Stages Documentation

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261:releasenotes [2026/03/13 16:58] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1261:releasenotes [2026/03/13 19:37] (current) – Meier, Erich
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-====== Release Notes for Stages 7.12 ======+====== Release Notes for Stages 26.1 ======
  
-AI is transforming process management and the new Stages release 7.12 brings powerful new features that are enabled by latest AI technologies.+First of all, the version naming has changed. Stages release 26.1 is the successor version of Stages 7.12.
  
-Based on a process knowledge graph, which is directly derived from the modeled processes, Stages now contains as chat assistant that answers users' process questions without the need to search or navigate. A new data exchange mechanism allows the creation of APIs to bring process data to external tools or any other system that requires processes. New tool integrations and new reference models improve process execution and compliance management.+Please note, that Stages 26.1 is not yet a Long Term Support (LTS) release, but will become LTS later this year. Until then, Stages 7.11 will continue to be the LTS version.
  
-Please note, that Stages 7.12 is not a Long Term Support (LTS) release. Stages 7.11 will continue to be the LTS version.+The main feature of Stages 26.1 is that it uses a completely new backend platform. End users should not notice any differences, but modelers will benefit from faster data transfers, e.g. during process version creation or process module updates. Also, the new technology platform allows us to release future product innovations quicker than before.
  
 +**Release 26.1 is currently only available for Stages Managed Service instances.** On-premise usage will be made available later this year.
  
-===== Introduction Webinars =====+===== Enhancements and behavior changes =====
  
-To get a live introduction into the new features of Stages 7.12, click on the link to register for the intro webinar that fits best for your language and timezone.+=== Process interface handling ===
  
-^ Language ^ Region ^ Date and Time ^ Registration ^ +When process modules are integrated into other workspaces or whole processes are copied into new workspaces, the creation of process interfaces is now solely controlled through workspace collections. Only processes in any workspace collection of the current workspace are being searched for potential process interface target elements. If a target is found in multiple workspaces, multiple associations are being created.
-| English | Americas | Wednesday, Sept 24, 2025, 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM EDT | [[https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4548450256208315221|Register here]]  | +
-| German | Europe | Mittwoch, 24. Sept 2025, 13:00 - 14:00 CEST  | [[https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7602321812123123036|Register here]] | +
-| Chinese | Asia | Thursday, Oct 16, 2025, 03:00 PM – 04:00 PM CST | [[https://trust.ul.com/MTE3LVpMUi0zOTkAAAGc8NB4f7Fx44sw0aF_R42AWOf6R9eNjHgUmSgfpagDEFQF__3dew70Syr1jv7Y52CkqtNnito=|Register here]]  | +
-| Japanese | Asia | Tuesday, Oct 21, 2025, 16:00 – 17:00 JST | [[https://trust.ul.com/MTE3LVpMUi0zOTkAAAGc8NB4f_UsOIyDkTLkXFsPEDgdLAlgsCSl4bp_HNdztuJ_DV-LHHbb9KTbUP_djzik0ucNwRU=|Register here]]  | +
-| Korean | Asia | Tuesday, Oct 14, 2025, 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM KST  | [[https://trust.ul.com/MTE3LVpMUi0zOTkAAAGc8NB4f0XDlzwRV0LyR9vBtgT0A2KvepSmc823us_UVCMhTgJ2hLUEQJoZtNi-IZQr34sR29M=|Register here]]  |+
  
 +The handling of process interfaces via workspace groups and common element workspaces has been removed.
  
-===== AI Chat Assistant =====+As a result, process interface creation should be much more consistent and transparent.
  
-The highlight of the new release is the purpose-built AI chat assistant. Instead of navigating or searching for process content, users can simply ask questions.+=== Support for multiple SSO authentication providers ===
  
-The chat system is trained on the actual process models in Stages and utilizes a process knowledge graph technique that provides context, resulting in fewer hallucinations and greater attention to detail compared to other AI approaches.+Multiple SAML IdPs can now be configured. Upon first login, the users have to select the respective authentication provider.
  
-{{ :712:chatbot-answer.png?direct }}+=== Attribute handling ===
  
-The chat assistant can tailor its responses to align with relevant process variants – for example whether or not a target product is safety relevant – or processes that are tailored to specific programs, projects, or teams.+Custom attributes that were never set and have no default value in the meta model will now return ''null'' in the facade API. Previously, an empty String was returned.
  
