Major new features or integrations may go through different maturity stages - pilot, beta, generally available (GA) as we refine the implementation based on customer feedback and testing. When a feature reaches the final GA stage, commitments are governed by customer contracts and the FinDock Service Level Standard.
This is our first phase of customer testing. The pilot is not only for testing. It is our chance to work directly with customers and partners to confirm we implemented the right things. We confirm and realign goals as needed.
A pilot is typically restricted to specific participants, but in some cases may be open to all customers. Piloting often requires specific conditions which limit the number of initial eligible customers. The pilot feature is also typically not available by default, but must be enabled (by FinDock Support) per org.
Feature changes during the pilot change can be significant. Some may break previous iterations of certain pilot feature functionality.
Based on the results of the pilot, FinDock evaluates several aspects of the solution, such as completeness, performance and customer satisfaction. In some cases, a pilot may be expanded to more customers before going to beta. In others, the feature may move straight to GA.
If we determine a pilot feature is stable but may still have room for improvement, particularly for edge cases, it is moved to the beta stage. A beta feature is open to all customers for testing.
The beta feature might still require special actions (usually by a system administrator) before it can be used. We encourage customers to test beta features in sandboxes and share their experiences. While in the beta stage, please keep in mind the feature is not yet governed by the FinDock Service Level Standard.
Once a feature has reached full maturity, it is included in a FinDock release as generally available (GA). These features are considered complete, and FinDock provides regular, full support. Please note that some GA features may be rolled out in phases and not immediately available to all customer orgs.
A feature, parameter, permission set or other technical component may be deprecated as an initial step towards end of life. When we announce a feature is deprecated, it signals there is a new, preferred solution.
The initial announcement may also include details on how long FinDock will continue to maintain the deprecated feature. We also add to the product documentation and UI, where possible, indicators that the feature is deprecated.
Deprecation goes through two phases. During the first phase, the feature is maintained but no longer actively developed. In the second, the feature is no longer maintained, but remains available in the product.
When a feature reaches end of life (EOL), it means it will be removed from the product. The EOL announcement includes a timeline for removal. Depending on the nature of the feature, the removal may happen within a couple of release cycles or be carried out over several releases.
The EOL stage is always preceded by the deprecated stage. This means that the EOL date follows an extended period of time where a new solution has been available. We always aim to make an EOL-related transition as smooth as possible. Where necessary, we also provide detailed guidance to support customers and prepare them for the change.