Acumatica Product Lifecycle Frequently Asked Questions [2023 Update]

Recently Acumatica updated some of its policies. So, we thought we’d take this opportunity to answer questions we often hear about how the company handles releases of new Acumatica versions and support.

What follows are answers to the Acumatica ERP product lifecycle questions we hear most often. Whether you are a longtime Acumatica customer or are just thinking of buying the software, we hope this will be useful.

Q. What types of product updates does Acumatica offer and how often are they released?

Acumatica releases both minor and major upgrades regularly. Typically, minor ones come out every 2 to 8 weeks and include the highest priority fixes. The newer a release is, the more often you’ll see minor updates.

Q. Do I have to implement each new minor update that Acumatica releases?

No, in most cases, Acumatica’s product lifecycle management policies allow you to work with your partner to decide if or when you will apply each minor update. Only in rare emergency cases will Acumatica mandate minor upgrades.

Q. What about major upgrades, do I have to implement each of those?

While not required, we highly recommend businesses keep their ERP investment in top shape with small, well-planned, frequent upgrades. Skipping or delaying upgrades can make the process more complex than it needs to be. Not only that, but you’ll also miss out on new functionality that could help improve your team’s productivity and business performance.

At a minimum, Acumatica recommends all clients update their software at least once a year. This helps ensure they’re not running a retired version.

Q. Can I test new updates before they become live?

Yes, for its SaaS customers, Acumatica offers 90-day upgrade preview sandboxes following each major release. That way, you can get to know the latest version before upgrading. It‘s also a good idea to use these sandboxes to make sure everything works as you expect.

Q. How long is each major release of Acumatica supported?

Acumatica fully supports each release for 20 months. After that, it retires them. Then, they are no longer updated, or supported. Clients using a retired version of the software will not be eligible to renew their service at the standard rate.

If you’re coming off a legacy ERP, a 20-month support cycle may seem short. But one benefit of using a cloud system is agility. By supporting only the latest couple versions, the developers are free to focus their effort on delivering a steady stream of new features.

Q.  Where can I find Acumatica release notes?

This webpage has all the details of the last five releases, including 2023 r1, which at the time of our last update to this article, was the most recent.

Q. What happens if I need help with a retired version of Acumatica cloud ERP?

Once they retire your release, you can no longer request support for it directly from Acumatica. Your partner may still be able to help you and self-help resources for it on the Acumatica customer portal may still be available.

Once you are ready to upgrade to a supported version, you may request Acumatica‘s help with the transition.

Q. I have still have questions about Acumatica product lifecycle or support.

To get more information on the Acumatica product lifecycle and support policies, visit this web page (requires login), or contact us. Our experienced ERP experts are well-versed on the ins and outs of the Acumatica product life cycle and can help you find the answers you need.