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What's New Documentation

Menu Location: Help > What's New

Access Level: All admin users

Last Updated: 2026-03-01

Overview

The What's New page provides release notes, feature announcements, and system updates for the admin platform. This changelog keeps your team informed about new features, improvements, bug fixes, and important changes to stay current with platform capabilities.

Primary Functions:

  • View recent platform updates and new features
  • Learn about bug fixes and improvements
  • Access training resources for new functionality
  • Review deprecation notices
  • Stay informed about scheduled maintenance
  • Provide feedback on updates

Page Layout

Header Section

  • Latest Updates Badge: Shows count of unread updates
  • Filter by Type: Features, Bug Fixes, Improvements, Announcements, Maintenance
  • Search: Find specific updates or features

Main Content Area

Chronological list of updates with release date, category, title, description, and optional screenshots or videos.

  • Training Resources: Guides for new features
  • Feedback Form: Submit feedback on updates
  • Full Changelog: Complete version history
  • Roadmap: Upcoming planned features (if available)

Update Categories

New Features

Major functionality additions:

  • New pages or tools
  • Significant capabilities
  • Customer-facing enhancements
  • Integration additions

Indicated by: Blue "Feature" badge

Improvements

Enhancements to existing features:

  • Performance optimizations
  • UI/UX refinements
  • Workflow streamlining
  • Report enhancements

Indicated by: Green "Improvement" badge

Bug Fixes

Issue resolutions:

  • Corrected errors
  • Stability improvements
  • Data accuracy fixes
  • Display corrections

Indicated by: Orange "Bug Fix" badge

Announcements

Important notices:

  • Deprecation warnings
  • Breaking changes
  • Policy updates
  • Scheduled maintenance

Indicated by: Yellow "Announcement" badge

Maintenance

System maintenance notifications:

  • Scheduled downtime
  • Performance maintenance
  • Security updates
  • Infrastructure changes

Indicated by: Gray "Maintenance" badge

Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Weekly Team Update

Goal: Keep team informed of platform changes

Steps:

  1. Open What's New page every Monday
  2. Review all updates from past week
  3. Filter to "Features" and "Improvements"
  4. Read through each update
  5. Test new features if applicable
  6. Share relevant updates in team meeting
  7. Add new features to team training plan

Example: Monday review shows new "Customer Favorites Tracking" feature launched Friday. Read description, test feature with sample customer. Add to this week's team training agenda. Update customer service scripts to mention new capability.

Use Case 2: Troubleshooting After Update

Goal: Determine if recent system changes caused issue

Steps:

  1. When issue reported, check What's New
  2. Review updates from last 24-48 hours
  3. Look for:
    • Bug fixes related to issue area
    • New features that might interact with workflow
    • Known issues mentioned
  4. Check if issue is already fixed in latest update
  5. Review "Known Issues" section if present
  6. Contact support with update version info if needed

Example: User reports customer export not working. Check What's New - shows "Bug Fix: Corrected customer export filtering" from yesterday. Clear cache and retry - issue resolved by fix.

Use Case 3: Training on New Features

Goal: Learn how to use newly released functionality

Steps:

  1. Identify new feature announcement
  2. Read full description and use cases
  3. Click training resource links if provided
  4. Watch demo videos or tutorials
  5. Test feature in test environment first
  6. Practice with real scenarios
  7. Train team members once comfortable

Example: New "Automated Substitution Rules" feature released. Read announcement, watch 5-minute video tutorial, create test rules on sample products, verify they work correctly, document process for team, schedule training session.

Use Case 4: Planning for Deprecated Features

Goal: Prepare for features being retired

Steps:

  1. Filter to "Announcements"
  2. Look for deprecation notices
  3. Note:
    • What's being deprecated
    • Why it's being removed
    • Timeline for removal
    • Recommended replacement
  4. Create migration plan
  5. Update workflows to use new features
  6. Communicate changes to team
  7. Monitor timeline and complete migration before deadline

Example: Announcement: "Legacy Report Builder will be deprecated March 31. Migrate to new Advanced Reports by deadline." Current date: March 1. Action plan: (Week 1) Test Advanced Reports, (Week 2) Recreate all saved reports in new system, (Week 3) Train team, (Week 4) Verify all reports working, retire old system.

Use Case 5: Staying Ahead with Roadmap

Goal: Prepare for upcoming features

Steps:

  1. Review "Roadmap" section if available
  2. Identify upcoming features relevant to your needs
  3. Plan how new features could improve workflows
  4. Provide feedback on planned features
  5. Prepare team for changes
  6. Participate in beta testing if offered

Example: Roadmap shows "Mobile Admin App" planned for Q3. Begin discussions on mobile workflow improvements, identify which staff would benefit most, document current mobile pain points to share as feedback, volunteer for beta testing program.

Best Practices

Regular Review

  1. Check What's New weekly (schedule it)
  2. Read all updates even if not immediately relevant
  3. Test new features promptly
  4. Share updates with team
  5. Provide feedback on changes

Team Communication

  1. Highlight updates in weekly team meetings
  2. Create quick reference guides for major features
  3. Update internal documentation when features change
  4. Train team before rolling out new features to workflows
  5. Celebrate improvements and acknowledge development team

Change Management

  1. Test new features before using in production
  2. Update standard operating procedures for changes
  3. Communicate customer-facing changes to support team first
  4. Plan rollout of major new features
  5. Monitor for issues after updates

Feedback

  1. Provide constructive feedback on new features
  2. Report bugs immediately
  3. Suggest improvements based on usage
  4. Participate in surveys if offered
  5. Share success stories with implemented features

Things to Avoid

  • Don't ignore update notifications (may miss critical changes)
  • Don't skip testing new features (may break workflows)
  • Don't assume team knows about updates (communicate)
  • Don't resist change (updates usually improve efficiency)
  • Don't provide feedback without trying feature first

Quick Reference Card

Task Action
View latest updates Open What's New, review top entries
Find new features Filter to "Features"
Check recent bug fixes Filter to "Bug Fixes", last 30 days
Review announcements Filter to "Announcements"
Plan for maintenance Filter to "Maintenance", view schedule
Search specific feature Use search box, enter feature name
Access training Click training links in update
Provide feedback Click "Feedback" button on update

FAQs

How often are updates released?

Varies by development schedule. Minor updates weekly, major features monthly, critical bug fixes as needed.

Do I need to do anything when updates are released?

Usually no action required - updates applied automatically. Read announcements for any manual steps or workflow changes.

What if an update breaks something I use?

Report immediately via support. Development team can roll back critical issues or provide workaround while fixing.

Can I opt out of certain updates?

Core platform updates are automatic for security and stability. Feature rollouts may offer opt-in/opt-out in some cases.

How do I request new features?

Use feedback form or contact support with feature requests. Development roadmap incorporates customer requests.

Are beta features available?

Sometimes beta features are offered to interested customers. Watch for announcements and beta signup opportunities.

What's the difference between version numbers?

Major (v2.0): Significant changes, possible training needed Minor (v2.1): New features, backward compatible Patch (v2.1.1): Bug fixes, no feature changes

Change Log

2026-03-01

  • Initial documentation created

End of Documentation

For additional help, contact your system administrator or Kiva Logic support.