Device names and notes in Apple Business — FAQ
Short answer: Apple Business lists devices by serial number and has no field for your own notes. Device Notes for ABM is a browser extension that adds one: it shows each device's record from your own inventory database — Airtable, Google Sheets, Excel (Microsoft 365), Notion, or Supabase — in a sidebar on the Apple Business device page, and labels every serial number in the device list with its device name. It's made by CoderTricks (2Falls Inc) and is not affiliated with Apple.
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Can I add notes to a device in Apple Business?
Not natively. Apple Business shows what Apple knows about a device — serial number, model, order, supplier, assigned management service — but there is no field for your own notes such as who has the device, which department it belongs to, or when it was repaired. Most IT teams keep that information in a separate spreadsheet or database. Device Notes for ABM puts that separate record in a sidebar on the Apple Business device page, so you can read and edit it without switching tabs.
How do I see device names instead of serial numbers in Apple Business?
The Apple Business device list identifies devices by serial number (for example C02XK1ABJGH5). With Device Notes for ABM installed, each serial in the list gets the device's name from your inventory printed beneath it — so a page of serials becomes a page of names like "Front Desk iMac". The names come from a Name column in your own spreadsheet or database; nothing is changed in Apple Business itself.
How do I connect my device inventory spreadsheet to Apple Business?
Install Device Notes for ABM, open its Options page, pick your backend, and connect:
- Google Sheets — sign in with Google and pick the one spreadsheet in Google's file picker. The extension can only see that file.
- Excel (Microsoft 365) — sign in with Microsoft and paste the workbook's share link (OneDrive or SharePoint).
- Airtable — paste a personal access token and choose the base and table.
- Notion — paste an integration token and the database link.
- Supabase — paste the project URL, an API key and the table name.
Any column layout works. The only required column is the serial number; a Name column powers the labels in the device list.
Can I track who has which Mac, iPad or iPhone in Apple Business?
Yes, alongside it. Add columns such as Assigned User, Department, Location, Purchase Date or Notes to your inventory table. When you open a device in Apple Business, the sidebar shows those fields for that serial number and lets you edit them. If the device isn't in your table yet, the sidebar offers a form pre-filled with the serial number so you can add it in one click.
Does it change anything in Apple Business?
No. The extension reads the serial number shown on the Apple Business page and displays your own record next to it. It does not write to Apple Business, change device assignments, or act as an MDM.
Where does my data go?
Straight from your browser to the database you chose. There are no servers in between, no telemetry and no analytics — CoderTricks never sees your inventory. The only thing the extension sends to us is the license key, in a check about once a day. Full details: privacy policy.
Is Apple Business the same as Apple Business Manager?
Yes — it's the new name. In April 2026 Apple combined Apple Business Manager, Apple Business Essentials and Apple Business Connect into one platform called Apple Business, at business.apple.com. Device Notes for ABM works on the device pages there. "ABM" in the product name is the shorthand many admins still use.
Does it work in Microsoft Edge or Safari?
Microsoft Edge can install it from the Chrome Web Store today; a native Edge Add-ons listing is on the way. A Safari version for Mac — which can also keep the inventory in a SQLite file on your own Mac or file share — is coming to the Mac App Store.
What does it cost?
Free for 14 days with every feature on, no card required. After that, editing and creating records needs a license; viewing records and the name labels keep working read-only.
- Pro — $59/year, one admin
- Org — $199/year, one key for every admin in your organization
Who is it for?
IT admins, Apple consultants and MSPs who manage Macs, iPads and iPhones in Apple Business and keep their device inventory somewhere else — a spreadsheet, Airtable, Notion or a database.
Is Device Notes for ABM made by Apple?
No. It's an independent product by 2Falls Inc (CoderTricks). Apple Business is a trademark of Apple Inc. Apple's own documentation for Apple Business is at support.apple.com/guide/business.