Deploying Browser Extensions for WXP

Introduction

Web Application Experience Analytics provides critical insights into how employees use web applications. To enable this feature and use its capabilities, complete two essential configurations:

1. Configure the analytics feature in HP Workforce Experience Platform (WXP).

2. Deploy the required WXP browser extensions to employee devices.

Web Application Experience Analytics supports Windows and macOS, with WXP browser extensions available for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers.

Target Audience

• Primary audience:

  • IT administrators and support personnel who set up and manage the platform (All roles).

  • HP Partners who use the platform to manage their customers.

  • Internal and external developers who integrate with the platform.

• Secondary audience:  Decision-makers, such as Product Managers, Sales team, and C-suite executives.

Setting up Web Application Experience Analytics

To enable Web Application Experience Analytics for gaining deeper insights into web application usage across employee devices, complete the following tasks:

1. Configuring the feature on the Settings page of WXP.

2. Deploying the browser extensions to the devices.

Prerequisites

Windows:

• WXP Insights: 5.24.128 or later

• WXP Insights Analytics: 4.2.2435.0 or later

• WXP Insights Analytics plugin

  • SaaSDataAggregator Catalog: 1.0.329.0 or later

  • SaaSHost Catalog: 1.0.105.0 or later

macOS:

• macOS: WXP Insights macOS: 3.25.739 or later

Configuring Web Application Experience Analytics in WXP Settings

1. Log in to WXP. The Home page is displayed.

2. From the left menu of WXP, click Settings > Preferences. The Preferences tab is displayed.

3. On the Preferences tab, scroll to the Experience Score Preferences section and select Web Applications.

4. Using the toggle button, enable the Data Collection.

   Note: After deploying extensions, you can initiate their uninstallation by disabling the toggle option. Once disabled, the uninstallation command is sent in about 30 minutes. However, actual removal of the extensions from each device depends on additional factors: each device must be online to receive and process the command, and the browser must be restarted for the changes to become visible.

5. Select one of the three methods for deploying browser extensions by clicking the edit icon on Browser Extension Install Method:

   1. Manual extension deployment (default)

      1. Windows: Use GPO or browser policy tools

      2. macOS: Use MDM or browser policy tools

   2. Automatic deployment at the Current User level: WXP Insights deploys the extensions at the user scope.

      1. Windows: HKCU

      2. macOS: Logged-in user

   3. Automatic deployment at the Local Machine level: WXP Insights deploys the extensions at the system scope.

      1. Windows: HKLM

      2. macOS: All users

6. Click Add to set up at least one web application to monitor. If there is no application added, the browser extensions won't be deployed with the automatic deployment options.

   Note:

   • If manual extension deployment option is selected, follow the instructions in the section below - Manually Deploy WXP Browser Extensions to Devices.

   • If automatic extension deployment at the Current User level or Local Machine level is selected, WXP automatically adds the browser extension to the browser force-install list at the selected scope.

   • Ensure consistent set up of browser extension policy. Settings at a higher level, such as Local Machine, can override settings at a lower level, such as Current User. This can cause extensions configured at the lower level to be uninstalled.

   • For macOS, keep the deployment ownership consistent. A customer-managed browser policy or MDM configuration takes precedence over an agent-managed configuration when the customer selects manual deployment.

Manually Deploying WXP Browser Extensions to Devices

If Manual extension deployment is selected in the Step 5 of the previous section, deploy the WXP browser extensions to devices across the fleet to collect web application usage data.

The browser extensions of WXP are available at the following links:

• Google Chrome browser:

  • Extension ID: gnbbpfafoelcnpgeiljdeancnfjidghp

• Microsoft Edge browser:

  • Extension ID: eclicldjmmagglgllemniippocflfkaa

Note: The same browser extension links are used across all supported operating systems because the browser extensions are platform-independent.

HP offers the following options to deploy the browser extensions.

1. Add to the force-install list of your browser extension policy

1. Add the following WXP browser extension IDs to the force-install list of your browser extension policy to deploy the extensions.

2. Use management tools, such as Google Admin console or Microsoft Edge management service.

   • Extension ID for Google Chrome: gnbbpfafoelcnpgeiljdeancnfjidghp

   • Extension ID for Microsoft Edge:eclicldjmmagglgllemniippocflfkaa

For macOS, add the same extension IDs to ExtensionInstallForcelist when deploying the extensions through a managed Chrome or Edge browser policy or MDM.

• Chrome macOS preference domain: com.google.Chrome

• Edge macOS preference domain: com.microsoft.Edge

• Chrome macOS update URL: https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx

• Edge macOS update URL: https://edge.microsoft.com/extensionwebstorebase/v1/crx

For additional information about using browser management tools, refer to the following:

• Understand Chrome Policy Management - Chrome Enterprise and Education Help

• Microsoft Edge management service – Extensions management

2. Group Policy (GPO)

Use Group Policy (GPO) to deploy extensions on all devices. 

 Windows

1. Download the HP WXP browser extension policy file for Windows from here or download WXP Browser Extension Policy (for web app insights) under the WXP Insights Windows Application section at Download WXP Insights Software.

2. Use the ADMX and ADML files in the downloaded policy package for Chrome and Edge browsers.

macOS

1. Download the HP WXP browser extension policy file for macOS from here.

2. Use the .plist preference files provided in the downloaded policy package for Chrome and Edge browsers with your choice of existing MDM or browser policy mechanism that controls the deployment of browser extensions.

3. If Microsoft Intune is used, deploy the Chrome or Edge preference file using the browser's preference domain and the ExtensionInstallForcelist policy.

   1. For macOS Intune deployment, use the following preference domains:

      1. Chrome: com.google.Chrome

      2. Edge: com.microsoft.Edge

   2. The preference file contains the corresponding ExtensionInstallForcelist key and value.

For additional information about using Group Policy (GPO) to deploy browser extensions, refer to the following:

• Configure Microsoft Edge policy settings in Microsoft Intune

• Set Chrome browser policies on managed PCs

Verifying browser extension deployment

After deploying the browser extension on Windows or macOS, verify that the browser policy is applied and that the WXP extension is installed.

Google Chrome

1. Open chrome://policy.

2. Verify the ExtensionInstallForcelist policy.

3. Open chrome://extensions.

4. Verify that the WXP extension is installed.

Microsoft Edge

1. Open edge://policy.

2. Verify the ExtensionInstallForcelist policy.

3. Open edge://extensions.

4. Verify that the WXP extension is installed.

Note:

• These browser extensions require devices enrolled in WXP, so they are not available through public search.

• Ensure consistent setup of browser extension policy. Settings at a higher level, like Local Machine, can override those at a lower level, such as Current User, thereby causing the uninstallation of extensions already set at the lower level. 

• macOS: Ensure the browser extension deployment method is consistent with the WXP portal selection. For customer-managed browser policy/MDM deployment, the customer owns the extension lifecycle; for WXP Agent-managed Current User or Local Machine deployment, the WXP Agent manages the extension according to the selected scope.