Appian lets you create a custom version of the Appian mobile application with your organization's colors, icons and introductory experience using the self-service Mobile Branding application on Appian Community.
To create a custom version of the Appian mobile application for your organization, follow these steps:
NOTE: When a new version of an Appian for Mobile Devices application is released, you must request a new build from Appian. This includes going through the Apple or Android review process if your deployment approach requires it.
There are two different approaches your organization can take in order to enroll into the mobile developer program for iOS. The approach that's best for your organization depends on the level of in-house development experience your organization has with iOS applications, how you want your users to access the application, and how quickly you want the application to be available.
There are several distribution options available to you: the app marketplace, email, or an internal website. More details can be found in Google's alternative distribution options.
Visit the Mobile Branding site on Appian Community and select whether or not you wish you create an iOS application and/or an Android application.
Click either the "+ New Android App" or "+ New iOS App" depending on the OS you wish your application to run on.
Because an iOS requires information on how it will be code signed, the beginning of the process is different than when creating a new Android app.
Provide the name of the particular app configuration and upload a Provisoner File
.
In order to build a branded iOS application, Appian requires code signing information.
For applications that you want Appian to sign for you, this information is in the form of a Certificate, Provisioning Profiles, a locked Keychain, and an encrypted Keychain password that is only accessible by Appian's automated build system.
For applications that you intend to sign, this information is in the form of a Provisioning Profile and Certificate metadata. This data is not sensitive and is easily viewable in a mobile application downloaded from Apple's App Store.
When you finish running the Appian Provisioner, it bundles this information into a file that we will call the provisioner file.
The Appian Provisioner sends your Apple Developer account credentials only to Apple, and no other system.
To create the provisioner file:
This must be done on a Mac.
AppianProvisioner.dmg
to mount the virtual disk image.Provisioner
application and follow the prompts to create the files required by Appian to create your custom mobile application.
Any sensitive data is encrypted.
Provisioner File
file upload field on the Upload Provisioner File
page and click Next
.For more information on the Appian Provisioner tool, please view the Appian Provisioner docs as well as the video tutorial:
Follow the instructions for each field on the Configure Settings
page.
If you wish to use your own icons, you must adhere to these requirements:
100 x 35
, must be 100 points wide by 35 points high.Once completed, click the Next
button at which point you'll be presented with a Confirm
page.
Review the configurations, and, if everything is correct, click Submit
to save the application configuration and to
issue a request for a new branded build.
This request will be processed automatically in minutes. Once it is complete, you will receive an email notification and you will be able to download your mobile application via the Mobile Branding site.
If you requested the app be signed, it will be ready to be distributed immediately. If you requested an unsigned app, you will need to sign it before it can be distributed.
This must be done on a Mac. Choose this option if you would rather manage your signing credentails yourself.
You will need a keychain with an Apple certificate and a private key. The private key's
Access Control's allowed applications must include codesign
and security
.
Once you have your keychain setup, follow these steps:
AppianSigningTool.dmg
to mount the virtual disk image.SigningTool
application and follow the prompts to sign the unsigned ipa that Appian Support provided you.The Appian Signing Tool runs locally on your Mac computer. At no point does Appian have access to the certificate, private key or private key password required to sign your mobile application.
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