Maintaining configurations and personalizations during updates

Personalizations and configurations override delivered code. This has the potential of impacting your users because it is possible for users to not see new functionality delivered in updated business class or screen.

When moving configurations between environments and especially before an application update, it is important to review and validate configurations in a test environment so you are prepared and understand the impacts and resolutions you will need in your production environment.

Before an update is applied, duplicate your production configurations and personalizations in a test environment.
1. Export configurations. In your production environment, select Administration Console > Configuration and Personalization > Configuration > Export Configurations .
2. Export personalizations. In your production environment, select Administration Console > Configuration and Personalization > Personalization > Export Personalizations.
3. In your test environment, select Administration Console > Configuration and Personalization > Import Configurations and Personalizations.
  
  Note: You can generate a file that lists all the configurations and personalizations in the import file. Select Administration Console > Configuration and Personalization > List Configuration and Personalization Manifest.
After the update is applied in your test environment, select Administration Console > Configuration and Personalization > Configuration > Verify Configurations.
Review your results.
If you have impacted configurations or personalizations, resolve or inactivate them in your test environment. select Verify Configurations until the results are clean.

You can use the Compare Against Base option when you view an individual configuration to assist in identifying code changes between your configurations and delivered updates.
While you are reviewing configurations and personalizations, remove personalizations that are no longer needed.

Remove personalizations associated with Actors that have left your organization. Navigate to Administration Console > Configuration and Personalization > Personalization > Purge Personalizations And Related Data For Actor.