Prepare executable (exe) or MS Installer (msi) for deployment via ConnectWise Automate

Purpose of this document

Some customer environments require the same set of software to be installed on all (or many) computers. You can use this document to prepare a setup/install executable (EXE) or MSI package for deployment via Connectwise Automate so you don't have to install it manually on computers.

Determine what you have

MSI installers are designed from the ground-up to be installed via deployment in this manner, so no additional steps are usually required. See the list of standardized MSI installer options from Microsoft here.

Prepare MSI for deployment

Prepare EXE for deployment

Upload to server

Navigate to https://server.universitypccare.com:2083 to reach the cPanel login screen and login using the mybizcare cPanel user from Bitwarden ("Semi-Mission Critical" collection)
Open the "File Manager" tool
Navigate to public_html
Find the folder for this client. If one doesn't exist, create it
1. Naming scheme: All lowercase, no spaces, no hyphenation or punctuation. The company's abbreviated name or acronym is acceptable here: i.e. "bgccp" or "upcc"
Open the client folder, then click "Upload"
Drag your installation file(s) here

Confirm that the file(s) are accessible

Files you uploaded in the last section will be available at <https://mybiz.care/automate/<businessname>/<filename>>

For example, https://mybiz.care/automate/bgccp/LabelPrinter.zip

Note that capitalization matters! LabelPrinter.zip is not the same as labelprinter.zip. The former will work, the latter won't.

Create Automate installer script

Login to the Automate Control Center desktop application (you cannot do this from the web version)
Go to Automation -> Scripts -> View Scripts
In the "ClientSpecific" folder, find the client's folder. If one doesn't exist, create one now. Use the same name as their Automate Client name (no shortening, acronyms, etc. unless that is their Automate client name as well)
Create a new script. Most scripts will work with a 2 or 3 step process:
1. "Download File URL" with the URL from the previous section as the URL and %SYSTEMROOT%\Temp<filename> as the download path
2. If the file is a zipped folder, then step 2 should be "Execute PowerShell"