Personas: Platform Admins & Owners
Topic: Release Management, Store Versioning, Upgrade Strategy
Introduction: A Familiar Upgrade Scenario
As a platform owner preparing for the next family release*—let’s say Canada —you navigated to your Upgrade Console and initiated your guided upgrade experience; Step-by-step navigation through pre-upgrade, upgrade, and post-upgrade phases. You reviewed the skip resolutions for your store apps and customizations and even leveraged the Merge Agent, which helps resolve skipped records and merge payloads. You closed out your tasks for testing, through automated testing and dependency tracking via ATF and Application Manager. This is Great! Everything seems on track— But after the upgrade, you notice something odd:
“Why is my app still on version 1.0 when the Store shows version 2.0? Shouldn’t the upgrade have pulled the latest?”
Or I’m sure many of us have been in this scenario, your team just finished testing and upgrading to the next family release, but it now says you have 200 more updates to do. What now? Do you actually need these updates? Can you wait for the next release to get them?
You’re not alone. This is a common point of confusion—and it all comes down to understanding True-up.
What Is True-up?
True-up is the process of bundling the latest compatible versions of Store applications into the platform’s family release package. It ensures that when customers upgrade to a new family release (e.g., Brazil, Canada), they automatically receive the minimum supported GA-ready versions of their scoped apps—without needing to manually download them from the Store.
For Example, let’s say your instance is on the Brazil family release. You plan to upgrade to Canada and Application “Maple” defines its minimum version on Canada release as 1.7.0.
Then the following scenarios below apply to the Application “Maple” on your Canada instance. Based on the following versions installed before upgrade, we expect the version after the upgrade to Canada to be:
Minimum version upgrades
|
Version installed before the Canada upgrade |
Expected version after the Canada upgrade |
|
1.0.0 |
1.7.0 - The version upgrades to the minimum version |
|
1.3.2 |
1.7.0 - The version upgrades to the minimum version |
|
1.7.0 |
1.7.0 - The version stays the same, because the instance was already on the minimum version |
|
1.7.2 |
1.7.2 - The version stays the same, because the instance was already ahead of the minimum version |
Why True-up Matters
🔐 Security & Compliance
True-up includes apps that have passed localization, security scans, and third-party packaging—processes only run during platform releases.
Example: Let’s say your platform is upgrading to the Denmark family release. During this release cycle, the Code Insights app undergoes:
- Localization: Ensuring the app is available in all supported languages.
- Security Scans: Including third-party penetration testing and code vulnerability checks.
- Third-Party Packaging Review: Legal and product security teams validate all external libraries and dependencies.
These processes are only executed during platform releases, not during monthly Store updates. So:
- Included Version: Code Insights v1.2
This version passed all required compliance checks during the Denmark release and is bundled into the true-up package.
- Excluded Version: Code Insights v1.3
Released to the Store after the Denmark merge window, this version hasn’t gone through the platform-level compliance processes yet. It’s not included in the true-up bundle.
This ensures that customers—especially those in FedRAMP or on-premise environments—receive a version that meets all security and compliance standards, even if they cannot manually download updates from the Store.
🧩 Compatibility Assurance
Only versions tested against the platform release are included, ensuring stability.
Example: Let’s say your platform is upgrading to the Canada family release. As part of the true-up process, the platform bundles only those app versions that have been explicitly tested and validated against the Canada release.
- Included Version: Asset Tracker v2.3
- This version was tested during the Canada release cycle and passed all compatibility checks. It is included in the true-up bundle and automatically deployed during the upgrade.
- Excluded Version: Asset Tracker v2.4
Although this version is newer and available in the Store, it was released after the Canada family’s final merge window. Since it hasn’t been tested against the Canada platform code, it’s not included in the true-up bundle.
This ensures that customers upgrading to Canada receive a stable and compatible version (v2.3), avoiding the risk of deploying an untested version (v2.4) that might introduce regressions or break functionality.
🛡️ Availability for Restricted Environments
Ensures accessibility for customers who cannot or prefer not to download apps directly (e.g. FedRAMP, on-premise customers).
Self-hosted environments do not have access to the store directly.
While FedRamp customers can download apps from the Store, they must accept the Terms and Conditions for each individual store app downloaded. Not all FedRamp customers are able to accept terms and conditions, which prevents them from installing critical updates from applications. True-up ensures they still receive updated apps.
✅ Automatic Compatible Updates
Customers receive the latest compatible app versions automatically during platform upgrades.
