9 ways to get more out of Apple's Volume Purchase Program

Credit: Ben Garney via Flickr

When Apple designed the iOS App Store nearly five years ago, the company focused on creating an effortless way for individual users to find, purchase, and download apps. In the years since the store was launched, however, the iPhone and iPad have become critical business tools. In trying to reconcile the App Store's consumer-oriented approach with the needs of businesses (and schools) that need to bulk purchase app licenses, Apple created its Volume Purchase Program (VPP).

The program allows a company or school to purchase redemption codes for specific apps. When users redeem those codes, they can download the apps at no cost in much the same way that they could redeem a gift code for a song or movie (or app). The codes, which are delivered in a spreadsheet, can redeemed manually or in conjunction with mobile management solution. The program is an uneasy marriage of consumer and business approaches to software licensing, particularly in how it handles app ownership. Outside of a few exceptions the user redeeming a code becomes the effective owner of each app - even if the device belongs to the employer.

Although the Volume Purchase Program may not be the best app and license management solution, these tips and lesser-known features can help make the VPP work for most offices or schools.

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The needs and workflows of a company or non-profit organization are typically different than those of a school or university. As a result there are some key differences between the business and education programs.