Release Notes Best Practices: 7 Great Examples and Templates

Also, though it’s not the most comprehensive and doesn’t have a search button, Microsoft managed to offer some sort of categorization to make it easier to find what you need. It briefly talks about what the clients should expect from the new versions, or more specifically, when they should expect it. The design at the top, the categorization options, the way they shortened the space that the text covers… All on point. Even though the white space is less than desired, I can clearly pick out the future releases and the functions that I’m looking for. Also, Slack both has their content for the matter, and you can find what’s new within the app. An In-App Notification allows you to get your message into the hands of every new customer who opens up the app.

But, of course, we might want more info, so give us a link to the detailed stuff, like a user guide, step-by-step walk-through, or even a video tutorial. In the search box on the top left corner, you can search for the “release notes template”. Once your desired template pops up, click on it and click on the “Use Template” button on the bottom right corner. For many companies, release notes are an undervalued, perfunctory activity performed during a product launch or update. Keeping things simple with technology and new features and updates might be challenging.

The process of maintaining end-user experience, user guides, and training materials are also supported by this document. Some only offer the ability to publish product updates, while others also include features for collecting user feedback and managing a public roadmap. This tool provides a common workplace for technical teams to collaborate, document, track and share their knowledge, brainstorm ideas, store digital assets, and innovate together. They can interlink release notes with other bit documents inside of their workspaces with Bit’s wiki feature for both- internal use and external sharing. It very briefly describes a new product or succinctly details specific changes included in a product update.

List of specific actions needed by users or functionality impacted by the changes. The following list is a selection of major software from different branches, such as software games, operating systems, automotive, CAD design, etc. Users are customers who are always curious about what this can achieve for them. However, even technical readers’ attention spans are shorter these days than they were previously. Include any resource manuals, videos, or other documentation that supports the new functionalities.

Step 6. Explain Issues Fixed in the Product

If you’re looking to create release notes for your product or product features, then we’ve got you covered. Use this free release notes template and start writing release notes that elevate your brand and your customers’ experience with your product. Product updates, app updates, status updates, or new features come into play here as well.

And Intercom even showcases the engineers and product specialists who worked on the release. We won’t bore you with an actual example here, but you’ve seen them plenty of times—the release notes that go on and on forever. It’s usually all smashed together in one https://www.globalcloudteam.com/ huge block of text, so it’s not even easy to figure out where one note ends, and the next begins. You can create a workspace around a team, department, large project, client, partner, etc. Include any enhancements and improvements made from the previous version.

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You can also send out your release notes as an email or create a blog post to explain the new releases in more detail. However, if you spend additional effort to write killer release notes, don’t forget the distribution part. You can triple the reach of your release notes if you include actually talking about them in your communication strategy. If you were one of these 10 percent of users who read release notes, it probably warmed your heart a little. And these notes went so viral that you probably heard about them even without reading them on the App Store, which further reinforced Slack’s brand. As already mentioned above Changelog and Release notes are considered as the same stuff.

These release notes can be consumed very quickly while still staying in user memories for longer. Finally, good release notes can go viral, giving you plenty of attention in online media. But for this remaining 10 percent — which isn’t that small after all — release notes are another touchpoint between them and your product. Release Notes provide interactive connections with your audience, improving the product, and adding current features to your project. Email newsletters are another smart way to spread the word about your new major releases. Depending on the release, you can send the email to your entire user base, or only a relevant segment.

Keep distribution channels in mind

Depending on the importance of the release, sales reps, customer success managers, and engineers might all want to get onboard with sharing the release. A product manager can encourage the right people on the team to post about the update and provide example descriptions as well as imagery. Because release notes, a public roadmap, and the idea board are all in one place, you have an easy way for users and customers to stay up to date with your product.

These notes are unquestionably an extension of their overarching company objective of promoting creativity among their users. Include the official name of the product and the facts of your company’s registered name. The reader should tell which product in the release is updated. I really feel the need to emphasize how really important the amount of white space is important on a page.

In the case of HubSpot, they’ve created product spotlight videos that take their users on a tour of how the product has grown over the course of the last month. You can watch the entire video for a rundown of everything new or skip to the sections you care about most with the handy timestamps HubSpot lists below. Your tech teams work day and night to improve your product, add new features, fix bugs, and provide value to your customers, so you can’t let their efforts and important updates go unnoticed. In truth, however, release notes can play a vital role in the overall product experience because they provide a valuable opportunity to communicate with customers and your broader market. When done well, they have the potential to nurture engagement and increase customer loyalty.

• At Frill, our target audience is product managers and developers with a high level of knowledge of software building.
• You’ll be surprised by the amount of in-office or tech jargon you pick up behind the scenes.
• When drafting release notes or other product documentation, ensure it’s well-organized.
• Depending on the importance of the release, sales reps, customer success managers, and engineers might all want to get onboard with sharing the release.
• A release note is an ongoing instructions manual that guides the user on how to get the most out of a new product or product update.

A release notes page filled with fresh entries shows customers that you’re actively working on your product and constantly making improvements. While it may not make a world of difference for new signups, it is reassuring to know that once you purchase a plan, you can expect frequent updates and fixes. Remember, from the android play store to the company blog, keep them brief, on-brand, and innovative where you can.

With AnnounceKit, product managers and developers can announce product changes in a variety of ways, including email and an in-app widget. Where Intercom excels in personality, Invision excels in detail. Just look at how robust their November 2020 release notes are.

This is the most important part as this section gives the readers incentive to update to the new version. Show them what they’re missing out on in terms of things like speed, upload time, search capabilities, etc. Release notes explain new features added, issues resolved, and improvements in a product or software by the company. Even though there’s not set in stone way to format your release notes, here’s a template for release plan to help you include all the necessary info. People have pretty varied perspectives because of the innovative and off-the-wall nature of Medium’s software release notes. Keep all of your changes in one single location or in-app changelog.

Ideally, the release notes should include important information. For instance, changes to a product, the reason for those changes, and how they affect the product and the user. And what changes the user must make in the operation of the product. It briefly describes a new product or details changes in a product update. Release notes help in product development and implementing the right product roadmap tools.