Navigating AI (Now Assist) Suite store plugin updates
So you've upgraded your instance to a new patch or family release, and now its time to update the store apps. You go to the App Manager, find a plugin that needs updating and now you're presented with a dialog showing a long list of other related plugins that will be also be installed/updated alongside it. But how do you review and understand what else is going to change when you hit that button?
In this article
Why the suite version matters
Now Assist apps often depend on each other. A Now Assist suite version bundles compatible versions of those apps together, so they work as a set. This helps reduce runtime errors and upgrade issues.
The Application Manager uses suite versions to check compatibility. When you install or update a Now Assist app, you choose a suite version that app is compatible with, and the suite you pick decides which other apps change at the same time. Suite versions are separate from the app versions they contain, and an app can appear in more than one suite.
Source: Docs: Now Assist suite versions in the Application Manager
Step 1: Open the main release notes page
Start on the AI Suite release notes page on the Docs site. It lists every suite release, newest first, in a table with two columns:
- Release date: a link to the specific release page for that date.
- Suite version and compatible patch: the suite versions released on that date, each mapped to a family patch.
Find the row that matches the suite version you plan to apply, then click the release date link in that row.
Step 2: Reading the suite version numbers & dates
Each date is the release date of a suite build on the store. Every suite version on that row carries the same date stamp embedded in its number. For example, 28.9.20260910 has the date stamp 20260910, which is 10 September 2026. The first number is the family (28 is Zurich, 29 is Australia, 30 is Brazil etc.), and the second is the family patch (Zurich Patch 9).
The main table can show several labels, so here is what each one means:
| Label | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Release date | The date the suite build was published. Newer dates sit at the top. |
| Early Availability (Patch 0) | Early Access for testing only, not Generally Available (GA) yet. |
| Withdrawn | Versions that were pulled from that release. Do not select them. |
| Store updated date | When that release page was last changed. Check it if you are reading an older release. |
Step 3: Find your patch in the release
Once you have opened the release date page, follow these steps:
- Confirm the suite version on the page matches the one you plan to apply, including the date stamp from Step 2.
- Check that the family and patch are right for your target instance. For example, 29.8 is Australia Patch 8.
- Use the page's own search or the browser find tool (
Ctrl+ForCmd+F) to jump to the app/feature you care about - or on a cold day, enjoy the heat building up in your mouse scroll wheel as your scroll through the page. (its long) - Read the rest of the page for the changes that apply to your suite version.
Suites are cumulative. Each later patch in the same family includes the changes from the earlier patches in that family.
Step 4: Understanding what changed
Each suite release page has two tables that answer different questions:
| Table | Question it answers | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Table 1: New or updated applications | What is changing in this suite? | App name, new version number, and the release notes for that version, such as new features, fixes, or removals |
| Table 2: Application versions carried forward | What stays the same? | App name, current version, and the last updated date. These apps are included, but they have no new changes in this suite. |
How to use the Last updated date
In Table 2, a recent last updated date means that app was changed in a recent release. If you need more detail, open the app's own release notes or its listing on the ServiceNow Store.
Use the two tables together. Table 1 shows the work you need to plan for. Table 2 shows the apps that are not changing, so you know they will keep working as they are.
Tips and common questions
The same suite can appear on many dates
A suite version such as 28.10 can appear under several release dates. Each date is a new build of that suite, so choose the version with the latest date stamp that suits your environment.
Check the Application Manager
The Application Manager shows which suite versions are compatible with the apps in your instance. Read Now Assist suite versions in the Application Manager before you apply an update.
Avoid withdrawn versions
If a release page lists versions as withdrawn, do not apply them. Use the next available suite version for that family.
Release pages can change. Check the date in the page header, and confirm the details in the Store before you plan a production update.
