SCCM Device Collection Equivalents in Microsoft Intune for App Deployment

In SCCM, collections have always been the go‑to mechanism for targeting deployments. For example, if you needed to apply a patch to all Dell computers, the quickest way was to build a collection of Dell devices and deploy the fix directly to that group. The same approach worked for application upgrades in the legacy package and program model—create a collection of machines running a specific version of an app, then target the deployment accordingly.

With Intune, the concept of collections doesn’t exist in the same form. Instead, administrators achieve the same outcomes by combining Azure AD groups, Intune assignment filters, and Win32 app features such as requirement rules, detection rules, and supersedence. Filters provide granular, reusable targeting, while requirement rules ensure apps are only installed when certain conditions are met. This means you don’t need to maintain tightly scoped AD groups; you can target broadly and let filters and rules narrow down the actual installation.

In this post, we’ll explore how to replicate common SCCM collection scenarios in Intune, using practical examples to show how filters, dynamic groups, and app rules can be combined to meet real‑world deployment needs.

Requirements: Deploy a utility on all Dell computers

SCCM Approach: Create a dynamic collection for all computers where the manufacturer is Dell, then deploy the package to that collection.

Intune Approach: There are multiple ways to achieve the same targeting. Below are three practical options:

Option 1: Dynamic Azure AD Group

• Create an Azure AD group with dynamic membership.
• Assign the application to this group.

Dynamic membership query:

(device.deviceManufacturer -eq "Dell")

Option 2: Broad Group + Intune Filter

• Use an Azure AD group with a wider scope (e.g., All Windows 10 Devices).
• Apply an Intune assignment filter to narrow targeting to Dell computers.

Assignment Filter query:

(device.manufacturer -contains "Dell")

Option 3: Requirement Rule in Win32 App

• Use a broad Azure AD group (e.g., All Windows 10 Devices).
• Configure a Win32 app requirement rule to check if the device manufacturer is Dell.
• The app will only install if the requirement condition is met.

Requirements: Deploy a driver package to the Lenovo Thinkpad T490

SCCM Approach: Create a dynamic collection where the device model is ThinkPad T490. Deploy the driver package to that collection.

Intune Approach: There are several ways to achieve the same targeting in Intune:

Option 1: Dynamic Azure AD Group

• Create an Azure AD group with dynamic membership for devices where the model is ThinkPad T490.
• Assign the driver package to this group.

Dynamic membership query:

(device.deviceModel -contains "ThinkPad T490")

Option 2: Broad Group + Intune Assignment Filter

• Use an Azure AD group with a wider scope (e.g., All Windows 10 Devices).
• Apply an Intune assignment filter to narrow targeting to ThinkPad T490 devices.

Assignment Filter query:

(device.model -contains "ThinkPad T490")

Option 3: Requirement Rule in Win32 App

The driver package will only install if the requirement condition is met.

Use a broad Azure AD group (e.g., All Windows 10 Devices).

Configure a Win32 app requirement rule to check if the device model is ThinkPad T490.

Requirements: Deploy an application to All Computers for a specific OS Version

SCCM Approach: Create a collection to include all computers with a specific OS version. Deploy the package to that collection.

Intune Approach: You can achieve the same targeting in Intune using different methods:

Option 1: Dynamic Azure AD Group

• Create an Azure AD group with dynamic membership for devices running the required OS version.
• Assign the package to this group.

Dynamic membership query example:

(device.deviceOSVersion -startsWith "10.0.0")

Option 2: Broad Group + Intune Assignment Filter

• Use an Azure AD group with a wider scope (e.g., All Windows 10 Devices).
• Apply an Intune assignment filter to narrow targeting to the specific OS version.

Filter query example:

(device.deviceOSVersion -eq "10.0.1")

Option 3: Requirement Rule in Win32 App

The package will only install if the requirement condition is met.

Use a broad Azure AD group (e.g., All Windows 10 Devices).

Configure a Win32 app requirement rule to check the OS version.

SCCM vs Intune Equivalents (Examples)

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