Update to a new release

To ensure you benefit from new features, improvements, and fixes, you need to keep your terminals up-to-date with the latest release. A new software version is released every month, after rigorous testing.

To get a new release, there are various update strategies to choose from:

• Update automatically: we push the new release to your terminals automatically. The updates happen during the night, and the terminals are updated in batches spread over a three-week period. From our side we monitor the transaction performance. This is the default setting for new accounts.
• Update manually: with this strategy you request and test a new release yourself. To update terminals to a new release, you need to contact us well in advance.

Release testing

Every release goes through rigorous testing:

• Phase 1, robot testing. We have over 40 robots performing test transactions in thousands of test cases with the supported terminal models in different integrations.
• Phase 2, manual checks. For example, we test upgrading and boarding, check all screens, and do many test and live transactions with various card types and card entry modes.
• Phase 3, beta testing. We push the new release to successive batches of terminals, including live terminals in various countries belonging to merchants who participate in the Flex Beta program. This allows us to monitor the transaction performance and the communication with acquirers and issuers.

When all test phases are successful, we consider the release to be stable.

Automatic updating

After a release is tested and tagged stable, automatic updating pushes the new release to your terminals. This has many advantages:

• The latest new features, improvements, and fixes.
• Faster support. If you need help from POS Support, they can immediately start looking for solutions. The terminal is already on the latest release, so there is no time lost with trying out whether updating to the latest release solves the issue.
• Compliance with the latest scheme regulations.
• Less risk because the steps from one release to the next are small compared to a manual updating situation where releases are skipped.
• Convenience. You don't have to do anything.
• No worries about missing vital updates.

How it works

We divide your terminal fleet into four batches:

1. In batch 1, we update less than 5% of your terminals to the newest beta firmware version to monitor its performance.
   If any issues are discovered, we fix them before releasing the first stable version in batch 2.

2. Next, at the start of a work week, usually within a few days after publishing the release notes, we push the first stable release to the terminals in batch 2. Unlike batch 1, issues discovered in this phase will not be fixed until the next firmware version.
   Ideally, batch 2 terminals are not the busiest ones but do process enough volume for us to monitor the performance, and are at a location where there is a back-up of other terminals.
   Batch 2 consists of 5–20% of your terminal fleet. For example, one terminal of each model per country and all test terminals. Or if you have a smaller terminal fleet with for example one terminal per store, batch 2 could be terminals in locations close to your headquarters.
   Another option is to include only test terminals in batch 2. This gives you about a week to try out the release before we push it to your live terminals in the next batches.

3. A week later we push the release to the terminals in batch 3.
   Batch 3 consists of 20–30% of your terminal fleet. For example, one terminal in each store, or all terminals in a store that had a terminal in batch 2.

4. A week after batch 3, we push the release to the terminals in batch 4.
   Batch 4 consists of the remaining active terminals and all terminals that are currently not boarded.

We never push a new release on Friday or Saturday nights or in busy periods. When we do push a release, the terminal automatically installs the new software after rebooting at the restart hour. The restart hour is configured in your Customer Area, and is usually set to 6:00 AM.

To update successfully, the terminal needs to be turned on and connected to your network for at least one maintenance interval (by default 180 minutes) before the restart hour. If the update fails, the terminal will run as before on the old software version. We will notice this, and schedule an update for the next night.

In case of unexpected issues, we can pause the update process or roll back to a previous release at any time. When you are ready to follow automatic updates again, you can contact the POS Support Team.

Manual updating

With manual updating you submit a request to our POS Support Team in your Customer Area each time you want to update a batch of terminals to a new release. Note that you need to submit such a request at least two working days beforehand. We recommend setting up a schedule with us for gradual rollouts, where terminals are updated in fixed batches with a fixed period between batches.

Unlike terminals that are updated automatically, we don't actively monitor terminals that are updated manually. This approach can be suitable for very specific integrations, but we'd need to determine that in a discussion with you.

Possibly the only reason your terminals are on a manual updating strategy is that automatic updating wasn't available yet when you set up your account. In that case we recommend switching to automatic updating.

To find out which update strategy you are following or to switch to automatic updating, contact the POS Support Team.

See also