-Users can gain further trust in the accuracy of the given answers by viewing evidence notes and links to the original sources of the defined processes. This makes finding templates, checklists, and other downloadable content very easy by simply asking for it.+=== Date handling ===
  
-[[chatbot|See here for more info on how to use the chat assistant]] and [[chatbot_config|see here how to configure it]].+Dates are now shown consistently with four digit years throughout the whole application.
  
-Please note that the metamodel needs to be enhanced for the chat assistant to work.+=== Configuration changes ===
  
-On-premise and managed services customers are required to provide their one AI subscription. Details on the subscriptions required can be found  [[:261:ai_privacy|here]]. Managed services customers can contact UL for an offer to use a shared AI subscription. +Config property "''operation.list.filter.types''" has been renamed to "''operation.list.exclude.types''".
-For technical requirements & technical configuration please find details [[https://doc.stagesasaservice.com/712/configure_stages#ai-feature-configurationchatbot-assistant-and-content-generation|here]]. +
  
 +**//TBD: are there other changes in config.xml, etc.? Multiple SAML IdPs?//**
  
-==== Supported AI Service Providers ====+==== Not yet supported features ====
  
-Similar to the existing AI-support for process modelling, the AI chatbot is implemented via Azure AI. Other AI service suppliers and local LLMs will be supported in future releases. Please contact us if you require working with different AI service providers.+TBD: Multilanguage support via export/import.
  
-For maximum [[ai_privacy|AI data privacy]], the Stages Managed Service can be configured to use your existing Azure AI subscriptions. If you do not have access to a dedicated Azure AI subscription, we are able to provide one.+This will be supported in a future release.
  
-==== AI Features On-Premise ====+===== Retired features and compatibility with older versions =====
  
-The restriction that limited AI-enabled features only to be available on Stages Managed Service has been removed. All AI features are now also available in on-premise installations.+Scripting changes (e.g. for reports, visualization scripts, etc.):
  
-Please contact the customer care team for instructions how to set them up.+  * Variables ''asCurrentUser'', ''currentMetric'', ''currentFolder'', ''currentCollector ''were removed and should be replaced by **//TBD//** 
 +  * Type org.apache.commons.collections.map.MultiKeyMap is not supported anymore and should be replaced by **//TBD//**
  
-===== Data exchange via REST APIs =====+User authentication:
  
-Stages 7.12 also allows to utilize aggregated process data in other tools. REST APIs can be customized for various use cases, providing the exact process model information required for a specific scenario. For seamless exchange, the JSON data format is being used.+  * LDAP synchronization: user authentication should be performed through Single Sign On via SAML 
 +  * SPNEGO/Kerberos and PKI SSO: was already deprecated in version 7.11, code has now been removed. Should be replaced by SAML SSO.
  
-This efficiently enables linking the Stages process models to other engineering data, for example through business intelligence platforms, and brings processes even closer to the relevant execution tools.+ZIP import support:
  
-[[collector_data_rest_api|Please see here for more information and examples]]. If you need support in creating APIs, the respective scripts, or in any other data access topic, please contact your Stages consultant.+  * ZIP exports that were created with versions prior to 7.6.1.0 cannot be imported anymore.
  
 +Database support:
  
-===== New and Updated Integrations =====+  * The minimum supported MySQL version is 8.0.1.
  
-With the new Stages version, process feedback from users can now also be collected in [[process_feedback_sharepoint_online|Sharepoint 365 lists]].+Stages V6 features:
  
-The process execution for IBM’s Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) system has been upgraded to include ELM v7.1.+  * V6 style deep links are not supported anymore. 
 +  * V6 legacy element types (''Article'', ''Category'', ''Ypuser'', ''Orgunit'', ''Resource'') and associations of these elements will be deleted from the database during upgrade. 
 +  * The "mandatory flag" for core process elements, which was only available through explicit configuration, has been removed.
  
