How Many Apple IDs Do I Need?

As the technology director for Mountain Brook Schools, when we entered the iPad arena, I applied to become our Authorized Purchaser.  I also setup six (6)Facilitators and thought I was ready to go.  I soon figured out that although I was an Authorized Purchaser, I could not redeem a voucher.  I sent the same template .csv file that I had used for the previous 6 facilitators substituting the already created facilitators with myself (alias email address) as a Facilitator and emailed to the same person I had previously emailed to setup the other six.  After much stress, I learned that you no longer email Apple's vpp@ apple.com a .csv file for facilitators, you now needed a Program Manager.   At that point, with another alias email address, I set out to become a Program Manager so that I could make myself a Facilitator so that I could redeem the voucher I purchased as the Authorized purchaser!!!!

The email address for each role must not be currently used as an Apple ID so my email address now as a long list of alias addresses used for my many Apple identities.  I think I have figured out all of the current roles required for Volume Purchasing and Vouchers and have linked to the New Education Store successfully.  If you too are wondering how many Apple IDs you need, hopefully the information below will help.

Managing your Apple ID

To manage any Apple ID go to the Manage My AppleID web page.

http://appleid.apple.com/and click on the \"Manage my Account\" link.  You should know that the roles assigned to Apple IDs do not appear to be interchangeable.  One might assume that just because you can purchase a voucher that you can redeem one or just because you can set-up Facilitator accounts that you are one.  No No No.

Four Basic Rolls

There are 4 basic rolls for school systems purchasing app vouchers:  Authorized Purchaser, Program Manager, Program Facilitators, and User.

1.       The Authorized Purchaser can purchase Volume Vouchers via the Apple Online Store for Education.  This process is considered separate from the App Store Volume Purchase Program.   To access the Apple Online Store for Education, the website has recently (May 2012) changed.  https://ecommerce.apple.com/

2.       The Program Manager assigns Program Facilitators.

To set up and manage the Program Facilitators for your institution, visit

http://edu-vpp.apple.com/asvpp_manager/.
Note: A new Apple ID will be automatically created for each Program Facilitator, to be used exclusively with the ASVPP. When providing email addresses for your Program Facilitators, do not use addresses that are already associated with an Apple ID.

3.       The Facilitator redeems Volume Vouchers and purchases app codes at the site below.

                https://volume.itunes.apple.com/us/store

Program Managers should send the following information to new Facilitators once their accounts have been created so that the new facilitators can complete the account verification and setup instructions directly.

·         Go to http://appleid.apple.com/ and click on the \"Manage my Account\" link.

·         Login with: Facilitator Apple ID: example@mtnbrook.k12.al.us and temporary Password: apple123

·         You'll be prompted to change your password, and update your security settings. Please record this information for your records. When you're finished, click \"Save Changes\".

·         When you've finished updating your account, go to  http://volume.itunes.apple.com/

and sign in with:  Facilitator Apple ID: example@mtnbrook.k12.al.us and your new password, set during account verification.

·         Once you've agreed to the terms and conditions, you'll be able to redeem vouchers and make purchases.

4.       An alias User Apple ID is used in our school system for system owned devices where by the school system purchases apps.  These Apple IDs are aliases for the local school or district facilitator accounts.  For example, you may have an AppleID for Board Member iPads such as boardipad.    It would be an alias for the central office facilitator account.  These are credit cardless accounts.  All email messages for these aliases are sent to a facilitator account.  If a user uses their own school email address or personal email address, we do not push out board/school purchased apps to that account but they can personally purchase apps as long as these apps do not violate the Technology Usage Agreement.