iPads in the Classroom - Volume Purchase Program Explained (October 2011 Update...)

By -

Why you will want to establish an ‘App Store Volume Purchase Program’ (VPP).

  • The VPP allows educational institutions to purchase apps in volume and distribute the apps in the form of redemption codes to their users or those that maintain the iPads.
  • For many apps, if you are purchasing 20 or more of an app, you get volume discount - usually 50% off; if an app does not show the discount, you can contact the developer and request it (many will turn on that feature if they know about it)
  • If you work for a non-profit (such as an educational institution!) you are not charged sales tax on any of your purchases through the VPP

There are four different types of accounts involved in the VPP.
o   Authorized Purchaser (not part of VPP, but necessary if using vouchers for purchasing)
•Authorized Apple purchaser for the district – from Apple: “This should be the person who is your normal procurement person for any Apple products and authorized to buy product on behalf of your institution.”
•Purchases vouchers for the Program Facilitators to redeem for credit
o   Program Manager
•Enrolls in the VPP
•Creates the Program Facilitator accounts
•This account MUST be created using an existing AppleID account (create the AppleID before setting up the program)
o   Program Facilitator
•Redeems Vouchers for credit to purchase app, if used
•Searches for and purchases apps, selecting the quantity needed
•Accesses redeem code spreadsheet to distribute codes to iTunes Users
•For many institution, retains documentation of distribution of codes (who got what)
•NOTE: Program Facilitator accounts CANNOT be used in iTunes Store; it must be a separate account/AppleID.
o   iTunes/iPad User (or iPad manager)
•Redeems apps using codes given by program facilitator (either in iTunes or on the device)
•Submits requested apps to Program Facilitator


Program Manager Enrollment & Account Setup

·      Program Manager enrollment is done at
o   http://edu-vpp.apple.com/asvpp.html
o   The Program Manager MUST be an individual authorized by the institution to manage program facilitators (where I work, it means able to approve purchases)
o   The Apple account used for the Program Manager MUST be an existing Apple account
·      Program Manager sets up Facilitator accounts at 
o   https://edu-vpp.apple.com/asvpp_manager/index.php
o   Facilitator accounts must be UNIQUE from existing Apple accounts
o  Manager can rename facilitator accounts, if needed.

Purchase Volume Vouchers

·      The Apple Authorized Purchaser for the district purchases Volume Vouchers at
o   http://store.apple.com/us-hed/browse/home/education_routing/k12_institution
·      When the vouchers arrive in mail (yes, they come via snail mail), the vouchers need to be distributed to appropriate Program Facilitators. 
·      The ENTIRE voucher amount is distributed to a single facilitator (a single voucher cannot be divided between facilitators, nor can balances be transfered between facilitator accounts)

Redeeming Volume Voucher Codes (Program Facilitator)

If you are a program facilitator for your organization’s App Store Volume Purchase Program, you can redeem a voucher using the following steps:
  1. Go to: http://volume.itunes.apple.com/us/store
  2. Log in with your program facilitator account; your organization’s program manager would have given this account to you. (Note: this account is different from your account used in iTunes Store)
  3. The first time you log in, you will need to configure the facilitator account:
  4. Redeeming Purchase Voucher: (what to do when your Program Manager gives you a voucher to redeem to get monetary credit on your account)
a. Click on the Redeem Voucher link
b. Enter the Voucher Code off the card
c.      Click on Redeem

Other Ways to Purchase Apps

VPP Program Facilitators may now set up to purchase using a credit card or PCard, or even a PayPal in their account information.  This would eliminate the need for vouchers.


This can be especially useful if you have groups that want to donate towards app purchase.  Instead of having them donate iTunes cards (which, if used, require you to pay tax), you can have a PayPal account setup that they donate to, which you can utilize on the VPP site.

Purchasing Apps through the Volume Voucher Program

Program facilitators are responsible for purchasing the apps in the volume store, distributing the redeem codes to the appropriate users, and maintaining the records of code use/location.  Please note: The number of apps purchased cannot be less than the number of devices using the app.
a.     Go to: http://volume.itunes.apple.com/us/store

b.     Log in with your Program Facilitator account; your organization’s Program Manager would have given this information to you. (Note: this account MUST be different from the account used in iTunes Store)

c.      Use the search box to type in the name of the app desired and/or select the category

d.     Click on search

e.     Click on the app name from the list that is generated

f.      Above the description screen (which is similar to looking at the app in iTunes), there is Volume Purchase Information:

g.     Enter in the quantity you wish to purchase; the price & subtotal will adjust

h.     Click on Continue

i.       The screen updates to tell you “A document containing # codes will be provided…”  If the quantity is correct, click on Buy

j.       It will process your purchase, and add the item to your recent purchases list, and send you an email when the redemption code spreadsheet is available.

