Tradebox periodically release version upgrades to our software to address compatibility issues with third party updates (such as Sage 50 version upgrades or Microsoft operating systems), to provide new features in the software and to address reported issues on how the software operates (bug fixes). This document outlines our approach on how we address the release of version upgrades and forms our release management policy.
As desktop software, upgrades to the Tradebox One application are done by passing users a new build of the software in the form of an executable file (.exe). Typically, this is ran locally on the user's PC and will install the latest version of the software, overwriting the existing build currently installed. When we release a new public version of Tradebox One we will provide details of the changes in the software, detailed instructions on how to perform the upgrade and any details of the impact of the upgrade (such as time implications if the new version needs to upgrade tables or data in your database). You will be notified that the upgrade is available automatically within the software and also through the Tradebox internal messaging system.
All new release candidates go through a release management cycle to ensure we have a consistent framework that implements the changes required and thoroughly tests the changes to ensure they work as proscribed and to ascertain the affect these changes have on 3rd party systems such as operating systems and integrated platforms such as Sage 50 Accounts.
Every line of code that forms the Tradebox Software is stored online in a Definitive Software Library. This tracks every change made to the code, provides version control (allowing us to roll back to previous versions if required) and provides continuous backups.
Typically, the release cycle will follow these stages:
| # | Step | Description/Example |
| 1 | Planning | This is usually a discussion regarding the priority of the changes, determining what changes are going to be accepted into the new build and creating a delivery time frame for the release candidate. |
| 2 | Build | This stage involves the software development team writing new code to create the changes to the software agreed in the Planning stage. |
| 3 | Testing | This stage involves the internal Tradebox testing team testing the software to ensure that the agreed changes work as agreed in the planning stage. |
| 4 |
Acceptance Testing |
This stage sees the release candidate being ran through a comprehensive end to end testing regime to test all primary functions of the software. |
| 5 |
Documentation |
Creating online articles/videos/guides detailing the changes and providing any required instructions on how to configure or use the new features in the software. |
| 6 |
Controlled Release |
This stage is where the new version is privately released to a small sample of existing customers who have agreed to beta test the changes made in the software. |
| 7 |
Public Release |
Upon successful completion of the controlled release the new version of the software will be accepted and made into the public release that can be downloaded from the Tradebox website. |
| 8 |
Communication |
At the same time as the public release Tradebox will communicate with all stakeholder (customers, prospect and partners) that a new build is available and provide full details of the changes and instructions on how to use them. |
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