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Defining Targets | Patch Manager Plus

Last Updated On: 20 Oct 2026|
24 minutes read |

Overview

After defining a configuration, it must be deployed to the target client workstations. Targets need to be defined individually for each configuration or collection of configurations. To deploy a configuration, the targets must be added to the Target List, where they can be added, removed, or modified as needed.

There are two types of configurations you can deploy in Patch Manager Plus:

  1. Computer Configuration
  2. User Configuration
Note
  • The targeting options described in this document apply to standard Computer and User Configurations. Custom Groups are the supported target source for policy deployment. To deploy a policy to computers in a specific Remote Office, create a Dynamic Custom Group with the criteria Remote Office equal to the required remote office name, and deploy the policy to that group.
  • When a configuration is deployed immediately, only 200 computers are processed at a time because immediate deployment is resource intensive. The note displayed in the Select Target window about this limit is not an error. The remaining computers receive the configuration within the next 90-minute refresh cycle or at the next system startup.

Computer Configurations

This type of configuration is applied at the system level and affects the computer regardless of which user is logged in. Examples include installing software, deploying patches, or modifying system-level settings.

Selecting Targets from a Domain

To add target computers and users from an Active Directory-based domain, follow the steps below:

  1. In the Target 1 tab, select a Domain from the list.
  2. You can now proceed to narrow down your targets using the Filter Computers based on drop-down, which allows you to specify the second-level targets after choosing the Domain.
  3. You can deploy the configuration to any of the following:
    • Site - to deploy the configuration to all the users/computers of that site.
    • Remote Office - to deploy the configuration to all the users/computers of that Remote Office.
    • Organizational Unit - to deploy the configuration to all the users/computers of that OU.
    • Group - to deploy the configuration to all the users/computers of that Group.
    • User/Computer - to deploy the configuration to the specified users/computers.
    • IP Addresses - to deploy the configuration to the specified IP Addresses.
    • Custom Group - to deploy the configuration to all the users/computers of the selected Custom Group.
    • Dynamic Custom Group - to deploy the configuration to all the computers of that dynamic custom group.
    • IP Range - to deploy the configuration to all the computers belonging to that IP range.
    • Processor Architecture - to deploy the configuration to all the computers having that Processor Architecture.
    • Operating System - to deploy the configuration to all the computers with that Operating System.
    • Device Friendly Name - to deploy the configuration to all the computers with the specified device friendly name.
    • Machine Type - to deploy the configuration to all the computers with that machine type.
      • Note

      Machine types are classified based on the chassis type reported by the computer, for example, Convertible. When Machine Type is used to include targets, computers whose machine type is not in the selected list, such as Convertible devices, show the status Target_Not_Applicable and do not receive the configuration. Add the required machine type to the selection to deploy the configuration to those computers.

  4. After adding the target computers, you can specify the filtering criteria to exclude certain types of users/computers from applying the configuration. Specify the criteria as required.
  5. Click Add More Targets and repeat steps 1 to 3 for adding more targets.
Note
  • Selecting a second-level target is optional. If you select only the Domain and leave the Filter Computers based on field empty, the configuration is applied to all the computers in that domain, except the computers specified under Exclude Target.
Warning

When a Domain is selected as the target, a warning is displayed stating that the configuration data will be replicated to all the distribution servers. To avoid unnecessary replication, specify the required Remote Office as the target instead.

Selecting Targets from a Workgroup

To add target computers and users from a workgroup, follow the steps below:

  1. Select a workgroup from the list.
  2. You can deploy the configuration to any of the following:
    • Remote Office - to deploy the configuration to all the users/computers of that Remote Office.
    • Computer - to deploy the configuration to the specified users/computers.
    • IP Addresses - to deploy the configuration to the specified IP Addresses.
    • Custom Group - to deploy the configuration to all the users/computers of the selected Custom Group.
    • Dynamic Custom Group - to deploy the configuration to all the computers of that dynamic custom group.
    • IP Range - to deploy the configuration to all the computers belonging to that IP range.
    • Processor Architecture - to deploy the configuration to all the computers having that Processor Architecture.
    • Operating System - to deploy the configuration to all the computers with that Operating System.
    • Machine Type - to deploy the configuration to all the computers with that machine type.
  3. After adding the target computers, you can specify the filtering criteria to exclude certain types of users/computers from applying the configuration. Specify the criteria as required.
  4. Click Add More Targets and repeat steps 1 to 3 for adding more targets.

