For me, a new year brings a desire to be more efficient. My desire to work smarter, not harder, in 2022 inspired me to put together this article, to provide you with insight on smartly and efficiently navigating UKG Dimensions™ release documentation. As an executive relationship manager, my job is to be a trusted adviser who is always looking out for customers. During my conversations with UKG Dimensions users, the topic of release documentation comes up a lot, and I often hear two things: Customers aren’t quite sure where to find the most up-to-date documentation, and they’re often confused over terms. If this describes how you feel as well, then this blog is for you. After reading these tips, you’ll be better able to find your way around release documentation and understand which areas to focus on.
Documentation 101
First things first. Where can you find documentation? UKG Dimensions release documentation is posted in the UKG Kronos Community, and you must be logged in to access it.
Log in to UKG Kronos Community here
Release documentation can be accessed from the UKG Dimensions Product Resource Page using the link at the top of the page for “Release Readiness – WFM,” directly via the UKG Dimensions Release Notes or from the UKG Dimensions Online Help site.
UKG Dimensions Online Help:
Documentation is composed of two different document types: Release Notes and Update Summaries. Express Upgrades (EUs) are included in both documents. Let’s further define these terms.
Express Upgrades (EUs)
Express Upgrades address critical bug fixes and generally come out weekly. Express Upgrades are numbered according to the update post (or following) the last major upgrade and are identified with a letter denoting the most recent version.
EUs are documented within the release documentation to which they apply (Release Notes or Update Summary — whichever is the most current). EUs do NOT require downtime for the environment and are included within their own section in the documentation called Resolved Issues.
Release Notes
Release Notes identify the features, resolved issues, and other important information about major releases.
Major releases are named R7, R8, etc., and corresponding Release Notes are labeled with the release name and a revision identifier to signify the most recent document. Example: R7 Release Notes Rev Q. The revision table on the first page of the release indicates the update and which EU the revision is for. The What’s New section outlines the latest updates to the document.
The content of release notes and update summaries is subject to change up to one day prior to the release date, when the finalized document is published. Draft documentation is noted in the document title, and the final document is provided on the Wednesday before the first production (PROD) release date.
Note: Log in to your Trust Site to confirm the date that each release or update is delivered to your organization.
Update Summaries
Update Summaries contain the features, resolved issues, and other important information about monthly updates to a release. Update Summaries are cumulative of all updates to the major release documentation. They follow the naming convention R7 Update 1, R7 Update 2, etc., and the documentation is also labeled with a revision identifier suggesting the latest version. Example: R7 Update 2 Summary U2.
Update Summaries are published to UKG Kronos Community one day before the scheduled minor release. Again, documentation is subject to change up until one day prior to the release date, when the finalized document is published.
Release Notes and Update Summaries are posted in the UKG Dimensions Release Notes article in UKG Kronos Community. Bookmark this site for easy access.
Documentation recommendations
There is so much great information available in the documentation. While it can be a lot to take in, and you definitely don’t want to miss it. So, here are my recommendations for navigating everything the documentation has to offer. Practice and get familiar now so you’re prepared for the next release.
- Bookmark the UKG Dimensions Product Resource Page and UKG Dimensions Release Notes in UKG Kronos Community and check them weekly for updates.
- Download the most current PDF documentation of Release Notes.
- Open the PDF with Adobe Acrobat Reader, if you have it, to see the bookmarks panel on the left side of the screen for help navigating the file.
- Focus on the What’s New and Resolved Issues sections. After a Weekly/Express Upgrade, the applicable issues are included at the top of the Resolved Issues section, which contains concise descriptions of each of the issues that have been resolved.
- Don’t miss the note at the top of the What’s New section. It provides general guidance for enabling new functionality. Most features are delivered switched off by default so you can enable them when you’re ready.
- Familiarize yourself with the Release Notes and Update Summary documentation sections and review the Document Revision History on the first page. The table on this page shows dates of updates and revisions included in the Release Notes document.
Planning for the next release/update
Feature Value Summaries, Release Highlights, and Job Aids are published prior to the upcoming release and are an excellent way to learn about new features. These resources can be found on the Release Readiness page under the appropriate “Release Essentials” tab — click the right-facing arrow to expand the section to access these resources.
Keeping up with release information
How can you ensure you are keeping up to date? The Trust Site isn’t just where you can monitor the status of your solution and see the calendar of events planned for your environment. It’s also the primary source of communications regarding your UKG Dimensions solution. There are three types of communications listed below;pay close attention to the announcements category for information about releases.
- Announcements help you stay informed about upcoming releases and roadmap changes
- Incident notifications communicate unplanned or emergency alerts and performance degradations
- Maintenance updates communicate planned or scheduled events on the calendar
Use the link and your UKG Kronos Community credentials to access your Trust Site anytime to check the status of your solution or review dates for upcoming maintenance on the calendar feature. Note: you must subscribe to all three types of Trust Site communications if you’d like to receive notifications and updates directly to your inbox.
To view a tutorial or for questions about communication types or how to access the Trust Site, please refer to Trust Site Resources in UKG Kronos Community. You can also read more about Trust Site communications types in the Trust Site Communications knowledge article.
I hope these tips have helped you become more comfortable with release documentation! If you’re still looking for more info, consult UKG Dimensions Online Help or visit the UKG Dimensions | Release Readiness WFM page in UKG Kronos Community.
Common Terms You Should Know:
Trust Site – Customer-specific site for communications relating to Dimensions tenants (production and non-production). Users subscribe to the Trust Site to receive notifications of Maintenance, Incidents, and Announcements related to their UKG Dimensions tenants.
WFM – Workforce Management, which includes modules such as Timekeeping, Absence, and Advanced Scheduling.
EUs – Express Upgrades – Typically weekly upgrades made to Dimensions environments; bug fixes and critical updates that do not require downtime but are noted in Update Summary documentation. In the Trust Site Calendar, Express Upgrades are referred to as “Weekly Updates.”
Release Notes – Major release documentation outlining major features and functionality.
Update Summary – Documentation that is produced in between major releases and is cumulative between major release cycles.
Online Help – UKG Dimensions online help tool updated in R8U2 and includes Release Notes and Update Summaries and Express Upgrade documentation.