Publish App - Disable or require approvals to publish

[OneWithQuestion]

Is there anyway to stop users from using Publish App?

With that banner just sitting there people click it, which is understandable.

However, now we are getting tons of random "junk" apps published out there.

Ideally, we would be able to set permissions on it and we would certify apps before allowing publication to our organization.

I don't want some random person uploading an Excel sheet and then publishing it that is full of garbage data.

We need a way to limit some of this.

Thanks!

[GilbertQ · Accepted solution]

Hi @OneWithQuestion

You can change the settings in the Admin Portal to allow who can create Content Packs and Apps

[Anonymous]

        This didn't work for me to prevent developers from publishing the app

[MateuszN]

The mentioned option in tenant settings (publish content packs and apps to the entire organization) doesn't prevent you from publishing app (it just blocks the ability to publish your app to whole organization... but you can still publish app and share it with specific accounts rather than sharing with everyone)

I see a challenge here for many organizations that want to fully control what is published. Now it can be achieved only partially:

1) We can control workspace creation by disabling workspace creation for the user (to be specific: disabling group creation in Office 365). Then only some adminstrator would be able to create workspaces. Such workspace could also have pre-existing security (defined by administrator) which could not be altered by dashboard creator (dashboard creator would be member with edit permissions, so he can build dashboard but only admin have control on who else can be granted access)

2) However we _cannot_ control app publishing. So if the security in workspace is defined, user is actually still able to publish app to anyone (what would be good is to at least ensure that app publishing is aligned with workspace security). This way organization could have full control on what is published and to whom. And unfortunately now there is still backdoor for user to share dashboard with anyone via app.

I would be very interested to know if second limitation can be somehow solved.

[v-yulgu-msft]

Hi @OneWithQuestion,

To disable the 'Publish App' functionality for some specific users, you should assign member role to those users with only view permission.

Then, for those users, they cannot publish any file or report to this group worksapce. Also, they cannot see the "Publish App" option when login service.

Regards,
Yuliana Gu

[OneWithQuestion]

Just to clarify though nothing prevents a user from creating a group workspace so once they create it they can still publish it because they will own it correct?

[Seth_C_Bauer]

@OneWithQuestion I think the answer depends on what method of licensing you will be using. Pro vs. Premium...

I'm just thinking off the cuff here, but from my understanding there is an admin/s in the Premium realm that can allow certain people or groups to add app workspaces to the "shared" capacity, thus controlling what apps are available for Free users. In the Pro to Pro scenario, there may not be any, but sounds like a good feature request.

The above is just conjucture though from what I've heard in the public webinars / whitepaper.

[Anonymous]

"Premium realm that can allow certain people or groups to add app workspaces to the "shared" capacity,"

Hi Eno1978, I am interested using "shared with me" to control functionality/rights for the members of the app workspace, so that, member has edit capability but not have 'publish app' capability which will put so many junk apps up to appstore.  Can you provide some direction as to the controling the functionality of the app workspace including 'shared with me' feature which may help control the functionality.

[Seth_C_Bauer]

@Anonymous I don't completely understand the question. "Shared with Me" will contain dashboard and reports that are shared with the end user. There is no relation between members in a workspace and content in the "Share with Me" area. Apps, are a different way to share and will be found in the Apps section.

In regards to an App workspace, there is only a single app that can be deployed per workspace. If you want to limit the users that can publish apps this should be a permission you can control in tenant settings. There are three areas that allow controls over app creation and distribution, I can't say I've tested your exact scenario, but if you could accomplish what you want, I would start there.

[Anonymous]

"In regards to an App workspace, there is only a single app that can be deployed per workspace"

-- app work space can publish many apps, I am bit confused why you said only 'a single app' can be deployed per app workspace, it doesn't make sense to me.

If "you want to limit the users that can publish apps this should be a permission you can control in tenant settings".

-- tenant settings->"Push apps to End Users" does not stop users from pushing apps, if the user is member of app workspace.   

 "There are three areas that allow controls over app creation and distribution"

-- can you elaborate on these three ares how you would control the developer who is member of an app workspace can be disallow to publish the app.

Thanks in advance for you inputs,

[GilbertQ]

Hi there the settings only applies to users who are App Consumers. Any user that is added to an App Workspace is a member and members do not get the same settings applied.