Example: When upgrading to Canada, the “Incident Manager” app is updated to v1.5 (the trued-up version), even if v1.6 is already in the Store. See more details below under “Timing is Everything!”
⏱️ Timing Is Everything
True-up captures a snapshot of app versions during the final merge window of the family release. Any newer versions released to the Store after this window won’t be included in the GA release.
Scenario:
- Merge window closes with “App v1” included.
- “App v2” is released to the Store a week later.
- Customers upgrading to Brazil get v1 automatically.
- To get v2, they must manually download it from the Store.
Most Store releases will be included in a future release and do NOT need to be manually installed. The Store just gives you the option of installing them earlier.
Example:
If your Store apps were released in February and you're on the latest Family release from March, you won’t automatically receive the February versions of those Store apps. That’s expected behavior. You can simply wait until the next Family release in September to receive those updates as part of the next True-up.
Alternatively, if you notice that you're missing around 200 updates after completing the upgrade (scenario highlighted in the introduction of this article), there's no need to manually apply all of them immediately. You can defer those updates until the next Family release or selectively apply only the critical ones you know are needed. Deferring manual updates won’t break anything, and there’s no urgency to act unless specific functionality requires it.
However, if you prefer to stay fully up to date, you can manually update the apps directly from the Store.
📬 Store vs. Application Manager: Why Versions May Differ
|
Example: Mobile Card Builder
|
Store |
Application Manager |
|
Updates |
Displays the latest available version, regardless of compatibility |
Displays only versions compatible with your current platform release |
|
Latest Available Version |
26.11.0 |
25.10.0 |
|
Version Compatibility |
Yokohama, Xanadu |
Xanadu, Washington |
Example: Why Versions Differ Between the Store and Application Manager
Let’s say your instance is on the Washington family release. You open Application Manager and head to the Updates tab, where you see a list of apps with available updates.
You notice that Mobile Card Builder has an update. Your current installed version is 24.8.3, and Application Manager shows 25.10.0 as the latest available update. That version is compatible with Washington and Xanadu.
But then you check the Store, and the latest version listed there is 26.11.0—not 25.10.0.
So you might wonder:
Why doesn’t Application Manager show 26.11.0 if that’s the latest version in the Store? Shouldn’t they match?
Not necessarily.
The Store operates on a more frequent release cycle and always displays the latest version—regardless of whether it’s compatible with your current family release. In contrast, Application Manager filters updates based on compatibility with your instance’s family release. So, it only shows versions that you can install on your current setup.
It’s all about timing. If a newer version (like 26.11.0) was released after the True-up window for your family release, it won’t be included automatically. But that’s okay—there’s no need to panic or rush to manually upgrade. You can wait until your next family upgrade to get that version, or manually update from the Store if you have a specific need.
📜 Terms & Conditions (T&C)
Customers must accept the Terms & Conditions (T&C) before downloading apps from the Store. This process can be tedious during upgrades, especially when new dependencies are introduced.
🔄 Current Experience
Customers must click “Get” for each app and its dependencies individually, triggering a T&C prompt every time.
🚀 Upcoming Improvement
Customers will only need to accept the T&C once upon login. After that, they won’t be prompted again for each app—unless the app has custom terms.
Once the T&C is accepted:
- The “Get” button step will be removed.
- All Store apps will automatically appear in the customer's App Manager within their instance.
- No more navigating to the Store just to entitle apps for visibility.
✅ This streamlines the entitlement flow and significantly improves the upgrade experience.
🧭 Best Practices for Platform Owners
1. Use Application Manager + Store Together
- Use Upgrade Console, ATF, and Application Manager to prepare for family release upgrades
- Remember the differences between Application Manager and Store while referencing latest app updates.
- Create a version comparison checklist for each upgrade. See sample steps below:
- Export Current App Versions
Before initiating the upgrade, export the records from the sys_store_app table to Excel. This will give you a snapshot of all currently installed Store app versions on your instance. - Prepare Reference Data
Obtain the latest available app versions from the Store or Application Manager for comparison. You can export this data separately or use a reference sheet if available. - Run an XLOOKUP
Use Excel’s XLOOKUP function to compare the installed versions against the latest available versions.- Highlight any mismatches or version gaps.
- Flag critical apps that may require manual updates or testing.
