Grab Your Skis: Salesforce’s Winter ’23 Release is Coming!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but new updates are so delightful! 

Wait – what? 

Even though many of us are still in the thick of the summer months, Salesforce’s Winter ‘23 release will be here before we know it! So we’re calling on all #AwesomeAdmins to mark their calendars for key release dates and to get ready for a whole new season of changes! 

Be sure to read to the bottom for some Winter ‘23 Sneak Peeks!

Key Release Dates 

August 11th: Get Early Access by Signing Up For a Pre-Release Org

On August 11th, admins can sign up for a pre-release org to explore all of the exciting features that Winter ‘23’s release has to offer. This includes access to a Developer Edition Environment where you can freely build, learn and become more comfortable with the upcoming release. 

Important: If you already had a pre-release org for Spring ’22, you can log back into that one.

August 17th: Review the Release Notes

Release notes will be live on August 17th. This is an important day to pay attention to as it will cover condensed but comprehensive descriptions of the new features that will be released. This will also include tips and best practices to ensure your success with the new release. However, release notes can be tricky to get through so don’t hesitate to get help from the Salesforce community! There are so many Trailblazer Groups available where fellow Ohana members break down key release features. Be sure to check out the Release Readiness Trailblazer Community Group where users can get updates, share favorite features, and ask questions about the upcoming release. 

August 26th: Sandbox Preview Starts 

Get ready to play in the sand! This will be your first opportunity to test all the new features without interfering with your live instance. As an added bonus, the sandbox works in accordance with your current working model, so you’ll be able to experience it in its most genuine form in relation to your processes. 

Important: Be sure to refresh your sandbox on August 25th BEFORE 6:00 PM (PT). During each release, there is a group of sandboxes which remain on the non-preview instance (i.e. the current release) while there are other groups of sandboxes that will upgrade to the preview instance. To ensure you’ll have access to the sandbox preview, be sure that you have an active sandbox on a preview instance before August 25th, 2022. For help with this, visit: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=000357271&type=1

Additionally: If you want to learn more about this process and why you should be on a sandbox preview, take the Get Early Access with the Sandbox Preview Trailhead module.

August 26th: Release Site & Release Module Go Live 

August 26th is a big day! Not only will you have access to the sandbox preview, but the Winter ‘23 release site will go live. This will include release highlights as well as Trailhead Modules to provide a quick and easy way to become familiar with all the new features this release has to offer. In addition, demo videos and community support groups will go live to help with a seamless transition. 

September 1st: Release Overview Deck (ROD) & Release Matrix Go Live 

Release Overview Deck (ROD) and Release Matrix are live on this day. ROD allows you to create internal training for users, review setup screens, and learn how to use the new Winter ‘23 features. The Release Matrix offers a quick insight into which features will affect your users. 

Release Weekends!

Winter ’23 arrives! Release dates are as follows:

• September 9, 2022
• October 7, 2022
• October 14, 2022

When your org updates will depend on your instance of Salesforce. If you already know which instance your org is running on, visit Salesforce Trust, select your instance, and click  “Maintenance,” to determine which release weekend the update will take effect. 

Important: If you don’t know your instance, click “Setup,” then “Company Information” within Salesforce to find out. 

September 20-22: Release Readiness Live at Dreamforce

RRL is hitting the big stage at Dreamforce’s big homecoming in September! For the first time ever, Dreamforce attendees will have the opportunity to learn alongside product experts and evangelists. Be sure to register for Dreamforce and create a free Salesforce+ account, because even if you’re unable to attend IRL, the event can still be streamed and will feature a one-hour deep dive into Winter ‘23’s highlights as well as demos from your favorite product managers.

Winter ‘23 Sneak Peeks 

While of course nothing is official yet, there has been some news of anticipated features for the Winter ‘23 release, which are as follows

• Flows will have an Out-of-the-box Data Table (BETA)
• Flows will have ‘IN’/’NOT IN’ Operators to Get Records, Delete Records and Update Records elements
• Flows will have Record Type filtering for picklists 
• While users will be able to edit existing workflow rules, they will not be able to create new ones – instead, users will now have to create new automations using Flow

Enjoy these final dog days of summer before Winter ‘23 arrives!

Follow Access Global Group on LinkedIn for more updates on Salesforce’s Winter ‘22 Release and Dreamforce: Go Big and Come Home