ChromeOS policy support for variable substitution

Learn how to use user and device variable substitution in ChromeOS policy text fields to enable zero-touch, user-specific policy enforcement.

Overview

ChromeOS policy management supports user variable substitution, similar to Android configurations. Administrators can define attributes for variables substitution such as ${UserPrincipalName} and ${device_id}and use them in any ChromeOS policy. These variables are automatically evaluated and replaced with the appropriate user and device-specific values when the policy is deployed to the target endpoint. This feature enables scalable, zero-touch personalization of policies without the need to create individual configurations for each user or device.

Benefits

• Enables zero-touch, user-specific policy enforcement.
• Reduces administrative overhead by eliminating the need for individual user or device policies.
• Ensures accurate and dynamic personalization of ChromeOS environments.

Supported Variables

The following variables are supported for substitution in ChromeOS policy text fields:

• ${UserPrincipalName} – Replaced with the user's principal name (example john.doe@company.com).
• ${device_id} – Replaced with the unique identifier of the target device.

Use Cases and Examples

Extension and App Configuration

Scenario: Configure custom extension settings or user-specific app properties where each user must be identified within the app's configuration payload.

Text Field Input Example:

{
    "user_identifier": "${UserPrincipalName}",
    "enrolleddevice": "${device_id}"
}
                

Result: When the policy is deployed, ${UserPrincipalName}is dynamically evaluated and replaced with the user's actual principal name (e.g., john.doe@company.com), and ${device_id} is replaced with the device's unique identifier. This allows for zero-touch personalization of extension or app configurations.

User-Specific Custom URL or Home Page Settings

Scenario: Direct ChromeOS users to a personalized internal portal, home page, or web app URL based on their identity.

Text Field Input Example:

https://portal.company.com/dashboard?user=${UserPrincipalName}&device=${device_id}
                

Result: Each user automatically receives a policy tailored to their credentials, ensuring that web-based resources or extension endpoints correctly receive user and device context upon deployment.

Best Practices

• Always verify variable syntax before deploying policies to avoid substitution errors.
• Test policy deployment with a small group before organization-wide rollout.
• Document all variables used in your policy templates for future reference and troubleshooting.