# Patching Preferences

Administrators may create a different patching preference configuration for each Business Unit or for as many different Business Units as they choose. A Business Unit may belong to only one Patching Preferences configuration.

Each Patching Preference object creates its own Business Unit, which users may not edit. The Patching Preference Business Unit shares the same members (devices) as its target Business Unit, as well as any customized preferences.

## Using Patching Preferences

Administrators can set preferences for Maintenance Window and User Interaction Settings and apply those preferences to a specific Business Unit. In Patching Preferences, you may set preferences for either a Maintenance Window or for Server User Interaction Settings, or both.

## Access Patching Preferences

1. Select **Patching Preferences** on the left navigation menu.

   ![](/files/45qzuW0z5Wb835Ynsveh)

   This opens the **Patch Express Patching Preferences** dialog.

   > **Tip**
   >
   > The table is empty until you [create a Patching Preference](#create-a-new-patching-preference).

   ![](/files/U4HMgEWbF2gCKEj0ZHYP)
2. Select **Show All** to view all available Patching Preferences:
   * Select a Patching Preference from the table.
   * To search for an existing Patching Preference, enter a search term, and then click **Search**.

## Create a New Patching Preference

Create a patching preference for each Business Unit that requires unique maintenance window or user interaction settings. At any time during these configuration steps, click **Save** in the upper-left corner of the template to save your changes.

1. In an open Patching Preferences template **(+ New**), enter a Description of the preference you are creating. The system automatically generates a Name based on the target Business Unit.
2. When you finish modifying and saving the new patching preferences, click **Save** at the upper-left corner of the template.

### Add a Target Business Unit

Add a Target Business Unit using the following steps:

1. Select **Browse** next to **Target Business Unit** in the **Preferences** workspace.

   ![](/files/JWBrHZSYBq0kd8X5C4Ys)

   This opens the **Add Business Unit** dialog. The example shows possible choices.

   ![](/files/v3GcMsqbUROHN5BIC7rW)
2. Select the Business Unit you want to target.
3. Select **Add Business Unit** on the bottom left of the dialog.

### Select a Server Maintenance Window

1. Select **Browse** next to **Server Maintenance Window**.

   ![](/files/o7EpAgVCVWdXzYxTLc8H)

   This opens the **Add Maintenance Window** dialog.

   ![](/files/xwVbqr8nNVOJmVM5R8Th)
2. Select **Show All** at the upper right to view the available Maintenance Window settings.
3. Select the checkbox aligned with the setting you want to use. To create a new Maintenance Window setting, see [Maintenance Windows](/patch/advanced-settings/maintenance-windows.md), then return and repeat this step.
4. Select **Add Maintenance Window** on the lower-left corner of the **Add Maintenance Window** dialog.

### Select Server User Interaction Settings

1. Select **Browse** at the far right of **Server User Interaction Settings**.

   ![](/files/BhBCzdusrsgqZT4MIAom)

   This opens the **Add User Interaction Setting** dialog.

   ![](/files/nHZI0wtPBmiNDenj6vm2)
2. Select **Show All** at the upper-right corner to view the available options, and then select the checkbox aligned with the options you want to use. To create a new setting, see [User Interaction Settings](/patch/advanced-settings/maintenance-windows.md), then return and repeat this step.
3. Select **Add User Interaction Setting** on the lower-left corner of the dialog. This returns you to the **Patching Exceptions** template.
4. Select **Save** at the upper-left corner of the template.


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