Selecting Targets in Remote Offices

To add target computers and users from remote offices, follow the steps below:

  1. In the Target 1 tab, select a Remote Office from the list.
  2. You can now proceed to narrow down your targets using the Filter Computers based on drop-down, which allows you to specify the second-level targets after choosing the Remote Office. For example, to target a single computer, select Computer from the drop-down and choose the required computer after defining the first level of target with remote office.
  3. You can deploy the configuration to any of the following:
    • Domain - to deploy the configuration to all the users/computers of that domain.
    • Site - to deploy the configuration to all the users/computers of that site.
    • Organizational Unit - to deploy the configuration to all the users/computers of that OU.
    • Group - to deploy the configuration to all the users/computers of that Group.
    • Computer - to deploy the configuration to the specified computers.
    • Device Friendly Name - to deploy the configuration to the computers with the specified device friendly name.
    • IP Addresses - to deploy the configuration to the specified IP Addresses.
    • Custom Group - to deploy the configuration to all the users/computers of the selected Custom Group.
    • Dynamic Custom Group - to deploy the configuration to all the computers of that dynamic custom group.
    • IP Range - to deploy the configuration to all the computers belonging to that IP range.
    • Processor Architecture - to deploy the configuration to all the computers having that Processor Architecture.
    • Operating System - to deploy the configuration to all the computers with that Operating System.
    • Machine Type - to deploy the configuration to all the computers with that machine type.
  4. After adding the target computers, you can specify the filtering criteria to exclude certain types of users/computers from applying the configuration. Specify the criteria as required.
  5. Click Add More Targets and repeat steps 1 to 3 for adding more targets.

Filter the selected target

You can exclude certain parts of the network which does not require the configuration to be deployed. This is optional when defining the targets. Patch Manager Plus provides the option to exclude the parts of the Windows network. Select the Exclude Target check box to view the available options:

Note
  • Any target added under Exclude Target is skipped during deployment. If a group that is meant to receive the configuration, such as a Dynamic Custom Group, is placed under Exclude Target, its computers will not receive the configuration. Move such groups to the target list instead.
  • Only one exclusion criterion can be selected at a time. To specify a different exclusion criterion, remove the existing exclusions and select the required criterion. For example, when an Operating System exclusion is set, a specific computer cannot be added as an exclusion until the Operating System exclusions are removed and the exclusion type is changed to Computer.

Exclude if Target Type is

Select the type of target you want to exclude from configuration deployment using the Select the target type and define field. The target types can be excluded which are in a lower hierarchy than the target selected, meaning select the required domain/remote office. Define the required targets and then define the exclusions. The target type can be excluded using the Browse button. Click the Browse button next to the required target types under the Exclude if Target Type is field to launch Network Browser window. Select the target type to be excluded for configuration deployment and click Select button. This field is mandatory. The target type can be any of the following (varies based on the target options selected):

  • Branch - The branch offices to be excluded
  • Domain - The domains to be excluded
  • Organization Unit - The OUs to be excluded
  • Group - The groups to be excluded
  • Computer - The computers to be excluded.
  • IP Range - The range of IP Addresses to be excluded
  • Custom Group - The custom groups to be excluded.
  • Operating System - Exclude computers running the selected Windows operating systems from configuration deployment.
  • Machine Type - Exclude computers based on their machine type, such as Notebook, Tablet PC, Desktop, Member Server, TermServClient, or Domain Controller.

Configuration Summary Page

The Configuration Summary page displays the selected targets, filters, and exclusions defined for the configuration. The details displayed vary based on whether it is a Computer Configuration or a User Configuration.

Computer Configuration Summary

For Computer Configurations, the Summary page displays the following details:

  • Target Scope - Displays the main target selected for deployment.
  • Filter By - Displays the second-level filter selected to narrow down the targets.
  • Apply To - Displays the computers included for configuration deployment.
  • Excluded Items - Displays the computers or groups excluded from configuration deployment.
Note

If Apply To is empty, the configuration applies to all computers within the Target Scope, except those listed under Excluded Items.