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Brief Connect v2.7.0 Release Notes

Release date: 2nd November, 2026

Package version: 2.7.0-rc.64

This release rebuilds column management and saved views on the dashboard. It also moves the Brief Connect backend to .NET 10 and the Azure Functions isolated worker model. It fixes issues in workflows, documents, SharePoint uploads, notifications, and dashboard export.

Improvements

  • Rebuilt column management and saved views

    The dashboard column management and saved views experience is rebuilt to be cleaner and easier to use. The dashboard no longer shows system-defined columns that display incorrect information.

  • Backend moved to .NET 10 and the Azure Functions isolated worker model

    The Brief Connect backend now runs on .NET 10, a current long-term support (LTS) version of .NET. The Azure Functions app now uses the isolated worker model, because Microsoft is retiring the in-process model. This change does not alter how Brief Connect behaves.

  • Clearer SharePoint recovery message on records

    If the SharePoint location for a record is not ready, the warning that System Administrators see on the record now explains what happened and what to do. The Show recovery actions button is renamed Show SharePoint recovery options.

    • If SharePoint setup failed, the message states that Brief Connect saved the record and that SharePoint did not create its location. The message tells you to open the recovery options to review errors and try again.
    • If SharePoint setup is in progress, the message states that Brief Connect saves the record and creates the location in the background. You do not normally need to act. If setup takes too long, you can open the recovery options to try again.

  • New plugin capabilities

    Plugin developers can now use two additions to the plugin API:

    • Plugins can read a stable field identity (internal name and field type) on People & Roles and Key Dates fields. Plugins can also read the record created date. A plugin can then show or hide a field based on when the record was created.
    • The GetContentTypeFields universal action now returns a groupsEnabled property. A plugin can use this to check whether a role field supports user groups.

Bug fixes

Workflow and records

  • Fixed an issue where records could not progress after you removed a user from an All Must Decide role. Will resolve issues with new records. Any existing records currently affected by this will need to apply a Workflow Override to unblock progress.
  • Fixed the All Must Decide timeline, which showed the user from the previous task next to the current decision-makers. Brief Connect sometimes marked that user as Decided.
  • Fixed record Admin users who were unable to edit Key Dates and People & Roles after a decision.
  • Fixed records where the Initiator did not receive the role permissions and had no access to the record.
  • Fixed the Role assigned column on the dashboard, which appended Initiator to the current role.
  • Fixed the workflow editor, which always edited the Active workflow instead of the workflow you opened.
  • Fixed Copy record failing on a withdrawn record.
  • Fixed the record header, which showed a different Information Security Classification from the dashboard and the Access tab in some records.
  • Fixed a text field named Timeframe that appeared as a date field in the Activity log.
  • Fixed the record edit form, which allowed you to select an invalid value in a multi-select field.

Documents and SharePoint

  • Fixed a stale document list that overwrote document signature instructions.
  • Fixed signed document renames that did not appear in the interface.
  • Fixed missing notifications after you upload standard documents, signed documents, or several documents at once.
  • Fixed the SharePoint file picker, which did not always show checkboxes or the selected state.
  • Fixed a regression where several SharePoint uploads to the same record at the same time failed with a folder conflict.
  • Fixed a record with a failed document setup that recreated a renamed file and blocked document actions.
  • Fixed an upload loop. If an Original Correspondence file name contained a + character, the loop started.
  • Fixed the loader that did not stop after you selected a template on the Documents tab.

Notifications

  • Fixed notifications that did not reach users who belong to a group.
  • Fixed notifications sent to a mix of users and groups, where only the users received them.
  • Fixed the document notification plugin, which did not show the correct recipients for a role that has a group.

Dashboard

  • Fixed CSV export of hidden dashboard columns, which exported blank values.
  • Fixed Cancel during CSV export, which did not stop the export. The export no longer continues in the background after you cancel it.
  • Fixed the dashboard header overlapping on small screens.
  • Fixed the people picker list, which was clipped in the role assignment dialog. This was a regression in v2.6.1.

Authentication

  • Fixed an expired delegated access token. The backend now returns 401 instead of 500, so the client can refresh the token and try again.

Upgrade instructions from v2.6.x

These instructions apply to environments that use Brief Connect v2.6.x.

Manual pre-deployment steps

Review release pipeline variables

Apply changes to pipeline variables before you create a release. Each release stores the current variable values at creation.

If you change a variable later, create a new release.

  1. In Azure DevOps, open your Brief Connect project.
  2. Go to Pipelines -> Library -> Variable groups.
  3. Review the variables for each target environment.
  4. Update the values where required.
  5. Save the changes.

Create a new release

  1. In Azure DevOps, open your Brief Connect project.
  2. Go to Pipelines -> Releases.
  3. Open the Deploy Brief Connect Application release pipeline.
  4. If no release uses version 2.7.0-rc.64, select Create Release.
  5. Set the Package Version variable to 2.7.0-rc.64.
  6. If the release needs a description, add one.
  7. Select Create.
  8. Refresh the page.
  9. Make sure that v2.7.0-rc.64 (n) appears in the release list.

