Computer Groups

1 What a computer group is

A Computer Group is a group of computers that can be used in the multiple-computer interfaces, such as Manage Software on Multiple Resources.

SoftwareCentral can create and manage Computer Groups. A group is saved as a static query in ConfigMgr that lists the computers in it. SoftwareCentral keeps the groups in its own list, so you see and manage them in Computer Groups.

When you save a group, your security role is automatically granted access to view it. A group you delete is removed from the roles that had it.

2 Open Computer Groups

Open the Devices menu and choose Computer Groups. The list shows the groups you can see.

The earlier Devices menu with Computer Groups highlighted in the list — Earlier version: the Devices menu of an older release, with **Computer Groups** at the bottom. The current menu is not recaptured yet.

The Computer Groups page with the Add new Computer Group button on the left, the search box and a list with the column Group Name and Edit and Delete buttons — The list. Click **Add new Computer Group** to create a group. **Edit** and **Delete** are on each row.

The search box on the left searches the group names. The list is shown in pages, and the page size is set at the bottom of the list.

3 Create a computer group

To create a Computer Group, click Add new Computer Group in the left menu. A new window opens.

The Add new Computer Group window with the Computer Group Name box, the filters Filter by Name, Filter by AD-Group, Filter by OU and Upload CSV file, the Available Computers list on the left and the Computers in Group list on the right — The **Add new Computer Group** window. The left list has the available computers; the right list has the computers in the group.

Give the group a name in Computer Group Name. The name is required.
Choose the computers. The Available Computers list shows a maximum of 100 computers per page. To see more, scroll to the bottom of the list and select the next page. Add a computer to the group by clicking the checkbox next to the computer name.
Check the group. The Computers in Group list displays the computers that will be added to the group. Untick a computer to take it out again.
Filter by name. The Available Computers list can be filtered by computer names. Type part of or the whole name of a single or series of computers in Filter by Name.
Filter by AD-group. It is possible to filter the available computers by an AD-group. Choose the domain in Filter by AD-Group, then the group in Select AD-Group.
Filter by OU. It is also possible to filter by an Organizational Unit, with Filter by OU.
Upload a CSV file with a list of computer resource ids or computer names, with Select next to Upload CSV file. Separate the values by commas or semicolons, or use a new line for each item.
E.g.: PC089,PC090,PC091

Or:

16777219

16777222

16777225

The list in the file filters the Available Computers list. The computers are still added to the group by ticking them.
Click Save to create the group. The window closes and the group is listed.

Names or resource IDs, not both You cannot mix computer names and resource ids in one CSV file. If the file has names, the resource ids in it are not used.

Message	What it means
Please enter a name	The Computer Group Name is empty. Type a name and save again.
The name already exists	A group with this name is already in the list. Choose another name.
No computers selected	No computer is in the group. Tick at least one computer in the Available Computers list.

4 Edit a computer group

Click Edit on the row of the group. It opens in the same window as when a new computer group is created, with the possibility to apply the same filters.

The Edit window of a computer group with the name box locked and the computers in the group listed on the right — The window of an existing group. The name box is locked, because an existing group cannot be renamed.

Change the computers in the group as in section 3, then click Save. The group keeps its name.

No rename Existing Computer Groups can't be renamed. To use another name, create a new group and delete the old one.

5 Delete a computer group

To delete the group, click the Delete button on its row.

A confirmation window opens with the name of the group. Click Delete in that window to remove the group, or Cancel to keep it. The computers are not deleted: only the group is removed, and the roles that had the group lose it.

6 Best practice

Name the group for what it holds, for example the laptops of one site. A group cannot be renamed, so a clear name at the start saves creating it again.
Build the group with filters first, then tick the computers you want, and check the list in Computers in Group before you save.
Use a CSV file for a fixed list. Use one format per file: names, or resource ids.
Delete the groups you no longer use, so the list stays short. Deleting a group also removes it from the security roles that had it.

7 Troubleshooting

Symptom	Cause	What to do
"Please enter a name"	The Computer Group Name box is empty.	Type a name.
"The name already exists"	A group with this name is already listed.	Choose another name.
"No computers selected"	The group has no computers.	Tick at least one computer, then save.
"No computers match your search criteria"	The filters, the search or the CSV file leave no computer in Available Computers.	Clear the filters, or check the names in the CSV file.
"No Computer Groups found"	There are no groups you can see, or the search matches none.	Clear the search box, or add a group.