Webinar Recap- Generate Release Notes Without Versions Using Automated Release Notes and Reports App

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Did you miss our 18th February 2025 webinar on Generate Release Notes Without Versions Using Automated Release Notes & Reports?

 Not a problem! We’ve got you covered. 

 In this article, we will provide a summary of how the Automated Release Notes and Reports app (ARNR) can help teams automate their release notes without being tied to specific versions.

During the webinar, our host, Sujeet Pathak, Senior Product Manager, provided a detailed explanation of features, benefits, challenges, and pain points.

So buckle yourself up and watch the webinar now: Link

Key Highlights of the Webinar

1. Why Generate Release Notes and reports without versions

Many teams do not adhere to versioning or sprinting guidelines. Here are three common scenarios where traditional version-based release notes are ineffective:

• CI/CD Workflows: Teams that use the CI/CD approach release features as soon as they are complete, rather than waiting for a planned version rollout. This means that release notes must be generated dynamically without being tied to specific versions.

• Feature Flag-Based Releases: Some teams categorise releases using custom fields in Jira, such as components or labels. They use a particular feature flag to classify and release updates rather than putting problems under a version.

• Client-Specific Releases: Teams that create a base product and adapt it for various clients may integrate client-specific modifications into a single release. The challenge is to create unique release notes that segment these updates appropriately.

2. Challenges faced by Customers

When creating release notes without versions, several challenges arise:

• Manual effort: Teams must manually extract data, filter Jira issues using JQL queries, and format reports whenever they require release notes in the absence of automation.

• Hardcoded JQL Issues: Automation is challenging because many teams use hardcoded JQL queries in their templates. The query needs to be updated by hand each time a new dataset is required.

• Loss of Automation: If teams must edit templates for each release, they lose the benefits of automation, making the process time-consuming and inefficient.

To help teams overcome these obstacles, ARNR implemented two potent features: custom variables and spotlight issues.

3. Solution: Custom Variables & Spotlight Issues in ARNR

• Custom Variables: The Key to Dynamic Release Notes

Users can define dynamic placeholders for ARNR templates using Custom variables. JQL queries do not require hardcoding because the variables can be mapped to any Jira field. This is how they function:

• Instead of creating a static JQL query for each customer, teams can set up a variable.

• Automated Release Notes and Reports allow users to generate release notes specific to a customer by entering the customer's name into the system.

• This plan offers flexibility and automation, allowing teams to scale their reporting processes without the need for frequent template updates.

• Spotlight Issues: A Turning Point for Focused Reports

Customers of Automated Release Notes and Reports frequently asked for the capability to create a release note for a single issue. This used to be difficult with the JQL-driven approach, but now that Spotlight Issues is available, teams can:

• Create dedicated release notes for a major feature that focus on a single issue (story, epic, or task).

• Automatically extract multiple data fields from a single Jira issue and format them into a structured report.

• Remove the need for complex JQL queries to extract information for a single feature update.

4. Overview and Benefits of using ARNR Version-Free Release Notes

Teams can use custom variables and spotlight issues to:

• Save Time: Automate the release note generation process to eliminate tedious manual work.

• Improve Accuracy: Reduce the number of errors that occur when manually updating JQL queries.

• Enhance Flexibility: Create reports that are tailored to specific features, components, or customers, with no strict version dependencies.

• Scale Effortlessly: Maintain automation throughout multiple release workflows, regardless of methodology.

Conclusion

The constant change in software development methods will undoubtedly lead to a greater need for flexible documentation procedures. A big step toward flexible, automated release note generation is represented by features like Custom Variables and Spotlight Issues.

Automated Release Notes and Reports App offer a scalable, intelligent, and automated approach to release notes as teams move beyond traditional versioning.

Explore these ARNR features today to experience seamless automation firsthand!

Start automating with ARNR today! Watch the webinar now: Link