Enabling and Disabling New Features Using Update Options

Article Number:04050

What You Can Do in Update Options Screen

Kintone performs updates periodically to add new features or change existing features. Update Options screen allows you to enable/disable some of the new features, including existing features that have changed.

When new features are added, you may need to inform users of those features, revise existing operation manuals, test/fix your plug-ins, or check how they affect your environment. One of the benefits of disabling/enabling new features in Update Options screen is that you can plan your preparatory period flexibly based on your situation.

Specifically, you can do the following (available settings vary depending on the feature). All settings are deselected by default.

(1) Disable some new features after they are released.
   * You can change the setting to disable new features by default.
(2) Preview some new features that will be released in the future.
(3) Try some new features that are still in development.

The Way to Provide Update Options

Settings in Update Options are not provided equally for all new features. Before we decide to provide any of the above (1)-(3) settings, we first need to consider how new features will affect users’ environments (For example, we consider whether there is any impact on user operations, preparations on administrator side, and existing plug-ins/customization by adding new features. If there is any impact, we also consider how severe the impact is). Depending on the feature, we may provide new features in the following ways.

  • Features cannot be enabled or disabled.
  • Features can be disabled only after they are released.
  • Features can be enabled before releases and disabled them after releases.
  • Features can be enabled in the development phase.

Please note that the effective period of each setting varies depending on the feature.

(1) Disable Newly Released Features

By using "Disable New Features" in Update Options screen, you can disable some of the newly released features and continue using legacy screens and features.
There are two ways to disable new features as described below.

  • (a) Disable a specific feature separately at your desired timing
    If you want to disable a specific feature separately at your desired timing, select the corresponding feature name under "Setting to Disable New Features".
    For example, you may notice that a specific new feature affects the behavior of your plug-ins and apps after a periodic update. This setting is appropriate for such a situation. You can disable the feature temporarily to validate its impact on existing plug-ins and apps.


  • (b) Disable New Features by Default (Defer Update)
    With "Disable new features automatically" turned on, new features will be disabled by default when they are released. This is applicable only when new features can be controlled by the setting.
    This setting is effective if you prefer to disable new features basically and apply them carefully when they are released, instead of examining each feature and disabling a specific one separately.
    The advantage of selecting this option is that you can secure a longer preparatory period for updates, especially when you are unable to test new features for every update or do not have enough time to revise your operation manuals frequently.
    As one of the possible use cases, you can select the option to disable new features at first and deselect it to enable them when everything is ready in your environment.

(2) Preview New Features That Will Be Released in the Future

When you select any item under "Preview New Features" in Update Options screen, you can enable and preview the corresponding feature that will be released in the future update.

For example, this is helpful in the following cases.

  • When you want to preview new features in a different environment from production and validate whether existing plug-ins and customization works properly in advance

  • When you want to identify the impact of new features as a final check

  • When you want to get early access to new features

(3) Enable New Features in Development

When you select any item under "New Features in Development" in Update Options screen, you can enable and try the corresponding feature in development.

For example, it is helpful if you want to check the behavior of new features in the development phase and consider how to utilize Kintone in the future.

As with other released features, we are testing new features in development. However, please note that we may do the following.

  • Discontinue the development of the features without releasing them.
  • Change the specification of features significantly when they are released.
  • Reset some settings.

Steps

You can enable/disable new features in Update Options screen.

  1. Click Settings Settings icon in the upper right side of the Kintone screen to open Kintone Administration . Image

  2. Under Other, click Update Options.

  3. Select the items you want to specify and click Save in the upper left side of the screen.

    Item Description
    Disable New Features
    • "Setting to Disable New Features": If you want to disable any of the newly released features, select the corresponding feature.
    • "Option (Defer Updates)": If you want to disable new features by default, select this item.
    Preview New Features If you want to preview any of the new features that will be released in the future, select the corresponding feature.
    New Features in Development If you want to try any of the new features in development, select the corresponding feature.

Deselect corresponding items in Update Options screen if you want to enable the newly released features again or disable any specific feature that you selected to preview or try.