Release Wave Testing Resources for Business Central
Every April and October, Microsoft updates its applications via Release Waves, which include new features, updates to the current functionalities, and sometimes navigation updates. Release Wave plans are announced a few months in advance, so you can start to get ready for the changes.
Here’s an overview of the latest release wave plans for Business Central.
UPDATE TESTING: WHY?
It’s important to test your system to ensure the update will not interfere with your processes and, most importantly, system customizations and extensions. It is crucial to test the transactions that use any of your customizations or extensions early in a sandbox environment, lest they break in production and halt your business processes.
The best way to validate your version update is to run through critical business processes in your sandbox environment, including extensions, customizations, printing reports, posting journal entries, creating orders, and so forth. After you validate the update in the sandbox, your production environment can be safely updated, as well.
It’s also best to perform update testing earlier rather than later because if you do run into any hiccups that need to be fixed, you need time to correct the issues before Microsoft automatically updates environments, which could occur within 60 days or less after the release wave has become generally available.
We know that prepping for an update can feel a bit overwhelming, so to support thorough testing, we’ve created a few different resources—all of which can help an organization prepare for these semi-annual release waves. Read the descriptions below to see which resource may be best for you, and then use whichever you want!
One: PDF CHECKLIST
Designed for:
Small businesses
One team member conducting the full update testing
A reference to help create your own update processes and testing actions
What is it?
This is a straightforward, at-a-glance version of our update testing recommendations. Download the PDF and either use it as a reference on your computer or print it off and manually check items off the list.
What’s in the PDF?
Organized checklist items to test, organized by Business Central functionality
Notes column to document any additional tests, considerations, and test items that need further attention
TWO: EXCEL WORKBOOK
Designed for:
Small businesses
One team member conducting the full update testing
Teams needing high customizability of testing actions and/or who need a straightforward workbook with little to no chance of breaking when it is adjusted
What is it?
This is an Excel Workbook version of the checklist. It is straightforward in design and doesn’t include too many formulas, but is satisfyingly color-coded, filterable, and sortable. This resource is highly adjustable: add or remove or hide test actions to match the needs of your company. You can also make copies of the test tab if several team members conduct testing (which we recommend!).
What’s in this workbook?
Introduction Tab: A summary of the workbook’s purpose and general instructions to guide your release wave testing.
BC Update Test Tab: This is where your test items are housed. You’ll notice a header including fields to enter the version/update number, the team member conducting the tests, and the testing date. It includes several columns, including the area of BC being tested, the test action, the status of the test, and notes. The columns are sortable, filterable, and satisfyingly color-coded.
THREE: EXCEL WORKBOOK (FORMULA-DRIVEN)
Designed for:
Larger companies, especially those who have several team members conducting tests
Companies who need advanced tracking and reporting for their update testing
Teams comfortable with formula-driven Excel workbooks and who will either use the workbook as designed or have staff in-house who can adjust the workbook as required to avoid breaking
What is it?
This workbook is similar to the first Excel Workbook, but this one has built-in formulas that update other fields. We recommend you store this file in a central cloud location so anyone working on the document can see the progress of the testing in real-time.
What’s in this workbook?
Instructions Tab: Detailed instructions on how to use the workbook. This page also includes a configuration component for the test tab where you can select areas within Business Central that your company uses and, therefore, need to test (and those you don’t use and will be hidden).
Key Definitions Tab: In any complex, formula-driven workbook, you need to understand each columns’ purpose and dependencies, and you should also know the formulas included across the workbook. The definitions tab explains all that. If you choose to customize this workbook, be sure that you review the Key Definitions and use caution when updating so the workbook doesn’t break.
BC Update Test Tab: Here’s your actual test items. This tab includes fields for assigning each test to various team members, results of the test, notes, and more. It’s sortable, filterable, and satisfyingly color-coded. You can adjust the test actions, add your own, and hide the ones that don’t apply to your business.
Summary Tab: This tab includes advanced tracking and reporting for your update tests. See the status of your testing at-a-glance and slice your data in useful ways to understand what is left of testing (and test results). This tab leverages pivot tables, so remember to refresh the tables to see updates to your data.
CONSIDERATIONS
Please note these resources are designed considering the needs of a general audience of Business Central users. You’ll notice that some things do not apply to you while your customizations, extensions, etc. unique to you will be absent. So, skip what you don’t use, and add things you need.
In addition, Syvantis encourages you to keep these things in mind while conducting update tests:
Test your add-ins! It is imperative to test your customizations and extensions. It is the most important reason to test. We recommend checking your Extension Manager to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Be thorough. The more you test, the easier your update will be and the fewer issues you’ll encounter.
Have two people check. We recommend having at least two sets of eyes on everything to ensure that nothing falls through the cracks.
Communicate with your Partner as soon as possible when you encounter issues that are triggered by the update so that the issues can be resolved before the update is applied to your environment. If Syvantis is your partner and you’d like assistance with testing, we’re happy to schedule a support session to walk you through the testing process.
Take snips/screenshots of the errors. Use the Snipping Tool on your computer to capture an image of each error and save them in one location to help with error resolution.
Need help with Release Wave testing, beyond these resources? We often help our clients test for release waves, and we’re happy to do so.
Reach out to our expert solutions consultants for help with update testing!→