Display Layout Provisioning in Hot Desking/Hoteling Environment
Introduction
This article is an introduction to a new DisplayLink feature for Hot Desking and Hoteling Environments — Layout Provisioning.
By default, when a laptop is connected to an external display for the first time, Windows clones the built-in laptop display to the external monitors. This is often not the preferred display layout and the user has to change the configuration in Windows display settings manually. This may be particularly troublesome in a “hot desk” environment, where users are forced to correct the configuration each time they move to a new desk.

Requirements
- Windows 7 / 8.1 with all Windows updates or Windows 10 v1607 or later.
- DisplayLink hot desking package v9.2 or above. Drivers installed automatically from Windows Update or using .inf file do not support the feature.
- In order to use the crowd provisioning feature, Windows 10 with v1607 or later and DisplayLink hot desking package v9.2 or above.
Features
Core flexible workspace display layout provisioning
that has been provisioned as a flexible workspace, the layout chosen by the system administrator is applied automatically.
- If a user wishes to change the provisioned layout, they can define the layout in the normal way using Windows display settings (right click on the desktop and select Display settings from the context menu). The user-defined layout takes priority over the provisioned layout and is applied when the user connects to the same desk in future. All other users remain unaffected and continue to use the default layout set up by IT staff when connecting to that particular docking station or USB monitor.
- If a user connects to a workspace that has not yet been provisioned and changes the display layout in Windows display settings, the user-defined layout will continue to take priority after the workspace has been provisioned by IT staff. Other users connecting to the workspace after it has been provisioned are unaffected and continue to use the default layout set up by IT staff when connecting to that particular docking station or USB monitor.
Crowd Provisioning
Provisioning Display Layouts
Provisioning display layouts with Windows Registry
An external monitor can be configured as “extend to the left” or “extend to the right”. By default, immediately after installation the “extend to the left” option is used, so if this setting happens to match the desired layout no changes are necessary. However, if extension to the right is preferred, then the value of the following key should be set in the registry:
Windows 7 / 8.1:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\DisplayLink\Products\DisplayLink Graphics\OnNewDevice\ExtendPosition
Windows 10:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\DisplayLink\Products\DefaultProduct\OnNewDevice\ExtendPosition
Provisioning display layouts with Dock Management Tool
The Dock Management Tool is a console application used to save layout information to DisplayLink devices.
The computer used to provision the layout must be running Windows 7 / 8.1 / 10 (with Anniversary Update) and have hot desking package v9.2 or above.
Provisioning a single workspace
- Connect the laptop to the DisplayLink device.
- Wait for all attached monitors to activate and show the desktop.
- Open Windows display settings and set the desired layout.
- Open the Command Prompt with administrator privileges and navigate to the directory with Dock Management Tool.
- Execute the command:
DockManagementTool.exe -layout store

- Configure the first workspace as described in 4.2.1above.
- Connect the same laptop to the DisplayLink device at another workspace.
- Wait for all attached monitors to activate and show the desktop.
- Open the Command Prompt with administrator privileges and navigate to the directory with Dock Management Tool.
- Execute the command:
DockManagementTool.exe -layout reapply
- The layout from the default location is applied and stored on the dock.
DockManagementTool.exe -layout store
Provisioning different workspaces with layout templatesFor offices with several different workspace arrangements in use, you can save multiple layout templates to the laptop used to provision display layouts. This is useful in environments where some hot desks have a different number or positioning of monitors or varying screen resolutions.- Configure the display layout for the first workspace as described in chapter 4.2.1, but add the -file parameter to save the layout template in a named file:
DockManagementTool.exe -layout store -file <file_path>
- The layout is stored on the dock and saved in the specified location.
- Connect the same laptop to another workspace.
- Wait for all attached monitors to activate and show the desktop.
- Execute the command, specifying the appropriate saved layout template:
DockManagementTool.exe -layout reapply -file <chosen_layout_file>
- The layout template from the given location is applied and stored on the dock.
DockManagementTool.exe -layout store -file <chosen_layout_file>
Note: Specifying the same file path will overwrite the saved template. To save a new template, specify a new file path.
Using Crowd Provisioning
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\DisplayLink\Core\EnableCrowdProvisioning
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\DisplayLink\Core\DockLayoutType
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\DisplayLink\Core\DockSerialNumber
DockLayoutType specifies how the layout was stored on the DisplayLink device that is currently connected to the user’s machine:
- MANUAL indicates that the layout was provisioned by an administrator using Windows Registry settings or the Dock Management Tool.
- AUTOMATIC indicates that the layout was stored using crowd provisioning.
- An empty string indicates that no layout has been stored on the device.
To identify which workspaces have been provisioned and how, use a PowerShell script to report on these registry keys for computers currently connected to the network.
If you are new to remote access and PowerShell scripts, note the following:
- To establish a remote connection and run remote commands, the current user must be a member of the Administrators group on the remote computer.
- In order for a registry key to be opened remotely, both the server and client machines must be running the remote registry service (which is disabled by default) and have remote administration enabled.
- Remote administration is a Windows policy which administrators can apply on all computers in a network and is not configured by default. The policy is accessed from gpedit via the following path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > Network Connections > Windows Defender Firewall > Domain Profile. “Allow inbound remote administration exception” should be enabled.
- https://www.howtogeek.com/117192/how-to-run-powershell-commands-on-remote-computers/
- https://4sysops.com/archives/enable-powershell-remoting/
- https://4sysops.com/archives/enable-powershell-remoting-on-a-standalone-workgroup-computer
Supported and Recommended layouts




Vertical displays arrangements are also supported.




Additional information
- When one of the monitors malfunctions, has no power source or is disconnected from the dock.
- When new monitors are plugged into a dock in addition to or as replacements for the old ones, even if they are of the same brand and model.
DisplayLink devices can be daisy-chained, i.e. a device may be plugged into a USB port of another device. All daisychained devices must be connected when the layout is being provisioned.
In certain configurations it is also possible to use DisplayLink devices which alone do not support flexible workspace display layout provisioning, e.g. DL-125. These devices become hot desk capable when paired with other supported devices, as shown below.

FAQs
- Is the layout from the dock applied at each connection?
- Can the user save their own layout in the docks?
- Can I add more devices and save the layout?
- How many DisplayLink displays do you support?
- Do I need new hardware?
Important information for IT managers
- Before applying the layout, there is a check for matching monitor set. The layout is applied when all monitors saved in the dock configurations are recognised by the operating system. This means that if one of the monitors fails to light up, the layout from the dock is not applied.
- In case of a monitor failure the dock must be re-programmed, even if the monitor is replaced with the same make and model. This is because the monitor serial numbers are different.
- Layout Provisioning supports connecting multiple DisplayLink devices in a daisy chain. When programming the layout, it is saved onto all DisplayLink devices. Before loading the layout, the DisplayLink driver checks that all devices have the same layout saved. In the event of discrepancies, the layout is not applied.
Testing the saved layout
- Clear Monitor Persistence:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\Configuration]
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\Connectivity]
- Clear Monitor Persistence (as described above)
- Delete
ConnectivityData.txt
which is located inC:\Windows\Temp\DisplayLink.
Feedback
Thank you.