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Release Plan Guide

This document explains the structure and purpose of the monthly plan.md files used to track proposed AL Copilot Skills for the AL-Copilot-Skills-Collection repository.

Folder Structure​

releaseplan/
  RELEASE-PLAN-GUIDE.md      ← This guide
  TEMPLATE.md                 ← Blank template for reference
  2026/
    04-april.md               ← One file per month
    05-may.md
    ...
    12-december.md
  2027/
    01-january.md
    ...
    12-december.md

Each year has its own folder. Inside, there is one markdown file per month named with a two-digit prefix for sorting (e.g. 04-april.md).

Alignment with Business Central Cumulative Updates​

Monthly plans follow the Business Central cumulative update (CU) cadence. Microsoft ships two major releases (waves) per year:

WaveGA MonthTypical VersionCU Cycle
Wave 1AprilEven major versionCU0 (April) → CU5 (September)
Wave 2OctoberOdd major versionCU0 (October) → CU5 (March next year)

Each monthly plan file header indicates the corresponding BC wave and CU number so contributors can target a specific platform version if needed.

Version Reference​

YearWaveBC VersionMonths
2026Wave 1v28.xApril – September 2026
2026Wave 2v29.xOctober 2026 – March 2027
2027Wave 1v30.xApril – September 2027
2027Wave 2v31.xOctober – December 2027

How a Monthly plan.md File Is Structured​

Each file contains:

  1. Header — Month, year, BC wave, and CU alignment.
  2. Overview — Brief description of the contribution cycle.
  3. Proposed Skills — One entry per skill proposal containing:
    • Skill Name — The folder name for the skill (e.g. bc-setup-wizard-generator).
    • Short Description — One-to-two sentence summary.
    • Target BC Version (optional) — The BC version the skill targets.
    • Status — Current state (🟡 Proposed · 🟢 Approved · 🔵 In Development · ✅ Merged).
    • Author — Full Name, GitHub User, GitHub Profile, LinkedIn Profile.
    • Co-Authors (optional) — Same fields as Author, repeated per co-author.
    • Motivation — Why the skill is needed and what problem it solves.
  4. Contribution Workflow — Step-by-step instructions for contributors.
  5. Summary Table — Quick-glance table of all skills and their status.

See TEMPLATE.md for the full blank template.

Contribution Workflow​

  1. Fork the repository and create a branch from main.
  2. Add your skill entry to the plan.md file for the month you are targeting.
  3. Open a Pull Request targeting main for plan approval.
  4. Wait for approval from the repository maintainer (@fernandoartalf).
  5. Develop the skill following the skill creation instructions.
  6. Submit the completed skill via a new Pull Request targeting main.

Status Lifecycle​

🟡 Proposed  →  🟢 Approved  →  🔵 In Development  →  ✅ Merged
     │               │                                      │
     └─ PR opened    └─ Maintainer approves PR              └─ Skill PR merged to main

Guidelines for Contributors​

  • One entry per skill. If you are proposing multiple skills, add a separate block for each.
  • Pick the right month. Target the month when you plan to have the skill ready for review.
  • Keep descriptions concise. The plan is meant for quick review, not full documentation.
  • Do not modify other contributors' entries unless you are listed as a co-author.
  • Use the template. Copy the skill entry block from the plan file or from TEMPLATE.md.