This guide shows you how to deploy the SysAid Browser Extension to Chrome across your managed Windows computers using Group Policy. Once you configure the policy, the extension installs automatically on every targeted machine, with no action needed from your end users.

You'll set up two things:

• Auto-install: Chrome installs the SysAid extension by itself, and the user can't remove it.

• The token: A code from SysAid that lets the extension connect to your SysAid account.

Please note:

These settings only take effect on computers that are joined to your company's network domain (managed through Active Directory). They won't apply to a personal or standalone PC.

Before you start

You’ll need your SysAid Browser Extension ID and Token.

To find them:

1. In SysAid, go to License Manager > Applications Discovery.

2. Click Manage Connections in the top right corner.

3. Under Browser Extension, click Setup to see the ID and Token.

You will also need the Chrome policy template files, named chrome.admx and chrome.adml. These tell Windows what Chrome settings exist. Download them free from Google's “Chrome Browser for Enterprise” bundle.

Deploy the extension

To deploy the extension, follow these steps:

Step #1: Add the Chrome settings to Windows

First, give Windows the Chrome template files so the Chrome options appear in Group Policy.

1. Copy the file chrome.admx into your “Central Store”, the shared folder where Group Policy templates live:

   \\<your-domain>\SYSVOL\<your-domain>\Policies\PolicyDefinitions

2. Copy the file chrome.adml into the language sub-folder inside it (for English, the folder named en-US).

Step #2: Create the policy and choose who gets it

A “Group Policy Object” (GPO) is simply a named bundle of settings. You'll create one and aim it at a small test group of computers first.

1. Open the Windows Group Policy Management console.

2. Create a new Group Policy Object and link it to your pilot group of computers (your IT team calls this group an “Organizational Unit,” or OU). Start with a few test machines, not everyone.

3. Right-click your new policy and choose Edit. This opens the editor where you'll add the two settings below.

Step #3: Turn on auto-install

This makes Chrome install the SysAid extension automatically.

1. In the editor's left-hand tree, open the folders in this order: Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Google > Google Chrome > Extensions.

2. Click Configure the list of force-installed apps and extensions.

3. In the window that opens, select Enabled (top-left).

4. Click Show, then add one line in the box (replace YOUR_EXTENSION_ID with the ID you copied from SysAid):

   YOUR_EXTENSION_ID;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx

5. Click OK to close each window.

Step #4: Add the token

The token is delivered to the extension as a small Windows registry entry. The editor lets you create it without ever opening the Registry Editor yourself:

1. In the editor's left-hand tree, go to Computer Configuration >  Preferences > Windows Settings > Registry.

2. Right-click Registry and choose New > Registry Item. A form appears.

3. Fill in the form exactly as shown in this table:

   Field	Set to
   Action	Update
   Hive	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   Key Path	SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\3rdparty\extensions\YOUR_EXTENSION_ID\policy
   Value name	token
   Value type	REG_SZ
   Value data	Paste your Token from SysAid here

4. Click OK to save the entry.

Please note:

• “Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE” just means the setting applies to the whole computer (so it works for every user who signs in).

• “Value type: REG_SZ” simply means a plain-text value.

• In the Key Path, replace YOUR_EXTENSION_ID with your actual Extension ID from SysAid.

Step #5: Apply and test

1. On one of your pilot computers, open the Command Prompt and run the command below. This tells Windows to pull the new policy right away instead of waiting:

   gpupdate /force

2. Close Chrome completely, then open it again.

Verify the setup

On the test computer, check that all three of these are true:

1. Open Chrome browser and go to chrome://policy.

2. Look for the ExtensionInstallForcelist policy.

   • If the deployment was successful, it will show the status as "OK" and you will see your 32-character Extension ID listed in the policy value.

3. Go to chrome://extensions.

   • The extension should be present and turned on.

   • It will display a building/enterprise icon next to it, indicating it is managed.

   • The option to "Remove" or toggle it off will be locked out for the end-user.