Auto-detect and patch installed third-party applications in SCCM

ManageEngine Patch Connect Plus scans your network for third-party applications already installed on client machines and adds them to your SCCM console automatically. You don't have to track down every application your organization uses before you can patch it. As soon as Patch Connect Plus detects a new application, it can publish the matching patch in SCCM without anyone triggering the process by hand.

Why automatic application detection matters in SCCM third-party patch management

SCCM's native software catalog only covers what you tell it to track. If a department installs a new application without notifying IT, or an application changes in a way SCCM doesn't recognize, SCCM has no way to flag it on its own. Patch Connect Plus closes that gap by scanning client machines directly and building a live inventory of what's actually installed, not just what's been registered manually. That inventory is what makes automatic patch publishing possible: Patch Connect Plus can only publish an update for an application it already knows exists on your network.

Use cases

Automatic application detection supports several common scenarios in SCCM third-party patch management.

• Visibility into installed applications

  Patch Connect Plus builds an Installed applications view inside Third Party Updates > SCCM. From there, you can filter the full application catalog to show only what's installed on your network, instead of scrolling through every application Patch Connect Plus supports.

• Automatic publishing for newly detected applications

  Under Publish Settings, you can enable automatic publishing for any application Patch Connect Plus detects for the first time. Once enabled, new applications get their matching patch published in SCCM without anyone reviewing and approving each one manually.

• New software deployment

  When a team deploys a new third-party application across endpoints, through SCCM or any other method, Patch Connect Plus picks it up on its next scan and adds it to the installed applications view. You don't have to manually add the application to your patch management workflow after the fact.

• Shadow IT monitoring

  Auto-detection surfaces applications employees install outside sanctioned deployment channels. Because Patch Connect Plus scans actual client machines rather than relying on a pre-approved software list, unauthorized or unexpected applications show up in the installed applications view alongside everything else.

• Faster patch management

  Combining auto-detection with auto-publish removes the delay between an application appearing on your network and its first patch going out. Instead of waiting for someone to notice a new application and add it manually, Patch Connect Plus can identify it and publish a patch in the same cycle.

• Enterprise compliance

  Auditors and security teams need an accurate picture of what's actually installed across the network, not just what IT has documented. The installed applications view reflects what client machines are actually running, which makes it easier to demonstrate that patch management practices cover the software your organization uses in reality, not just on paper.

Benefits of auto-detection and auto-publish

• Less manual tracking: You don't have to maintain a separate list of every third-party application in use across the network.
• Faster time to patch: New applications can get their first patch published as soon as they're detected, rather than after a manual review cycle.
• Better visibility into shadow IT: Applications installed outside official channels still show up in the installed applications view.
• Stronger audit readiness: The installed applications view reflects what's actually running on endpoints, which supports compliance reporting.
• Less reliance on department reporting: IT doesn't have to wait for other teams to report new software before it's covered by patch management.

How Patch Connect Plus detects installed applications

Patch Connect Plus scans client machines managed through SCCM and compares what's installed against its catalog of 800+ supported third-party applications. When it finds an application on a client that matches the catalog, it adds that application to the Installed applications view under Third Party Updates > SCCM. The scan runs on a recurring schedule, so newly installed applications show up without anyone running the check manually.

How to publish patches for newly detected applications automatically

• Step 1 : Go to Publish Settings

  Navigate to Third Party Updates > SCCM > Publish Settings.

• Step 2 : Enable auto-publish

  Enable the option to automatically publish patches for newly detected applications.

• Step 3 : Restrict by category (optional)

  Optionally, restrict auto-publish to specific application categories, if you'd rather review certain applications manually before they go out.

• Step 4 : Save your settings

  From this point on, Patch Connect Plus publishes a patch in SCCM as soon as it detects a supported application it hasn't seen before.

If you'd rather review new applications before publishing, leave auto-publish off and check the installed applications view on a regular schedule instead.

Auto-detection covers the SCCM side of Patch Connect Plus. If you manage devices through Microsoft Intune instead, see Intune patch management for how patch publishing works there. For additional SCCM-side tooling, see SCCM Right Click Tools.

Start free trial Stop chasing newly installed apps manually. Patch Connect Plus auto-detects third-party applications across your network and instantly publishes patches in SCCM, covering 800+ apps.