple Business Manager and Apple Configurator in Hexnode?Solved

For a first-time Apple deployment with Hexnode, the simplest way to think about it is: set up Apple Business Manager first, then connect it to Hexnode, then enroll devices through Automated Device Enrollment.

Recommended order:

1. Enroll the organization in Apple Business Manager
   – Create or access the ABM account.
   – Complete Apple’s organization verification process.
   – This becomes the foundation for automated Apple device enrollment.
2. Connect Apple Business Manager with Hexnode
   – In ABM, create/select the MDM server for Hexnode.
   – Download the server token from ABM.
   – Upload that token in Hexnode to link ABM with the Hexnode portal.
3. Assign Apple devices to the Hexnode MDM server in ABM
   – Devices purchased through Apple or an authorized reseller can usually be assigned directly in ABM.
   – After assignment, sync ABM/ADE devices in Hexnode.
4. Create and apply an ADE enrollment configuration in Hexnode
   – Configure supervision, enrollment settings, setup assistant screens, and other enrollment options.
   – Assign the enrollment configuration to the synced devices.
5. Enroll the devices
   – Devices assigned through ABM/ADE enroll during Setup Assistant.
   – If a device is already set up, it usually needs to be erased and reactivated to go through ADE enrollment.

Apple Configurator is mainly needed when the device is not already available in ABM, or when you want to manually prepare/enroll supported iOS/iPadOS devices. For eligible macOS devices, Apple Configurator can also be used to add them to ABM before managing them through ADE.

Useful Hexnode guides to follow in this order:

• Enroll organization in Apple Business Manager
• Enrollment of Apple devices through ADE 
• Apple Configurator MDM enrollment for iOS/iPadOS 
• Add macOS devices to ABM using Apple Configurator 
• Overview of Apple device enrollment types in Hexnode

So if our devices were bought through an authorized reseller and already show up in Apple Business Manager, do we still need Apple Configurator?

No. If the devices are already listed in Apple Business Manager and can be assigned to the Hexnode MDM server, Apple Configurator is not required for those devices.

In that case, use this flow:

ABM device assignment → Sync devices in Hexnode → Assign ADE enrollment profile → Erase/restart device into Setup Assistant → Device enrolls automatically.

Apple Configurator is typically used for devices that are not already in ABM, or for specific manual enrollment workflows.

That clears it up. I was mixing up ABM enrollment and Configurator enrollment as if both were mandatory. Starting with ABM, assigning devices, and then using ADE in Hexnode makes more sense now.