Work Profile means that on an Android Enterprise-enabled device, the user's private apps and data are separated from work apps and data. Only the user of the device is able to manipulate private data, just as the user installs their private apps from their private Google Play store, while the work profile is managed by Soti MC and apps and data can be installed there automatically by the EMM system according to its setup.
The Work Profile can be created on the device at any time after the user's private Google account has already been set up.
At the moment of creating a work profile, some icons on the mobile device are "duplicated" and can be found in both the private and work profile (Contacts, Chrome, Files, etc.). Apps in the work profile are marked with a briefcase symbol.
Work Profile is used in a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) scenario - users use their private devices for both personal and work purposes.
A Work Managed Device, on the other hand, is a device (supporting Android Enterprise) that is fully managed by the Soti MobiControl enterprise system and the user is not allowed to access their private data or applications on it. In other words, this device is not tied to the user's private Google account. A Work Managed Device can only be created from a device that is in factory settings. As part of the initial wizard, the Android operating system is made aware that the device is to be managed by the MDM system. This can be done, for example, by using the "Soti Stage Programmer" application or by entering the string afw#mobicontrol in the email address input field of the initial wizard.
Work Managed Device is typically used in the following mobile deployment scenarios:
- Corporate Owned, Business Only (COBO) - Employer-owned device for business use only.
- Corporate Owned, Single Use (COSU) - Employer-owned, single-purpose devices, typically barcode scanners in warehouses for inventory.