How to generate a custom Android package

To publish your own branded Powell app on Android, you prepare three things and upload them in Powell Manager: a signing certificate (.keystore), a Firebase configuration file (google-services.json) and your app visuals. Push notifications are optional and need one extra file from Firebase: a service account private key.

Keep every file you create in this procedure in a safe, shared place: you need the same certificate and Firebase project for every future version of the app.

Before you start

• Android Studio installed, or at least a Java JDK (it includes the keytool command used in step 1).
• A Google account with access to the Firebase console.
• The package name you want for your app, in reverse-domain format, for example com.acme.mypowellapp. It must be unique and cannot be changed once the app is published on Google Play.
• Your visuals: a icon of 192 x 192 px.
• Access to Powell Manager with rights on your application.

Step 1: Generate the signing certificate (.keystore)

The certificate signs your app. Google Play refuses any update that is not signed with the same certificate, so store the file and its password somewhere safe.

If you don't have a certificate yet, run this command in a terminal (replace myalias with your own alias):

keytool -genkeypair -v -keystore myalias.keystore -alias myalias -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000

keytool asks for a password and your organisation details. See also Google's guide Sign your app.

If you already have a .jks file, convert it with:

keytool -importkeystore -srckeystore myalias.jks -destkeystore myalias.keystore -srcstorepass <password> -deststorepass <password>

Important rules:

• The file must be named after its alias: myalias.keystore. Rename it if needed.
• Use the same password for the keystore and the key: Powell Manager has only one password field.
• Use only letters and digits in the password, no special characters.
• The certificate must be valid for at least 25 years (-validity 10000 gives about 27 years).

Step 2: Create the Firebase project and register the Android app

Firebase provides the google-services.json file that Powell Manager needs to build the app.

• Go to the Firebase console and sign in with your Google account.
• Click Create a project (or Add project on older screens).
• Enter a project name, for example Powell App Project, accept the Firebase terms and click Continue.

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• Google Analytics is not needed by Powell: you can disable it. Then click Create project and wait until the project is ready.
• On the project overview, click the Android icon (under Add app, or Get started by adding Firebase to your app).

Fill in the registration form:

• Android package name: your package name, for example com.acme.mypowellapp. It must match exactly the package name of your Powell app.
• App nickname (optional): for example My Powell App.
• Debug signing certificate SHA-1: leave it empty, it is not used by Powell.

Click Register app, then Download google-services.json and keep the file.

​NB : Keep the google-services.json file it will be needed in the Powell Manager configuration if you want to enable the notification

Skip the next screens (Add Firebase SDK and Next steps) by clicking Next then Continue to console. Powell builds the app for you, so you have nothing to add in Android Studio.

You can download google-services.json again at any time from Project settings > General > Your apps.​

Step 3 (optional, notifications only): Generate the service account private key

Skip this step if you don't want push notifications. Otherwise, Powell needs a service account key to send notifications through Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM HTTP v1 API).

1. In the Firebase console, click the gear icon, then Project settings.
2. Open the Service accounts tab. Firebase Admin SDK is selected by default.
3. Click Generate new private key, then confirm with Generate key.
4. A JSON file is downloaded. Keep it: its content goes in the Google service key field in step 4.
5. The file containing all the information for the hub configuration step here.

The old Server key (Cloud Messaging tab, legacy API) no longer works: Google shut down the legacy FCM APIs from July 22, 2024 (Firebase migration guide). If your app still uses a legacy server key, replace it with a service account key.

This file gives full admin access to your Firebase project. Never send it by email or share it publicly, and delete the local copy once it is saved in Powell Manager.

Step 4: Fill in the Android settings in Powell Manager

In Powell Manager, open your application, go to the Android Setting tab and set Enable Android configuration to Yes. Then fill in the fields below and save.

• Enable the Android configuration 

• Section	Field	Required	What to enter
  Certificate	Android certificate password	Yes	The keystore password from step 1
  Certificate	Certificate (.keystore)	Yes	The myalias.keystore file from step 1
  Notifications	Google-services.json	Only for notifications	The google-services.json file from step 2
  Android splash screen files	Android splashscreen color	Yes	Background color shown while the app starts
  Android icons files	Icon 192 x 192 (.png)	Yes	Your app icon

Troubleshooting