Accessing Spreadsheets with Codes & Recent Past Purchase Info:

a.     Go to: http://volume.itunes.apple.com/us/store

b.     Log in with your Program Facilitator account; your organization’s Program Manager would have given this account to you. (Note: this account MUST be different from your account used in the iTunes Store)

c.      Click on your account name

d.     A Recent Purchases area appears underneath the search area

                                      i.     This displays order date, number, description, total, number of codes and access to download the spreadsheet containing the codes
                                     ii.     Clicking on the Description displays the information about that app (Note: this is useful if you bought 1 copy of the app to try it, and then want to go back and purchase volume.)
                                   iii.     Click on the Download Spreadsheet to access the redeem codes to distribute to appropriate users

Notes on distributing codes: 
  • It falls on the Program Facilitator to document what codes have been used with which account.
  • If several devices are synced to the same Apple account, a single code can be used; however, you must maintain documentation that you have one app per device (e.g. if 20 App Specific Codes were purchased, you can use one code to install on all 20 devices, but the spreadsheet should indicate a unique code used for each of the 20 devices that had the app installed).
  • Anyone with a valid Apple account can redeem an App Specific Code given by a Program Facilitator in the Apple Store (either in iTunes or on a device)

Disclaimer:
This document contains information about iPads, iTunes and the Apple Store and was developed to help the local school districts associated with Calhoun Intermediate School District make decisions about implementing iPads into their districts effectively.  The information provided was developed to address their specific needs and situations. 



Please note that every organization has its own unique needs and procedures so the information provided may not be the best solution for your own organization. With that in mind, you may feel free to use and modify all or part of the information in this document under the conditions of the Creative Commons license below. 



Additionally, some of the information, such as screenshots or step-by-step directions, may become outdated as our organization moves forward with new methods for setting up iPads and no longer use or test the older methods.


Popular posts from this blog

Google Script - Create a Drop-Down List from Spreadsheet Column

By -
Image
(Updated on 3/21/2017 - triggers have been moved!) ( I just created a new related post on how to create a multiple choice  question on the form that a bit simplified - takes the "other" answers in a multiple choice question on a form, and updates the multiple choice options with those as options.) I guess it was only a matter of time before I ended up dabbling with Google Scripts.  Today I was asked by a teacher how he could populate a drop-down list on his Google Form from data on a spreadsheet - and have it update as he changed the data.  Not finding an add-on for this (why recreate the wheel? :-)  I explored creating a script.  And...discovered that this task is not too hard! To do this yourself - 1. Create your form.   Really important step.  Make sure to create your drop-down item and give it a title, but you do not need to add any options to it (because later you will populate it from the spreadsheet). 2. Create the spreadsheet where your list will reside. Yo
Read more

Google Calendar - How to Share Your Calendar Via Link

By -
Image
Google Calendar provides a couple ways you can share your calendar.  The first way you will see below provides a link that lets another person subscribe to your calendar.  They will need to be logged into their Google account, and it will display YOUR calendar along with their own. (Personally, I find this method the best for adding my kids' and husband's events so I see our families events all in one calendar.)  The second method displays your calendar in a browser window.  This is probably the preferred Teacher method for sharing with parents. (Here is a video on How to Share Your Calendar Via a Link .) When in your Google Calendar: Click on the Options menu (stacked dots) for the calendar you want to share - Select Settings and sharing - Click on Access permissions on the left side - Click on the Get shareable link - Note that who can see the calendar with this link depends on the access permissions you have set right above.  For example, with the setti
Read more

Google Mail - Create Calendar Event that Includes Email Message

By Anonymous -
Image
There are many time I get an email that I want to make into an event on my calendar - both to make sure I block out the time, and to move the information out of an email in my inbox into the event.  There is a feature called "Create event" that let's you do this - it is available in the More options when you are viewing the message.  Once you select create event, Google opens up a new window, loads your calendar, and creates an event with the message subject as the name of the event, and the body of the message as the description within the event: You are then able to edit the date/time as needed to finish creating the event.  One caveat...it adds everyone that was part of the message to the Guest list (see above in red box), so unless you want it to be a group event you will need to click the x next to everyone's name but yours.
Read more

Google Documents - Creating Page Anchors (aka Bookmarks)

By -
Image
There are times in a Google Document you want to provide links to specific areas within the page and  a table of contents doesn't fit the bill. (See how to create & use a table of contents here .)  When this happens, you will need to employ the use of page anchors. Anchors basically make a linkable spot on the page.  They are pretty easy to create, and can be linked tho both within the page and from outside the page.  Within a Google Document these are called Bookmarks. Here is how to set them up: 1. Put your cursor where you want the anchor/bookmark 2. Go to the Insert Menu, select Bookmark - this will add a little blue flag to the location That's it!  You can create as many as you need in the document. To get rid of an anchor/bookmark that you no longer want: 1. Click in the location you added it.  A pop-up should appear 2. Click Remove To use an anchor/bookmark within the document: 1. Type the text you want linked to the anchor/bookmark 2. Hi
Read more

Google Contacts - Newest Area to Get Some "Google Love"

By Anonymous -
Image
Be ready!  Your Google Contacts is about to update its looks.  I don't know about you, but I don't go to Google Contacts often.  I just don't like it.  If you need a refresher, this is what it looks (looked) like - Looked & felt very...dated.  This morning in going to one of my Google accounts, I got the pop-up window in my contacts.  Here is a screenshot of the new look - Hoping that the Google Love includes more than just the interface.  If there are any big changes that make Contacts more easily managed & navigated, you can be sure to see another blog post or two about it!
Read more