-Similar to existing integrations with ALM and the configuration management system, work products in [[cms_confluence_cloud|Atlassian Confluence ]]can now also be accessed, managed, and baselined.+===== New and Updated Integrations =====
  
- +**//tbd//**
-===== Other Enhancements ===== +
- +
-A new "Copy Associations" operation has been introduced so process modelers can efficiently merge two process elements. This streamlines the elimination of duplicate process elements, e.g. when two roles need to be consolidated into one. +
- +
-Work product files that are stored in SharePoint Online can now be directly opened in the browser, which removes the need to download, locally modify, and upload such documents.+
  
 ===== Unified Configuration Metamodel Changes* ===== ===== Unified Configuration Metamodel Changes* =====
  
-Assemblies were introduced in a previous version of Unified Configuration to simplify the handing of work product groupings. A newly added assembly visualization shows the work products contained in an assembly, which improves transparency and navigation. +**//tbd//**
- +
-{{ :712:assemby-visualization.png?direct }} +
- +
-Workflows can now have accountable roles instead of responsible ones. This improves the transparency of roles being responsible for activities to be executed and roles being accountable that each activity in a workflow will be executed. Also, this improves the roles visualization because the difference between workflow accountability and activity responsibility is easier to see. +
- +
-For backwards compatibility, responsible roles for workflows are still supported, but using both for a workflow is discouraged. +
- +
-Various updates have been made to improve the consistency of element visualizations. +
- +
-For compatibility with Agile SPICE, the Automotive SPICE metamodel now has additional "Information" and "Interpretation" subtypes. A new "Chapter" subtype improves structuring of future Automotive SPICE reference models similar to the original standard documents. +
- +
-To improve consistency and reduce complexity, a new unified metamodel for reference models has been added, which will be used by future reference model versions. +
- +
-If you are using a customized version of the Unified Configuration, please contact your Stages consultant to plan an upgrade. +
  
 ===== New reference models available ===== ===== New reference models available =====
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 Please reach out, if you are interested to use one or more of the following standards in Stages. Please reach out, if you are interested to use one or more of the following standards in Stages.
  
-=== General === +**//TBD//**
- +
-  * ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023 Systems and software engineering — System life cycle processes +
- +
-=== Automotive === +
- +
-  * Agile SPICE 1.4.1 +
-  * ISO/PAS 8800:2024 Road vehicles – Safety and artificial intelligence +
-  * UN Regulation No. 155 Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles with regards to cyber security and cyber security management system +
-  * UN Regulation No. 156 Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles with regards to software update and software updates management system +
-  * UL 4600 Edition 3 Standard for Evaluation of Autonomous Products +
- +
-=== Aerospace & Defense === +
- +
-  * ARP4754B:2023 Guidelines for Development of Civil Aircraft and Systems +
-  * DO-178C:2011 Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification +
-  * DO-254:2000 Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware +
-  * ARP4761A:2023 Guidelines for Conducting the Safety Assessment Process on Civil Aircraft, Systems, and Equipment +
-  * DO-326B:2024 Airworthiness Security Process Specification +
-  * AS9100D Quality Management Systems - Requirements for Aviation, Space, and Defense Organizations +
- +
-=== Industrial === +
- +
-  * UL 1998 Edition 3 Software in Programmable Components  +
-  * UL 2900 Edition 1 Software Cybersecurity for Network-Connectable Products, Part 1: General Requirements +
-  * IEC 61511-1 Edition 2.1 Functional safety – Safety instrumented systems for the process industry sector +
-  * IEC 62061:2021 Safety of machinery — Functional safety of safety-related control systems +
-  * IEC 62443 Cybersecurity for Industrial Automation Systems+
  
 [[https://www.ul.com/sis/stages/process-compliance-management|See here for the full list]] of available reference models. [[https://www.ul.com/sis/stages/process-compliance-management|See here for the full list]] of available reference models.
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 Please let us know if you have additional compliance requirements. Our teams are ready to implement them for you. Please let us know if you have additional compliance requirements. Our teams are ready to implement them for you.
  
-===== How to Upgrade to Version 7.12 =====+===== How to Upgrade to Version 26.1 =====
  
-Please contact our customer care team to request the installer downloads if you run Stages on-premise or request an upgrade of your Stages Managed Service instance. In case of on-premise, please follow the [[:261:upgrade_from_711|upgrade instructions from V7.11 to V7.12]].+**Version 26.1 is currently only available on Stages Managed Service instances. **On-premise usage will be made available later this year.
  
 +Please contact our customer care team to request an upgrade of your Stages Managed Service instance.
  
 ===== Notes ===== ===== Notes =====