How to distribute enterprise iPA files - ios

Question

First of all, let me explain that I have no experience with xcode or any apple products whatsoever. I recently have been working with a developer to create a iOS app for my business. I'm posting this because my experience with this developer has been less than awesome and I need some more professional guidance.
The app my developer was creating is intended just to be used to communicate with my employees who are out in the field and not in my office. I'm using a PHP program I created to push out notifications to each device the app is installed on. The app simply looks up information on my database and displays it to the user and allows them to respond. A very simple communication app.
When my developer submitted the app to apple for review it was rejected stating that, it was determined to be an in-house app intended for business purposes. Apples response was that I required the enterprise version of their developer account.
I ended up paying $299 to set up the enterprise developer account and notified my developer about Apples response. This is where my developer hit a road block. I'm pretty certain they never had to produce an app under the enterprise account.
My request was to have an easy way for my employees to install the app on their devices. Something like a link on my website that allows them to install the app or better yet, placement in the app store.
What I received was clunky at best. They ended up sending me the iPA file and told me the only way to distribute the app to my employees was to upload the iPA file to Daiwi and individually email each employee the download link that is produced from Diawi.
This allows my employees to install the app but in order to actually use it, they have to go into the setting and "trust" the app manually.
It seems to me this is not the proper way of distributing an app that I have to pay $299 a year for. I could be wrong, but that's why I'm reaching out. Can anyone give me advice on what's the proper way of distributing an enterprise app?

Answer 1

I usually generate IPA for "Enterprise" distribution, then load on Dropbox, but it's okay for your server.
I create a plist of this type:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>items</key>
<array>
<dict>
<key>assets</key>
<array>
<dict>
<key>kind</key>
<string>software-package</string>
<key>url</key>
<string>LINK OF YOUR IPA FILE</string>
</dict>
</array>
<key>metadata</key>
<dict>
<key>bundle-identifier</key>
<string>YOUR BUNDLE IDENTIFIER</string>
<key>bundle-version</key>
<string>1.0</string>
<key>kind</key>
<string>software</string>
<key>title</key>
<string>YOUR APP NAME</string>
</dict>
</dict>
</array>
</dict>
</plist>
After loading the .plist file on Dropbox and plist url (dropbox or your server) is to download the application.

Answer 2

Generally, for "in-house" apps using Apple's Enterprise Developer program, the apps are distributed via a Mobile Device Management (MDM) system.
Here is a good place to start: https://support.apple.com/business
As you have learned, distribution should have been fully ironed out in your initial discussions with your developer.