We're making a big change by eliminating the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy and transitioning to company-issued cell phones for all employees. This means that many employees have been using their personal numbers for work-related communications for years, which are saved in numerous contacts across different devices. I'm looking for suggestions on how to efficiently update everyone's contact lists with the new company numbers without asking hundreds of employees to manually input changes. We're planning to manage this process through ABM (Apple Business Manager) and Intune. Is there a way to create a master contact list of the new company numbers that can be automatically added to each newly issued iPhone?
4 Answers
Definitely possible! The best approach is to create a policy that syncs Exchange contacts with the built-in contacts app on the new devices. Also, you can update your 365 users' mobile numbers in bulk using a CSV file. Just make sure you're utilizing ESIMs to avoid managing physical SIM cards. In my previous roles, we've used services like 3CX that allow users to access their work lines on their personal devices too.
Yeah, but many people are on family plans, so porting back might not even be an option.
You might want to consider setting up everything in the 365 directory and then syncing that with users' address books. This should help streamline the process and ensure everyone has access to the updated contacts right away.
It's really a tricky situation if you're considering porting personal numbers into an enterprise plan. It’s usually not recommended. The best way forward is to configure the new mobile devices centrally. Be aware, though, that different people may have different labels for the same contacts, which can add to the complexity. Maybe clarify why the decision was made to switch back from BYOD to company plans? Sometimes, companies want more control, like preventing sales staff from poaching clients. A good practice is to have company-owned numbers redirect calls to personal devices instead of mixing personal contacts with business.
Getting contacts into iOS isn’t straightforward. I’ve found the Outlook app's syncing feature to be the most reliable, but it can be finicky. You might want to check out Cirasync for better management; it allows you to periodically copy a list of contacts from a shared mailbox or address book to users' Outlook contacts.
For what it's worth, I'd tell my company to pound sand if they suggested taking ownership of my personal cell #.