SkieWhat is the baseline snapshot taken when a device is set up?
The baseline snapshot is a record of the apps present on a device at setup. Skie uses it so the install guard never removes an app that was already there, such as a manufacturer or system app. It only acts on apps installed afterwards that are not allowed.
Devices from different makers ship with different apps. Some are essential, some are bundled extras, and some are things a school would not choose. If a tool tried to remove everything not on the list, it could break the phone.
At setup, Skie records the apps present on the device. That record is the baseline. The install guard treats anything in it as existing, and leaves it to the policy for the group, which hides or suspends apps that are not allowed, and never touches essential system apps.
The result is that the install guard is precise. It reacts to what changes after enrolment, such as a student trying to install something, and does not go hunting through the factory image. This is the reason existing apps are never wrongly removed.
It also fits with the model review. A new device model goes through a one-time review during setup, where the team maps which built-in apps are safe to hide. On an unreviewed model, built-in apps are left alone. The snapshot and the review are two different safeguards against accidental damage.
Practical tip: take the baseline on a clean device. Provision from a freshly reset device with no extra apps, and avoid installing things before Skie is set as device owner. A tidy baseline makes the dashboard easier to read.