SCCM 2012 - Software Catalog and Software Center

The Software Center is installed automatically when you push the ccm client. You can find it in the Start Menu under All Programs > Microsoft System Center > Configuration Manager 2012

To enable the Software Catalog you will have to add 2 new site roles as I said in my last post about SCCM 2012.

Now go to Client Settings, select the Default Client Agent Settings and click on Properties.

Go to Computer Agent and click on Set Website... Click Ok.

Now let's add some applications. I'll add first XML Notepad and then Quest PowerGUI.
Go to Software Library, expand Application Management, click on Applications node and then Create Application.

Now browse to the source of the application. Note that it has to be an UNC path. Click Next.

Check it was successfully imported and click Next.

Select Install for System and click Next.

Make sure it has completed successfully.
Now repeat the same steps for PowerGUI.
Now select both Applications and click on Distribute Content. Click Next.

Now click on Add, select Distribution Point and select the DP. Click Ok and Next. Next again.

Now make sure it has completed successfully and click Close.

Now select XML Notepad and click on Deploy. In the Collection field click on Browse.

Select All Users and click OK and then Next.

Make sure the Action is Install, the Purpose is Available and the Require Administrator approval if users request this application is selected. Click Next.

Click Next 4 more times and you should get the following screen:

Click on Close. Now select Quest PowerGUI and click on Deploy. In the Collection field click on Browse.

Now Select Device Collection from the dropdown box, select All Systems click OK and click Next.

In the Deployment Settings leave everything as default. Note that because now we are deploying it to devices the Require administrator approval is greyed out. Click Next.

Click Next 4 more times and you should get the Deployment processing complete screen. Click on close.

Now after some time if you go to one client machine you will see a balloon pop up saying there is new software available to be installed. Click on the balloon.

Now click on Install.

The installation will start and after it's finished another ballon will pop up saying the installation is completed. If you check the Software Center the status is also installed.

Now in the Software Center click on Track my application requests.

The Software Catalog will open in the browser and the XML Notepad will be there. Note that it requires approval. So go ahead and click on Request.

Type something in the box as the reason why you want the software and click on Submit.

Now click on view my requests.

And there you can see your request and you can cancel them if you wish.

Now if you go back to the SCCM console and click on Approval Requests, you can see your last request is sitting there awaiting approval.

Now right click the request and select Approve.

Now if you go back to the client computer, in the Software Catalog you can see that the application does not require approval anymore and you can install it.

Click on Install. You will get a prompt to confirm the installation. And then a confirmation that the installation was successful.