With Configuration Manager 2012, you have a new feature to deploy your software: Application. To use Application, you need to add a Detection Method. This detection method is based on several criterias and it will check if the application is already installed on the computer.

SCCM included three built-in detections:

• File/Folder: check if a file exists on the drive. Date modified, Version and Size can be used.
• Registry: Check if a registry key exists.
• Windows Installer: Check if a product code is installed.

Moreover, you can user another detection:

• Custom script: write and execute you own script to detect the application. You can use Powershell, VBScript and JScript.

However, when you want to install a software update using Application, there is no built-in function to detect if the update is installed. You have to use a custom script.
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