CONTACTS APP GENERATOR quick start

Before you build, have the following to hand:

• A contact source in VCF, CSV, or JSON format. It can be embedded into the APK or fetched from an HTTPS URL at runtime. Built-in files are validated before build and can be up to 32 MiB.
• A contacts account name, such as Company Contacts. Managed contacts are written under this app-owned Android account and kept separate from personal contacts.
• A short app name, optional app icon, theme colour, and accent colour.
• A deployment policy that grants the generated app contacts permission where your EMM supports runtime permission grants.
• If you intend to release-sign, your JKS or PKCS12 keystore plus the alias and passwords.
• If you're rebuilding an existing app, the update code from the original build.

1. Open gen.bayton.org/contacts. Use Studio for the guided flow or the classic form for a single-page build.
2. If you have a previous contacts_config.json, import it first. Built-in source files and icons are not stored in the JSON, so attach those again before building.
3. Set the app name, icon, theme colour, and in-app appearance defaults.
4. Set the contacts account name.
5. Add at least one source: a built-in VCF/CSV/JSON file, or a URL source. For CSV files, add a mapping only when CAG cannot infer your headers.
6. Configure sync behaviour, removal policy, network timeout, and whether HTTP sources are allowed.
7. Pick the signing mode: Bayton-signed, release-signed with your own key, or debug for local testing.
8. Pick APK or AAB, then submit the build.

The result page contains:

• A download link for the signed APK or AAB.
• A source archive containing the generated Android project.
• A re-importable contacts_config.json.
• A one-time update code for rebuilding under the same Android package name.
• The builder version used to generate the app.

Deploy the generated APK or AAB through your EMM as you would any other private managed app. Grant the contacts permission through policy where your EMM supports it so first sync can run without a user prompt.

Managed configuration can update sources, account name, sync policy, contacts policy, network timeout, logging, and the lockable display options after install. Plain HTTP is the exception: cleartext support is controlled by Android's network-security configuration and must be enabled at build time.

Work profile deployments sync contacts into the work profile. Whether those contacts appear to personal-profile diallers, caller ID, mail apps, or search is controlled by Android Enterprise cross-profile policy and the device/OEM build.

After install, open the generated app and check the Status screen. It reports overall health, source results, last attempted sync, last successful sync, and the managed contact count.

For deeper diagnosis, enable verbose logging and capture:

adb logcat -s ManagedContactsSync