iOS Question Publishing a B4i app developed for a customer - what's the best approach? (and some conclusions)

Andris said:

Can I then just use iTunes Connect Uploader and use their User ID and Password?

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Semen Matusovskiy said:

No need to use client's ID / password. An owner of account is able to delegate admin rights to any developer.
To access App Store Connect etc. you will use own AppleID and password.

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Semen Matusovskiy said:

My son registrated an account as a company and has full control. Then he added some persons (apple id) with rights (including me).
I access App Store Connect using my own AppleID / Password, which I created before and have no idea about my son's password.
My access rights are limited, but enough to create certificates and to publish.

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Semen Matusovskiy said:

My son registrated an account as a company and has full control. Then he added some persons (apple id) with rights (including me).
I access App Store Connect using my own AppleID / Password, which I created before and have no idea about my son's password.
My access rights are limited, but enough to create certificates and to publish.

Click to expand...

Semen Matusovskiy said:

Full story ... I needed the certificates to debug an app, So I registrated my personal Apple ID and paid $99.
Two months later, when app was ready and tested using TestFlight, my son registrated another account as a company. Unlike personal ID, a company needs DUNS etc., so a process is not so fast as for personal ID.

After my son gave me admin rights in company's account, App Store Connect began to show a switcher in right top corner and I can select between my private and company's account. I switched to company's account and made new certificates. Then uploaded latest release to TestFlight.

Can't say exactly, which rights are required for final step (to move from TestFlight to in App Store). Probably, 'administrator' is enough. In my case final steps did my son, I even did not try. Reasons: 1) I am lazy 2) my son had more experience (he published before another apps and knows, what Apple wants).

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• Approach 1
  If the client is set up with an Apple Developer business membership, which takes quite a bit of additional paperwork and proof of business credibility, then Semen's approach as outlined above is a good way to go. Just have the client register you as a user with Admin privileges and Certificates/Profiles can be generated with little trouble, as well as the publishing of the app.
  
  
• Approach 2
  If the client is set up as an Apple Developer individual membership , you as the app developer can be added as a user to the client's account, but you will not be able to create Certificates/Profiles. This is a pain in the butt, though understandable since it's Apple and they like as much security fencing as possible. This means that the client has to create them for you, with your specific instructions, and then send you the resulting files. I didn't do this because I decided on Approach 3 but with my client, it seemed like it would be problematic, including her having to deal with constant authorization codes being sent to her phone.
  
  
• Approach 3 (seems best)
  It so happens that transferring ownership of an app once developed is pretty easy to do, though I haven't seen it mentioned on this forum or elsewhere on the internet. The process is described here. Just develop and test your app, even with in-app purchases, as if the client wasn't involved. Then, before initial public release, transfer it all to your client. Apparently even the in-app purchases get transferred without a lot of extra work.