Why release management matters

One significant advantage of using a cloud software-as-a-service application is you are always on the latest version. This means new features and software fixes are always available.

Microsoft will do two major releases each year, in April and October, as well as minor releases between these times, and all these updates are compulsory. A release updates you to the latest ‘version’. Major releases include new functionality, improvements to existing functionality and fixes, and minor releases include fixes.

Microsoft’s releases upgrade the out-of-the-box Business Central, and third party, certified applications will also follow the same release cycle as Microsoft. If you have customisations, or custom Extensions, these sit outside the core Business Central solution and do not get updated by the Microsoft update.

These releases are very different in nature to the upgrades you would be used to on your on-premises applications. They don’t require the traditional ‘big’ upgrade projects that require significant investment in time, money, and change management. The Business Central updates are small and are marketed as happening automatically in the background. Which they do, and there are all sorts of advantages to this.

Whilst there are significant advantages to this form of updates, they are still updating the production environment of a business-critical system and deserve some attention. This is more relevant if you have integrations and custom extensions. As each major release also comes with new features, it is best practice to be up to date on what these are, and if they could benefit you.

What is included within Release Management?

Plan the release

We schedule release timing and prepare the environment for testing.

Create a sandbox

A sandbox environment gives us somewhere safe to test your solution before production is affected.

Test the complete solution

We check extensions, integrations, custom development, and critical processes for compatibility.

Resolve issues early

Any errors or concerns are identified and addressed before the production update.

Review with your team

We walk through the results, highlight anything that needs attention, and agree the way forward.

Schedule production

Once testing is complete, we coordinate the production release.

Manage the rollout

We oversee the update and help resolve issues that emerge during deployment.

Confirm success

We verify that the production environment has been successfully updated and assist with minor releases where needed.

All PA clients enjoy the Release Management service as part of our overall Client Care Program. This is a structured approach to the two major releases per year. PA will take the lead for you on managing each release so that you can concentrate on your business as usual.

Blogs on Release Management

  • Blog

    Release Management for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

    Take the pressure out of updates

    Read how our Release Management service helps Business Central clients prepare for Microsoft’s major updates, with sandbox testing, compatibility checks, extension management, structured client testing, and support through to production rollout.

    Read blog
  • Blog

    Bring back best practice

    Business Central may stay current automatically, but major releases still deserve planning, testing, and oversight. See why release management matters for customisations, extensions, integrations, and getting more value from each update.

    Read blog
  • Blog

    Embrace the twice-yearly Business Central update cycle

    Microsoft’s twice-yearly Business Central updates bring new capabilities and improvements, but preparation matters. Learn how thoughtful planning, testing, and timing can reduce disruption and turn each release into an opportunity to improve.

    Find out more

Take the pressure out of Business Central updates

Talk to us about your Business Central environment, including any extensions, integrations, or custom development. We’ll explain how Release Management can help you test each major release before it reaches production and keep your solution running as expected.