Comprehensive Guide to Salesforce Release Updates & its Critical Changes

What Are Salesforce Release Updates?

Salesforce release updates are scheduled enhancements to the system, made by salesforce to introduce new features, improve functionalities, security improvements, user experience upgrades, bug fixes. These updates have an impact on various Salesforce clouds like Sales, Service, Marketing, and more.  

Salesforce is a CRM platform that keeps changing to meet the requirements of today’s businesses. Three times a year, salesforce rolls out its major release updates in Winter, Spring, and Summer which are fully packed with new features, performance boosts, and necessary changes. 

Each release is named after a season and year (e.g., Winter ’25, Spring ’25), which shows its timing. These updates include security patches, UI improvements, API changes, and new automation tools to ensure Salesforce stays ahead as a leading CRM platform. 

Releases means smooth operation and access to tools that drive growth, such as Einstein AI or improved reporting for those businesses who stay informed about them.

How Many Salesforce Releases Are There Per Year?

Salesforce rolls out three major releases each year:

• Spring Release
• Summer Release
• Winter Release

These releases are carefully planned and then rolled out globally on a fixed schedule, ensuring all the users benefit from the latest innovations.

How to Check Your Salesforce Release Version?

Knowing your current Salesforce release version is essential for better compatibility and planning. Here’s how to check it:

• Log in to your Salesforce org.
• Click your profile picture or name in the top right.
• Navigate to Setup > Find and click on ‘Company Information‘.
• The “Instance” field on the Company Information page contains the name of your Salesforce instance.
• Go to the Salesforce Trust site, search the instance, and find the release version.

This step is crucial before testing new features or applying critical updates, ensuring you’re aware of the tools and features and latest release available to your org.

Understanding Critical Updates in Salesforce

Critical updates are mandatory changes Salesforce enforces to enhance security, performance, or compliance. These updates are necessary for long-term performance and security, and failing to prepare can disrupt your org’s functionality.

• Security enhancements
• Deprecation of legacy functions
• Changes to default behaviors

Admins receive notifications about updates in the Release Updates section within Setup.

Managing Critical Updates

1. Navigate to Setup > Critical Updates in your Salesforce org.
2. Review the list of upcoming updates, note their enforcement dates.
3. Test each update in a sandbox environment to check for compatibility.
4. Enable updates manually if they offer a “Test Run” option, or follow Salesforce’s testing guidelines.
5. Deploy changes to production during off peak hours to minimize impact.

Testing in a sandbox at the final stage of your pipeline ensures all environments are updated before going live.

The Latest Salesforce Release: Key Features and Changes

Each Salesforce release introduces advanced features. Some examples may include:

• Enhanced Einstein AI functionality
• Improvements in Flow automation
• New Lightning components and layouts
• Analytics dashboard updates
• Agentforce Enhancements
• Security Updates

These changes aim to boost efficiency and customer engagement, particularly through AI-driven tools.

Best Practices for Managing Salesforce Releases

To ensure a smooth transition with each release:

• Stay informed: Subscribe to release communications and stay updated about the releases.
• Train your team: Prepare users for upcoming changes, share release notes and conduct training programs.
• Document changes: Track what’s implemented or deferred
• Test in Sandboxes: Use a sandbox to test new features and critical updates.
• Schedule Deployments: Deploy updates during off-peak hours to avoid disruptions, with a backup plan ready.
• Monitor Updates: Regularly check Salesforce Trust and the Critical Updates page for enforcement dates.
• Engage the Community: Join forums like the Trailblazer Community to learn from other admins and developers.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How often does Salesforce release updates?

Salesforce releases three major updates per year, approximately once every four months – Spring, Summer, and Winter releases.

These releases are globally scheduled and include: New features, innovations, performance, security enhancements, and updates across all Salesforce Clouds.

What are the Benefits of Staying on Top of Salesforce Releases?

• New tools and features can reduce manual work, automate processes.
• Critical updates often include essential security fixes that keep your data and platform secure.
• Using the latest tools and enhancements ensures you’re getting the full value from your Salesforce subscription.
• Updated interfaces of crm, improvement in accessibility, and upgrades in the performance can benefit users using the platform.

Where can I find the Salesforce release schedule?

You can find the release schedule at trust.salesforce.com or on the official Salesforce Releases Page.

How do I check my current release version?

Go to Setup > Company Information and look up your Instance, then cross-reference on Salesforce Trust.

Conclusion

Staying ahead of Salesforce release updates is essential for maximizing your investment and staying ahead in customer relationship management or CRM performance. With three major releases every year Winter, Spring, and Summer, having a proactive update management strategy will keep your organization secure, efficient, and ready for the future. Need help preparing for upcoming Salesforce releases? Partner with Differenz Force to ensure you never miss a critical update.