Updating Dynamics 365 v8.1 organizations to the latest version
Microsoft delivers new features and improvements to the Dynamics 365 (online) service through service updates that are periodically delivered to customers. To ensure our customers always get the best possible value, we recommend you update to the latest major version of the service when it becomes available.
Our update policy defines how customers move from one version to the next, and in keeping with this policy, all organizations running version 8.1 (two versions behind the current version) will be upgraded to Dynamics 365 (online), version 9.0.2. Here is some additional information on this update.
ACTION NEEDED:
Administrators of all Dynamics 365 (online) organizations running version 8.1 must schedule an update by May 18, 2018. The date for the update should be on or before July 31, 2018. You can find instructions on how to schedule and approve updates here.
If you do not schedule an update in the timeframe mentioned above, Microsoft will schedule an automatic update for your organization and communicate the dates. The automatic update would take place during your normal maintenance window.
Please review the frequently asked questions below for more details about this update and how to prepare for it.
Q: How long does the update take?
A: The length of the update is dependent on the database size of the organization, and you can check the status of the update by following the directions located under Update status on the Manage updates page. Microsoft will take necessary precautions to ensure the update will complete successfully.
Q: What is included in this update?
A: Your v8.1 organization will be updated to the latest version of Dynamics 365, version 9.0.2. This update contains several performance and reliability improvements as well as new features and capabilities. You can find the list of new features in our Spring ’18 Release Notes.
Q: What are the benefits of this update?
By updating to the latest version, you can take advantage of the number of reliability, performance improvements, bug fixes, and the latest features and capabilities that majority of our customers are already using. It is important that our customers are on the latest version for us to be able to deliver a great service and support experience. Updating to the latest version will ensure that you stay compliant with the Update policy.
Q: How can you prepare for this update?
A: If you are using any of the Microsoft Dynamics client components such as Unified Service Desk (USD), Outlook Client, Plugin Registration Tool (PRT), ADX Portal, Email Router, Outlook Client, Dynamics Connector, or any other custom component, you need to download the latest version of these components. You can find additional information and the supported versions for client components here.
Q: Does this update apply to customers who have deployed Microsoft Dynamics on-premises?
A: No. This update applies only to customers of our online service.
Please contact MSUPG@microsoft.com if you have any concerns or questions regarding this update.
