Features Included in the May 14, 2017 Release
Regional Release Schedule
Functionality Enhancements
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“I can now click on a link to Release Schedule, be prompted to log into Plutora, and have Release Schedule open, instead of the last page I had open.”
Hotspot URLs
- Previously, users were unable to access Release Schedule or Environment Schedule using URLs. If a user clicked a link to Release Schedule after logging out of Plutora, after logging back in they were taken back to the page they exited from during their last session.
- Now, users clicking on links to the following areas of Plutora will be taken to them after logging in:
- Release Schedule: https://[[Your Plutora Domain]]/#releaseschedule
- Environment Schedule: https://[[Your Plutora Domain]]/#environmentschedule
“As a System Administrator, I can make Systems Custom Fields accessible to users while they select Systems for Releases.”
Systems Custom Fields in Systems Tab
- Previously, System Custom Fields were not accessible from the Release pop up.
- Now, up to five System Custom Fields appear under the Systems tab of Enterprise, Project, and Independent Releases.
- Administrators can select which fields appear using the System Custom Fields Customization.
- The free text field displays a pencil icon and is visible by default. Click it once to make it editable. Toggle the visibility of the free text field using Release Setup Customization.
“As a Release Manager, Dependency doesn’t mean much to me. I want to rename it Target Releases.”
Customize Dependency Field Name
- Previously, the Dependency field name could not be customized.
- Now, administrators can use the Release Setup Customization to rename the Dependency field (up to 18 characters) for Project, and Independent Releases into something more meaningful for the company.
- Release Setup Customization was previously called Enterprise Release Setup Customization.
“We want users to be able to make comments about Systems at will, so the comments column should always be visible.”
Comments for Systems Tab
- Previously, the Release pop up’s Systems tab Comments column was available but not on by default.
- Now, for Enterprise, Project, and Independent Releases, Comments Column is visible by default but users can hide it if they choose.
“Our users used to be sent email notifications forever if they did not complete a Release Activity. Now we can set when the email notifications will cease.”
Stop Release Activity Email Notifications
- Previously, Release Activity Due Date Approaching notification emails would not stop until the Release Activity was marked as complete.
- Now, administrators can set how many days past the due date that the Release Activity email notifications should stop.
“Now we can update Release Activity Status on the fly directly in the release data grid, without having to open each Activity or Criterion individually or use Bulk Update.”
Release Activity Status
- Previously, Release Activity Status could only be edited by opening the Activity or Criterion or using Bulk Update.
- Now, Release Activity Status can be edited directly under Activities tab in the Enterprise, Project, and Independent Release pop up, provided:
- The user has Update Activity user permission.
- The Release Framework allows editing:
- Child: Release Activity or Criterion cannot be edited at an Enterprise level.
- Enterprise and Child: Release Activity or Criterion fields ID, Title, Description, Type, Assigned To Phase/Gate can NOT be edited at Child level.
“As a user, I would like to add a forecast date for when an Activity or Criterion is expected to be completed (different from the due date) so users can plan ahead better.”
Forecast Date for Release Activities
- Previously, Release Activities and Criteria only had a start date and a due date.
- Now, users can input a forecast date for Enterprise, Project, and Independent Releases to show when Activities and Criteria are expected to be completed, not just when they are due.
“As a deployment manager, I would like the assignees of the next deployment activity notified when the previous one has been completed, so they can get started early.”
Activity is Completed Trigger
- Previously, users were only notified by email of the planned start date of a deployment task. If the previous task had been completed early, users were not notified.
- Now, there’s a new trigger, Activity is completed, for the Deployment Plan entity in Email Template Wizard Customization.
- Administrators can choose to notify the assignee of the next Activity or assignees of all subsequent Activities, that an Activity has been completed early and they can start the next one.
“We can now view more releases in Insights Dashboard and see the deployment status of Systems when we drill into Impacted Systems.”
Insights Enhancements
- Previously:
- Users could only select up to five Releases at once.
- Insights impacted Systems pop up showed deployment dates only.
- Now, users of Insights Dashboard can:
- Select more than five Releases at once.
- See deployment status as well as deployment dates.
“As a user, I can now make short term TEBRs more easily, I am less tempted to round up TEBRs to the nearest day, so the Environment is free for longer.”
TEBR Time Slots
- Previously, it was easier to create a TEBR for an entire day, even if the Environment was only required for a few hours and would be idle for the rest of that time.
- Now, administrators can define TEBR timeslots for TEBRs with and without a Release. Users can easily select a timeslot covering a short block of time and free up those Environments to be booked again during the same day.
- Administrators can add time slots using the TEBR Time Slots Customization.
