---
sourceDocument: Australia IT Service Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/it-service-management

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia IT Service Management

ft:clusterId :

    - itsm

bundleId :

    - itsm

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Work on a single product or service release

# Work on a timeline-oriented release for a single product or service {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Australia
* 
* Updated March 12, 2026
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 7 minutes to read

Monitor and work on a release that follows the timeline-oriented release process to release a single product or service.

## Before you begin

Role required: sn_dpr_model.product_manager or sn_dpr_model.release_admin

## Procedure

1. Navigate to WorkspacesDigital Product Release Workspace.
2. Select the releases icon (![Releases icon.]()).
3. Select a release from the list to open.
4. **Optional:** Select the Details tab and add or update the schedule in the Schedule list to account for holidays during the release period.  
   The list shows schedule entries that are of the type Excluded from the Schedule \[cmn_schedule\] table.  
   Note:  
   The selected schedule must be within the release duration (release target date).  
   The phase start and end dates are updated and the release duration is recalculated by considering the non-working days in the schedule. For more information on how schedules impact the dates of phases and release target, see [Holiday schedules in a release](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/veJgUxzKWcDCbfijQTVgZA "You can associate a holiday schedule with a release so that the phase and release durations are calculated considering non-working days.").
5. If the release isn't in progress, select Start release.
6. Select the Overview section to review and modify release details, get an overview of its status, or change its readiness target date.  
   For more information, see [Review and update release details](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/xD3ECPNuam~R0_~LETGtXQ "Review and modify the details of a release. You can also retarget the readiness date of the release as required.") and [Retarget a release](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/sT8em7L8mPuVobiIroEBBg "Change the release readiness target to reschedule the release period.").
7. Review the risk score for the current phase on the Release overview dashboard.  
   The risk score of timeline-oriented releases combines overdue task scores and policy failure scores, weighted by their respective importance. For more information, see [Risk score for timeline-oriented releases](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/qEEeSbTKdA6Jkb7y73O9Mw#dpr-risk-score-timeline-release "The risk score of timeline-oriented releases combines overdue task scores and policy failure scores, weighted by their respective importance. The weight or priority to overdue tasks and policy failure determines their urgency or impact on a release. The score ranges from 0 to 100.").
8. Select the Release scope section to review and update the scope of the release by adding or removing the product features and enhancements.  
   For more information, see [Update the scope of a release](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/wsqCQcHeXfKd_A9ZbHW8PQ "Review and update the scope of the release by adding or removing product enhancements, planning items, and related tasks like incidents and problems.").
9. Select the Configuration items section to review and manage the configuration items in the release.  
   You can add more configuration items or remove the existing ones as needed. For more information, see [Manage configuration items in a release](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/1k~xlb_RY2i01rwu8gqHQw "View and manage the configuration items (CIs) in a release phase. Use the associated CIs to manage change requests and tasks in the release.").
10. Select the Change requests section to review and manage the change requests in the release.  
    You can add new or existing change requests or remove the existing ones as needed. For more information, see [Manage change requests in a release](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/TVeibzCMqLh0RxmM5ROiQQ "View and manage change requests in a release. You can create and add new change requests to the release or add existing ones.").
11. From the Release form header, select the number under the Artifacts to manage artifacts added to the release.  
    For more information, see [Manage artifacts in a release](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/5UmA12YMlnKS0vh~9NRo8g "Add or remove artifacts from a release.").
12. Select the Release notes section to create and manage release notes for the release.  
    You have the option to add release notes manually or generate using AI.
    * To add release notes manually, select Add manually and then enter the release notes in the Release notes field.
    * To generate release notes using AI, select Generate.

      For more information, see [Generate AI-powered release notes for a release](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/AYGylgtUWmsx_Pk~ZFyaiQ "Generate structured release notes for a release using AI-driven summarization, reducing manual effort and improving clarity for stakeholders. The release notes are generated from the release scope.").
    {#dpr-work-release__choices_vml_r1g_jhc}

## Execute the release {#ariaid-title2}

View the release status and work on its phases and tasks, and policies.

### Before you begin

Role required: sn_dpr_model.product_manager or sn_dpr_model.release_admin

### About this task

Automated email notifications are triggered at key release life cycle events. Notifications are sent to relevant stakeholders when:

* A phase reaches its end date
* A release task is 2 days from its due date
* The release is 1 day from its readiness target
* A phase's state changes
* A policy is executed and resulted in non-compliant
* A task approval request is submitted
* A task approval request is rejected

{#dpr-work-release-execution__ul_z5w_25k_ngc}For more information, see [Email notifications in Digital Product Release](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/lotccMzp4fQnzmf2omf8EA "List of automated email notifications that are installed with Digital Product Release.").

### Procedure

1. Select Release timeline to view the release status and work on its phases and tasks, and manage key dates.  
2. Manage the progress of a phase in the release.
   1. On the Release timeline page, select a phase on the timeline or use the arrow buttons to navigate to the previous or next phase.
   2. When all tasks in the current phase are complete and mapped policies comply, mark the phase as complete by selecting Complete phase.  
      Note:  
      If any of the mapped policies is noncompliant, you can complete a phase only when you have any of the roles defined in the system property sn_dpr.complete_phase_override.  
      The state of the current phase is updated to Completed and the next phase is started. The actual end date of the current phase is updated to the current date.
   {#dpr-work-release-execution__dpr-work-substeps-14-t}
3. **Optional:** Select Release tasks to add tasks in a release phase for a product.
   1. On the Release tasks page, select Add task.
   2. On the Create task dialog box, add details for the task like its name, phase it belongs to, end date, and description.
   3. If the task needs approval, perform the following steps:  
      Note:  
      You can select whether the task needs approval when creating it. This option can't be changed after it's saved.
      1. Select Yes in the Need approval field.

