> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://wey.io/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Releases

> Organize work into communicative timeboxes for stakeholder alignment

## Overview

Releases in Wey Roadmap are lightweight, named timeboxes that help you communicate **what** ships **when** to stakeholders. Unlike traditional project management tools, releases are designed for zero-friction planning — they're easy to create, safe to change, and hard to misunderstand.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wey/images/placeholder-releases-overview.png" alt="Releases Overview" />
</Frame>

<Info>
  Releases are optional. Items don't need to belong to a release, and you're never forced to create one. They're a framing device for your roadmap, not a rigid delivery container.
</Info>

## Key Concepts

### Releases Are Communication Artifacts

A release defines a "When" and a "What" without imposing project management overhead:

| Property        | Description                                                 |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Name**        | A clear label (e.g., "v2.5", "Spring Launch", "Q1 Release") |
| **Start Date**  | Optional — when planning or work begins                     |
| **Target Date** | The projected ship or GA date                               |
| **Status**      | `Planned`, `In Progress`, or `Shipped`                      |
| **Confidence**  | `On Track`, `At Risk`, or `Uncertain`                       |
| **Color**       | Visual identifier in swimlanes                              |

### Confidence Over Progress

Instead of tracking granular percentages or story points, releases use **confidence signals** to capture stakeholder-centric health at a glance:

| Signal        | Meaning                           | Visual   |
| ------------- | --------------------------------- | -------- |
| **On Track**  | Delivery is on schedule           | 🟢 Green |
| **At Risk**   | Some concerns, may need attention | 🟡 Amber |
| **Uncertain** | Significant unknowns or blockers  | 🔴 Red   |

<Tip>
  Confidence signals communicate certainty to stakeholders without requiring detailed status tracking on every item.
</Tip>

## Managing Releases

### Creating a Release

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Release Settings">
    Click the **Releases** option (flag icon) in the sidebar navigation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a New Release">
    Click **Add Release** and enter a name (e.g., "v2.5" or "Spring Launch").
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Dates">
    Optionally set a start date and target date to define the timebox.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Status & Confidence">
    Choose the current status and confidence level.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wey/images/placeholder-release-settings.png" alt="Release Settings Dialog" />
</Frame>

### Editing a Release

Open the Release Settings dialog to:

* Update the name, dates, status, or confidence
* Change the release color for visual identification
* Reorder releases by dragging them

### Deleting a Release

Deleting a release unlinks all associated items — they remain in your workspace but are no longer assigned to that release.

## Linking Items to Releases

Items can be associated with zero or one release.

### Assigning via Item Details

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open an Item">
    Click on any item to open its detail panel.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select a Release">
    Use the **Release** dropdown in the item properties to choose from active releases.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The release assignment appears directly in the item details with the release's color and status badge.

### Drag & Drop on Timeline

When viewing your roadmap grouped by Release, you can drag items between release swimlanes to reassign them.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wey/images/placeholder-release-drag.png" alt="Drag items between releases" />
</Frame>

## Release Roadmap View

Releases integrate as a native **grouping dimension** in the layout engine. Select "Release" as your grouping to see:

* **Swimlanes** for each release, ordered by rank
* **Ungrouped lane** for items not assigned to any release
* **Color coding** matching each release's assigned color
* **Timeline positioning** based on item dates

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wey/images/placeholder-release-roadmap.png" alt="Release Roadmap View" />
</Frame>

### Supported Views

Release grouping works across multiple views:

| View         | Release Support                                           |
| ------------ | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Timeline** | Swimlanes organized by release                            |
| **List**     | Items grouped under release headers                       |
| **Kanban**   | Columns or grouping by release                            |
| **Export**   | Available as a grouping lens in PNG, PDF, and CSV exports |

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Keep Releases Lightweight">
    Use releases for communication, not strict project management. A release name and target date are often all you need.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use Confidence Signals">
    Update confidence regularly to keep stakeholders informed. "At Risk" is more useful than a vague percentage.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Don't Force Every Item Into a Release">
    Backlog items, ideas, and exploratory work don't need a release. Only assign items when they have a clear delivery window.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Create Audience-Specific Views">
    Use the Release grouping in exports to create stakeholder-ready roadmap views that focus on delivery timelines.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Timeline View" icon="calendar" href="/docs/views/timeline-view">
    See releases as swimlanes on the timeline.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Export Options" icon="download" href="/docs/sharing/export-options">
    Export roadmaps grouped by release.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>