The best time for a Salesforce deployment can vary depending on several factors related to your organization’s specific circumstances and the nature of the deployment. However, some general guidelines can help determine the optimal timing:
- Low Usage Periods: Schedule the deployment during times when usage of the Salesforce system is typically low. This could be outside of regular business hours or during weekends, depending on the usage patterns of your organization.
- Business Calendar: Consider your organization’s business calendar. Avoid deploying during critical business periods such as end-of-quarter, financial closing times, or during major marketing campaigns.
- Preparation and Testing Phase: Ensure that there has been sufficient time for preparation and testing. Deployments should follow a period of rigorous testing in a sandbox environment to minimize the risk of issues in the live environment.
- Change Management: Align with your organization’s change management policies. This includes providing training and communication about the deployment to all affected users.
- Backup and Rollback Plan: Choose a time that allows for potential issues. Ensure you have a backup and a rollback plan in case the deployment encounters unexpected problems.
- Global Considerations: If your organization operates in multiple time zones, consider the impact on all users globally. It might be beneficial to choose a time that is off-peak for the majority of users.
- Salesforce Release Cycles: Be aware of Salesforce’s own release cycles. Avoid deploying immediately before a major Salesforce update to ensure compatibility and reduce the risk of complications.
- Staff Availability: Ensure that your IT staff or Salesforce administrators are available during and after the deployment to monitor the system and address any immediate issues.
In summary, the best time is when it least disrupts business operations, considering the global footprint of your organization, aligning with Salesforce’s release schedule, and ensuring staff availability for support. It’s also crucial to have completed thorough testing and to have a solid backup plan in place.
Understanding Salesforce Devops Center