Using Microsoft's Software Center (SCCM) for Windows
Heads up! This is an older guide
This guide was created or last modified prior to 2019, and screenshots or individual steps may now be out of date. If you need assistance with the steps below, please email the Help Desk at ts@dornsife.usc.edu.
Microsoft Software Center (SCCM) is an application that provides Information Technology specialists and departments with the ability to manage hundreds of workstations simultaneously. What does that mean? Simply put, Software Center allows your IT department to deliver software updates, patches, and security policies to all computers that are connected to the network, simultaneously. Software Center requires very little interaction from a user perspective. Software Center is installed on your system and delivers the system updates, as needed.
When Software Center completes an action, status messages appear in the lower right corner of your screen. Examples are shown below.
With each of these messages, no action is required. Software Center will resolve any issues and success messages are a courtesy.
Using Software Center
Using Microsoft's Software Center is simple. This document will explain the different areas and functions of the application. Use this guide to assist you in navigating Software Center.
Locating Software Center on Your Computer
You can open Software Center by locating the item in your Start Menu. An example is shown below.
Navigating Software Center
Software Center contains 6 different areas:
- Applications
- Updates
- Operating Systems
- Installation Status
- Device Compliance
- Options
Applications
The Applications section is displayed by default. This section displays the software that is available for download. The options contained within the Applications may appear differently for each person.
Select the name of the application you want to install. The Installation page displays.
Select the Install option. The selected application is installed to your workstation.
Repeat these steps to install additional applications.
Updates
The Updates section of Software Center displays any pending updates for an application you have installed. This section is not currently being used by Dornsife Technology Services.
Operating System
The Operating System section contains any updates or other available versions of the Windows operating system. This section is not currently being used by Dornsife Technology Services.
Installation Status
The Installation Status tab displays the status of software applications. An application can have one of the following three statuses:
- Installed
- Installing
- Failed
If an installation has failed, you can attempt to reinstall the application by selecting the name of the application and then selecting the Retry button.
If you want to remove an application you have previously installed using Software Center, select the Installation Status tab, select the application you want to uninstall and then select the Uninstall button.
Device Compliance
The Device Compliance section provides the ability to verify that your device is in compliance with university security policies. This section is not currently being used by Dornsife Technology Services.
Options
The Options section contains settings for the way in which Software Center functions. These settings should not be changed from the default settings. If you need to adjust the setting for Software Center, contact DTS before making changes.
Refreshing Software Center
Occasionally, you will need to refresh Software Center in order to display newly available applications or application updates. Complete the following steps to refresh Software Center.
- Open the Control Panel. You can access the Control Panel by right-clicking on the Start button (Windows 7) or by typing Control Panel in the Windows search (Windows 10).
- Select Configuration Manager from the Control Panel. The Configuration Manager Properties screen displays.
- Select the Actions tab on the Configuration Manager Properties screen.
- On the Actions tab, highlight Application Deployment Evaluation Cycle and select the Run Now button. Repeat these steps with Machine Policy Retrieval & Evaluation Cycle. It does not matter in which order you select and run these options.
- Select the OK button to close the Configuration Manager Properties screen.
The two refresh processes will complete in approximately 5 minutes. Software Center does not provide a notification that these processes have finished. New or updated applications will be displayed within Software Center upon completion.