Partners get one APO when they sign their partner agreement. Operating it well is mostly discipline: do not develop in it, install the right management apps, and keep credentials tight.
- Activate the APO through the Partner Community
After signing the partner agreement, request the APO via the Partner Community. Salesforce provisions a dedicated org and ties it to the partner account.
- Install the License Management Application
Install LMA from the Partner Community's distribution page. Configure license tracking for trial, paid, and subscription customers.
- Install the Channel Order App
For partners with paid or subscription listings, install COA. Configure revenue reporting and remittance workflows.
- Set up the package upload workflow
Configure the Development Org so package uploads target the APO. Document the path so engineers do not accidentally upload elsewhere.
- Lock down access
Enable MFA, IP restrictions, and a small list of admin users. Audit access quarterly. Losing access to an APO is recoverable but painful.
- Developing inside the APO is unsupported and risky. Use a separate Dev Org and upload packaged metadata into the APO.
- Losing APO access can disrupt new installs and version uploads. Treat the credentials with the same care as production secrets.
- The APO is special-purpose; do not use it as a sandbox or testing org.
- Partner M&A activity requires formal Salesforce coordination to transfer APO ownership.