         The Assigned to and Approval definition fields appear.
      2. From the Assigned to list, select the user who would approve the task.
      3. From the Approval definition list, select an approval definition to trigger the approval based on the predefined condition.
      {#dpr-work-release-execution__ol_vvg_kl4_12}
   4. Select Create task.

   {#dpr-work-release-execution__substeps_ws_dr4_11c}  
   The task is created in the Pending state and added to the selected phase.

   For an approval task, an approval record is created for the approvers to review and act. An email notification is also sent to them. For more information, see [Approve or reject a release task](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/RqaeZRlBsXYJMeRklhesxQ "Review a release task and approve or reject it.").
4. Track and manage the progress of tasks for the selected phase.
   1. On the Release tasks page, expand a phase in the list by selecting the expand row icon.  
      You can apply filters to view specific tasks or change the view type by selecting the Kanban or List option. You can also view only tasks assigned to you by selecting the My tasks toggle.
   2. Select a task to open in the Task details pane.
   3. Review the task in the Task details pane, or select Full details to open the task record in the form view.
   4. Assign the task in the Assigned to field to the user who will work on it.
   5. Review the approval status for an approval task in the Approval field.
   6. Update the State field with the status of the task that doesn't need any approval.  
      The state of an approval task is automatically updated when approved.
   7. Select Save to save the changes.  
      If you complete the current task and the system property sn_dpr.sequential_task_execution is set to true, the next task in the order moves to the Open state.
   {#dpr-work-release-execution__substeps_tgd_2n}
5. **Optional:** Select Release policies to manage mapping of policies to a release phase.
   1. On the Release policies page, review the mapped policies by their status.  
      Note:  
      Policies can't be mapped to a completed or cancelled phase.
   2. To map a policy to the selected phase,  
      1. Select Add.
      2. On the Map Policies dialog box, select one or more policies from the list to map to the phase.
      3. Select Map policies.

      {#dpr-work-release-execution__ol_jxy_zgj_hhc}

      The selected policies are mapped to the phase and are listed in the Policy Mappings list.
   3. To delete an existing policy mapping,  
      1. Select the policies from the Release policies list.
      2. Select Remove, and confirm.

      {#dpr-work-release-execution__ol_imr_hhj_hhc}

      Selected policies mappings are removed from the phase.  
      Note:  
      For an in-progress phase, if you remove a previously executed policy, the remaining policies are automatically run after its removal. The updated execution statuses of the individual policies are aggregated and shown in the Policy status field on the Details tab.
   {#dpr-work-release-execution__substeps_ld3_q4t_l}
6. On the Release policies page, select Run policies to run policies on the current phase.  
   All mapped policies are executed in the background for the current phase (In Progress state). You can check the execution status by refreshing the list on the Policies tab.

   A scheduled job runs daily to execute the policies that are mapped to the phase. The Execution status column on the Policies list for each phase is updated to show the
   compliance status after each run.

   When multiple policies are mapped to a phase, their execution statuses are aggregated into the phase's overall status. You can view this aggregated status in the Policy status field on the Details tab.
7. **Optional:** If a policy fails compliance, you can request an exception with justification.  
   Note:  
   This option is only available when both Digital Product Release and GRC: Policy and Compliance Management are installed.
   1. Select the policy that failed.
   2. Select Request exception.
   3. In the Request policy exception, provide the reason, start date, end date, and business justification for the exception.
   4. Select Request.

   {#dpr-work-release-execution__substeps_xnm_drn_jhc}  
   The exception request is sent to the Compliance group. For more information about the review and approval of exception request, see [Review the policy exception and extension request](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=review-policy-ext-and-extension-req-ws&version=australia&pubname=australia-governance-risk-compliance&ft:locale=en-US) and [Manage policy exceptions and extensions](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=manage-policy-exceptions-ws&version=australia&pubname=australia-governance-risk-compliance&ft:locale=en-US).

   After the exception is approved, the policy status shows as Compliant with exception in subsequent executions. The
   phase can be completed if all other policies are compliant.
8. **Optional:** Add or update key dates in a timeline-oriented release that should be in relation to the release target date.  
   These key dates help you define and track important events that can happen during the release period.
   * Add a new key date to the release:
     1. On the Release timeline page, select Add key date.
     2. In the Add key date dialog box, fill in the fields.For more information, see [Release key date form](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/XaAK38u6yNW1zqtnmZLCQA "Manage your release key dates for a timeline-oriented release.").

     3. Select Save.
     {#dpr-work-release-execution__ol_bc4_gby_12c}
   * Update the existing key dates in the release:
     1. Select a key date in the timeline bar to open the Key date details form in the side-panel.Alternatively, you can select the number under Key dates in the form header to view a list
        of key dates for the release, and then open a key date.

     2. On the Key date form, update the fields.
     3. Select Save.
     {#dpr-work-release-execution__ol_yr3_1by_12c}
   {#dpr-work-release-execution__choices_k3t_y1y_12c} {#dpr-work-release-execution__step-dpr-work-rls-keydate}
{#dpr-work-release-execution__step-dpr-work-rls-keydate}
9. Close a release after verifying its completeness.  
   For more information, see [Close a release](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ipUqaxVowIibxcN1hBem1g "Complete a release after all tasks have been completed and all phases are in compliance with the mapped policies.").
10. **Optional:** Cancel a release if it's no longer required.  
    Note:  
    Only users with the sn_dpr_model.release_admin role can cancel releases.
    1. Select Cancel release.
    2. Enter the reason for cancellation and select Cancel release.

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