PSADT adoption is widespread, but the way it is managed often varies from one team to another. A best practice that has emerged is the use of a single master PSADT template with conditionalized application-specific code. This approach provides consistency, simplifies maintenance, and enables packaging teams to scale their automation efforts.
How It Works
The master template serves as the foundation for every package. Rather than making a copy of the base PSADT script for each application, the master template remains the single point of control.
- Core values such as application name, vendor, version, and command lines are automatically injected by the packaging workflow.
- Application-specific adjustments are included as conditional logic within the template.
Example:
if ($appName -eq "ExampleApp") {
# Apply registry fixes unique to ExampleApp
Set-RegistryKey -Key "HKLM:\Software\Example" -Name "EnableFeature" -Value 1
}
This approach allows all packages to be created from the same script, with customizations applied only when relevant.
Benefits of the Master Template
By consolidating all packaging activity into a single script framework, teams gain clarity, consistency, and a more scalable process. The advantages include:
-
Visibility and control: Managing one authoritative script makes reviewing, maintaining, and standardizing practices easier.
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Simplified updates: When a new version of PSADT is released, only a single script needs to be updated and validated.
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Dynamic variable injection: Application name, vendor, and version values can be passed in as variables and reused in app-specific logic (for example, registry paths or log entries), eliminating the need to manually edit these details with every new package.
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Centralized adjustments: Any change to the look, feel, or behavior of deployments—dialogs, branding, logging, or general user experience—must only be made once in the master template to take effect for all future packages.
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Self-documenting: With conditions and comments in one place, the template doubles as clear, centralized documentation for the team.
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Accelerated onboarding: New team members only need to understand one script structure instead of navigating dozens of variations.
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Automation-ready: A master template integrates cleanly with automated workflows, enabling packaging at scale.
Summary
Maintaining a master PSADT template with conditionalized application-specific code is a proven best practice. It reduces complexity, strengthens consistency, and positions packaging teams to take better advantage of automation.
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