How to Manage User Device Affinity in Configuration Manager

In the Configuration Manager console, click Assets and Compliance.

In the Assets and Compliance workspace, click Devices.

Select a device from the list. Then, in the Home tab, in the Device group, click Edit Primary Users.

In the Edit Primary Users dialog box, search for and select the users to add as primary users for the selected device, and then click Add.

Click OK to close the Edit Primary Users dialog box.

In the Configuration Manager console, click Assets and Compliance.

In the Assets and Compliance workspace, click Users.

Select a user from the list. Then, in the Device tab, click Edit Primary Devices.

In the Edit Primary Devices dialog box, search for and select the devices to add as primary devices for the selected user, and then click Add.

Click OK to close the Edit Primary Devices dialog box.

In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

In the Administration workspace, click Client Settings.

To modify the default client settings, select Default Client Settings, and then, in the Home tab, in the Properties group, click Properties. To create custom client agent settings, select the Client Settings node, and then, in the Home tab, in the Create group, click Create Custom Client Device Settings.

For the client setting User and Device Affinity, configure the following:

- **User device affinity threshold (minutes)** - Specify the number of minutes of usage before a user device affinity is created.

- **User device affinity threshold (days)** – Specify the number of days over which the usage based affinity threshold is measured.

- **Automatically configure user device affinity from usage data** – From the drop-down list, select **True** to enable the site to automatically create user device affinities. If you select **False**, then an administrative user must approve all user device affinity assignments.

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  > [!NOTE]
  > <P>For example, if <STRONG>User device affinity threshold (minutes)</STRONG> is specified as <STRONG>60</STRONG> minutes and <STRONG>User device affinity threshold (days)</STRONG> is specified at <STRONG>5</STRONG> days, the user must use the device for at least 60 minutes over a period of 5 days to automatically create a user device affinity.</P>


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  > [!IMPORTANT]
  > <P>After an automatic user device affinity is created, Configuration Manager continues to monitor the user device affinity thresholds. If the user’s activity for the device falls below the configured thresholds, then the user device affinity will be removed. Configure <STRONG>User device affinity threshold (days)</STRONG> to a value of at least <STRONG>7</STRONG> days to avoid situations where an automatically configured user device affinity might be lost while the user is not logged on, for example, during the weekend.</P>


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Click OK to close the client settings dialog box.

In the Configuration Manager console, click Assets and Compliance.

In the Assets and Compliance workspace, click either Users or Devices.

On the Home tab, in the Create group, click Import User Device Affinity.

On the Choose Mapping page of the Import User Device Affinity Wizard, specify the following information:

- **File name** – Specify a comma-separated values (.csv) file that contains a list of users and devices between which you want to create an affinity. In this file, each user-and-device pair must be on a separate line separated by a comma. Use the format *\<Domain\>\\\<user name\>***,***\<device NetBIOS name\>*.

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  > [!IMPORTANT]
  > <P>The devices listed in the file must already exist as resources in the Configuration Manager database. Otherwise, the import will fail.</P>


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- **This file has column headings for reference purposes** – If the comma-separated values file has a top-row header line, select this option and the header line will be ignored during the import.

If the file you are importing contains more than two items on each line, you can use Column and Assign to specify which columns represent users and devices and which columns to ignore during import.

Click Next and then complete the Import User Device Affinity Wizard.

In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.

In the Administration workspace, click Client Settings.

To modify the default client settings, select Default Client Settings, and then, in the Home tab, in the Properties group, click Properties. To create custom client agent settings, select the Client Settings node, and then, in the Home tab, in the Create group, click Create Custom Client User Settings.

Configure the following for the client setting User and Device Affinity:

- In the **Allow user to define their primary devices** drop-down list, select **True**.

Click OK to close the client settings dialog box.

In the Application Catalog, click My Systems.

Enable the option I regularly use this computer to do my work.

In the Configuration Manager console, click Assets and Compliance.

In the Assets and Compliance workspace, select the user or device collection for which you want to manage affinity requests.

In the Home tab, in the Collection group, click Manage Affinity Requests.

In the Manage User Device Affinity Requests dialog box, select the affinity requests to approve or reject, and then click Approve or Reject.

Click Close to close the Manage User Device Affinity Requests dialog box.