These updates, known as release updates, are a big deal for anyone using Salesforce.

In this article, I'll explain these updates, their schedule, and how they work. Whether you're a seasoned Salesforce user or a newbie, understanding release updates is important.

Let's start with the utmost basics.

What is a release update?

A release update in the context of Salesforce denotes the systematic introduction of new features, bug fixes, and security enhancements to the Salesforce platform. Salesforce typically rolls out updates three times a year: "Spring," "Summer," and "Winter" releases. These three release updates contain all the major, minor, and patch releases. These releases often introduce significant new functionalities and improvements.

This documentation is important for Salesforce Administrators and users to understand the implications of the updates on their Salesforce environment and workflows.

The deployment of release updates follows a phased approach, commencing with testing in pre-release environments and progressing to production instances. This methodical rollout minimizes the risk of disruptions to business operations by allowing Administrators to preview and validate the updates in sandbox environments before implementing them in their production orgs.

Understanding the Salesforce release schedule

As mentioned above, Salesforce operates on a structured release schedule to ensure a predictable rhythm for delivering updates and new features to its users. Each release brings a host of enhancements, new functionalities, and improvements to the platform.

1#: Spring release

Typical release period: February or March

The spring release sets the tone for the year by introducing innovative features and enhancements aimed at enhancing user experience and efficiency. These updates often reflect industry trends and feedback from the Salesforce community.

#2: Summer release

Typical release period: June or July

Summer releases often focus on refining existing features, addressing user requests, and introducing optimizations to streamline workflows.

#3: Winter release

Typical release period: October or November

Winter releases may introduce significant enhancements to prepare users for the upcoming year or address specific industry challenges.

Salesforce release update process

Salesforce meticulously designs its release update process to ensure a seamless integration of new features and enhancements while minimizing user disruptions. Let's talk about the stages of this process and how each contributes to the smooth rollout of updates:

Steps involved in the Salesforce update process

Updating your Salesforce environment with the latest release involves a series of important steps to make sure everything goes smoothly:

1. Evaluate the impact: First, you need to check how the update might affect your current setup. This helps you anticipate any issues or changes you might need to address.
2. Review release notes: You will then read through the release notes and documentation. This helps you understand what's changing and what new features are being added.
3. Test in sandbox: Before changing your live Salesforce environment, you will test the update in a sandbox environment. This lets you see how it works without affecting your real data.
4. Plan and schedule: Once you're confident the update won't cause any problems, you can plan when to deploy it. You then ensure everyone who needs to know is informed about when it's happening.
5. Communicate: Communication is key. You will then let everyone know what's changing, why, and how it might affect them. This will help everyone prepare and reduce surprises.
6. Controlled deployment: You will then deploy the update carefully, ensuring it doesn't disrupt your day-to-day operations. If any issues come up during deployment, you can deal with them quickly.
7. Monitor and fix issues: After the update is live, you will monitor it to ensure everything is working as it should. If any problems arise, you will then fix them to keep everything running smoothly.

Best practices for managing Salesforce updates

Here are some best practices for managing Salesforce updates:

1. Stay informed: Watch Salesforce announcements and updates to know what's new.
2. Review release notes: Check out the release notes for each update to see what's changing. Focus on new features and how they might affect your setup.
3. Test in sandbox: Try out updates in sandbox environments before going live. Make sure your customizations and integrations still work smoothly.
4. Engage stakeholders: Get input from Admins, users, and leaders to understand the update's impact. Consider how it affects different parts of your team.
5. Develop a deployment plan: Plan out how you'll roll out updates in your production org. Assign roles, set timelines, and keep everyone in the loop.
6. Schedule downtime: If necessary, plan for downtime during updates to avoid disruptions. Let your team know ahead of time.
7. Communicate proactively: Keep users in the loop about workflow updates and changes. Offer training and support to help them adjust.
8. Monitor performance: Keep an eye on how your org is doing after updates. Fix any issues quickly and get help if needed.
9. Document changes: This is super important. Keep track of what changes during updates for future reference. Note down any customizations or tweaks you make.
10. Stay flexible: Be ready to change your plans if things don't go as expected. Stay open to fixing problems and making adjustments along the way.

How to mitigate risks during the update process

Now you know how Salesforce rolls out updates and the steps you need to take to incorporate them. What you may need to learn is how to minimize the risks involved. Here are some steps:

1. Backup data: Safeguard your Salesforce data by creating backups before any update. This ensures that your org's critical data remains intact in case of unexpected issues during the update process.
2. Thorough testing: Utilize sandbox environments to extensively test updates before deploying them live. Test scenarios, workflows, and integrations to identify and address potential compatibility issues or unintended consequences early on.
3. Phased rollout: Implement a phased rollout strategy to minimize disruption and mitigate risks. Start by deploying updates to a small user group, then gradually expand to larger groups as you monitor performance and address any issues.
4. Effective communication: Keep stakeholders informed about update schedules, changes, and potential impacts. Provide clear channels for users to report issues and offer training and resources to help them adapt to new features.
5. Contingency planning: Have a plan to quickly roll back changes and restore functionality in case of critical issues. Regularly review and update your contingency plan to improve readiness for future updates.

Stay update ready  

The three waves of Salesforce release updates may scare you off if you're a beginner – not anymore. Now that you've gone through this guide, you know when, what, and how to expect new release updates in Salesforce.