- Review Compatibility
For any version differences, confirm whether the newer version is compatible with your current family release. Not all Store updates are safe to apply manually. - Document Findings
Create a summary table showing:
- Export Current App Versions
- App name
- Installed version
- Latest available version
- Compatibility status
- Action required (e.g., defer, manual update, test)
Recommendation: Customers using Zurich family release or later should use the Upgrade Console to compare versions.
2. Educate Your Stakeholders
- Make sure your ITSM, CSM, and engineering teams understand the true-up process. This reduces confusion and support escalations.
- Host a “True-up 101” session before each major upgrade.
- Create a Criteria for manual app version updates based on critical business need. Sample criteria below:
When evaluating requests for manual updates to Store app versions, consider the following:
- Business Impact
What is the tangible business impact for the requestor if the latest Store app version is not applied? - Does the current version block a key workflow, customer deliverable, or internal dependency?
- Is there a known issue or limitation in the current version that the update resolves?
- Alignment with Strategic Goals
Does the update directly support an active OKR (Objective and Key Result)? - For example, does it enable a feature or capability tied to a measurable business outcome?
- Is the update necessary to meet a committed milestone or performance target?
- Urgency vs. Upgrade Cadence
Can the requestor wait until the next scheduled Family release (True-up), or is immediate action required? - If the update is not critical, deferring to the next upgrade cycle is preferred.
- If the update is essential for business continuity or strategic delivery, manual intervention may be justified.
- Risk and Compatibility
Is the requested version compatible with the current Family release? - Manual updates should not introduce instability or unsupported configurations.
3. Monitor Notifications
- Ensure your team is subscribed to Store update emails. You can receive updates on new store app updates by subscribing to email notifications from the store. If you decide to unsubscribe from emails, then you risk missing notifications of new versions available.
- Steps on how to Manage Email Notifications from the store:
When you acquire an app or request a trial, you will be able to manage the notifications for the application through the store.
To see and manage your application notifications:
- Go to the Store and login
- Click on your initials in the top right-hand corner
- Click on My Store Activity
Then you will see a table of the applications you can manage. There will be a button that says, “Select Action” to the right of each application.
You will click that then select “Manage Notifications”.
There you would have the option to edit details of individuals to receive notifications on application updates, contract updates (e.g. expirations), deactivation requests, and other app relevant notifications.
Once you have completed the changes, you will see a green confirmation banner on the listing.
💬 Final Thoughts
True-up is a powerful mechanism that simplifies upgrades, ensures compatibility, and supports secure deployment—especially for customers who can’t or don’t want to manually update apps.
Understanding the timing, process, and limitations of true-up helps platform owners like you deliver smoother upgrades and better experiences across your organization.
Additional Notes:
*ServiceNow organizes its releases into families. Family releases are major platform upgrades that introduce new features, modules, architectural improvements, and UI/UX enhancements. Families also contain patches and hotfixes. Each release in 2025 and prior are named alphabetically after global cities (e.g., Zurich, Yokohama, Washington DC, Vancouver) and starting 2026 named alphabetically after countries (e.g., Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark).
These releases are distinct from Store releases, which update individual applications more frequently and independently of the platform.
Upgrading is the act of moving to a release that is in a different family than your current release. For example, a move from Brazil Patch 1 to Canada Patch 2 is an upgrade because Brazil and Canada are different families.
📅 Release Frequency and Timing
ServiceNow follows a biannual release cadence, with two family releases per year:
- Q1 Release: Typically launched in March
- Q3 Release: Typically launched in September
Example Timeline for FY25 - FY27
|
Quarter |
Release Type |
Key Dates |
|
Q1’25 |
Yokohama Family |
Early Availability (EA): Jan 30, General Availability (GA): Mar 12 |
|
Q2’25 |
Store Release |
GA: May 1 |
|
Q3’25 |
Zurich Family |
EA: Jul 31, GA: Sep 10 |
|
Q4’25 |
Store Release |
GA: Dec 4 |
|
Q1’26 |
Australia Family |
EA: Jan 30, GA: Mar 12 |
|
Q2’26 |
Store Release |
GA: May 1 |
|
Q3’26 |
Brazil Family |
EA: Jul 31, GA: Sep 10 |
|
Q4’26 |
Store Release |
GA: Dec 4 |
|
Q1’27 |
Canada Family |
EA: Jan 30, GA: Mar 12 |
|
Q2’27 |
Store Release |
GA: May 1 |
|
Q3’27 |
Denmark Family |
EA: Jul 31, GA: Sep 10 |
|
Q4’27 |
Store Release |
GA: Dec 4 |
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