Pipeline deployment steps

  1. Deploy the latest v2.7.0-rc.64 (n) release to the target environment from the Deploy Brief Connect Application release pipeline.

Manual post-deployment steps

No manual changes are required.

Smoke tests

After deployment, follow our Basic testing of Brief Connect guide.

Release-specific tests for v2.7.0

Deployment and data migrations

  • Verify data migration health - Requires: System Administrator.

    1. After deployment, open App Health.
    2. Make sure that ComputedFieldsMigration, DashboardStateFieldsMigration, StaleRecordDocumentCopyRetryMigration, and ParsedUserFieldValuesCleanup finish without an unresolved error.

    Expected result: All migrations finish without errors. ParsedUserFieldValuesCleanup runs only on MongoDB. On other database types, it shows as skipped with the reason "Not using MongoDB". This is normal.

  • Verify the backend after the .NET 10 and isolated worker changes - Requires: System Administrator.

    1. Open App Health.
    2. Make sure that no check shows an error.
    3. Create a record, open a document, and send a notification.

    Expected result: All checks pass. Record creation, document access, and notifications work as in v2.6.x.

Dashboard columns, saved views, and export

  • Manage columns and saved views - Requires: a regular record user.

    1. Open the dashboard.
    2. Open column management and make sure that only columns with correct information are available.
    3. Add, remove, and reorder columns.
    4. Select Save view and save the view with a name.
    5. Reload the page and open Saved views.
    6. Select the saved view.
    7. Change the columns again, then select Reset view.

    Expected result: The column order and selection persist in the saved view after reload. Reset view restores the saved columns.

  • Show the correct role in the Role assigned column - Requires: a record that moved from the Initiator to another role.

    1. Open the dashboard and add the Role assigned column.
    2. Find a record that moved to the next role.

    Expected result: The column shows only the current role. It does not add Initiator.

  • Export hidden columns to CSV - Requires: a dashboard with a column that you can hide, for example Role assigned.

    1. On the dashboard, hide one column.
    2. Select Export to CSV.
    3. In the export options, select all columns, including the column that you hid.
    4. Open the file.

    Expected result: The column that you hid contains the record values. No selected column is blank.

  • Cancel a CSV export - Requires: a dashboard with enough records for the export to take a few seconds.

    1. Start a CSV export.
    2. Select Cancel before the export finishes.
    3. Wait one minute.
    4. Check the SharePoint location where exports are stored.

    Expected result: No report opens in a new tab. No new export file appears in SharePoint.

  • Dashboard header on a small screen - Requires: a browser window narrowed to a phone or tablet width.

    1. Open the dashboard.
    2. Review the header and its controls.

    Expected result: The header controls do not overlap and all controls are usable.

Workflow and records

  • Remove a user from an All Must Decide role - Requires: System Administrator and an AllMustDecide step with two assigned users.

    1. Move a record into the AllMustDecide step.
    2. Remove one of the two assigned users from the role.
    3. Complete the decision as the remaining user.

    Expected result: The record progresses to the next step.

  • All Must Decide timeline attribution - Requires: three users and an AllMustDecide step assigned to Users B and C.

    1. As User A, progress the preceding step into the AllMustDecide step.
    2. Open the record's timeline and Activity view.

    Expected result: User A does not appear next to Users B and C. User A is not marked as Decided.

  • Edit Key Dates and People & Roles after a decision - Requires: a user with the Record Admin permission and a record where a decision was made.

    1. Open the record as the Record Admin.
    2. Edit a Key Date and a role assignment.
    3. Save the changes.

    Expected result: The Record Admin can edit both and the changes save.

  • Initiator permissions - Requires: a non-administrator Initiator and a role assignment that grants permissions to the Initiator.

    1. As the non-administrator, create a record and keep the Initiator unchanged.
    2. Find the record in My Records and in search.
    3. Open the record.

    Expected result: The Initiator has the configured role permissions. The Initiator can open and find the record.

  • Copy a withdrawn record - Requires: permission to copy records.

    1. Withdraw a record.
    2. Select Copy record.

    Expected result: Brief Connect creates the copy without an error.

  • Record header shows the same classification - Requires: a record with the Official (Sensitive) classification.

    1. Open the record and read the classification in the header.
    2. Open the Access tab and read the classification.
    3. Find the record on the dashboard and read the classification.

    Expected result: All three places show the same classification.

  • Text field named Timeframe in the Activity log - Requires: System Administrator for test setup and a record type with a text field named Timeframe.

    1. Update the Timeframe text field on a record.
    2. Open the Activity log.

    Expected result: The log shows the entry as text, not as a date.

  • Multi-select field validation - Requires: permission to edit records and a record type with a multi-select field.

    1. Open the record edit form.
    2. Try to select a value that is not in the field's list.

    Expected result: The form does not accept the invalid value.

Documents and SharePoint

  • Show the SharePoint recovery message - Requires: System Administrator and a record whose SharePoint location is not ready.

    1. Sign in as a System Administrator and open the record.
    2. Read the warning message.
    3. Select Show SharePoint recovery options.

    Expected result: Only System Administrators see the message. The message states that Brief Connect saved the record. For a failed setup, it tells you to review errors and try again. For a setup in progress, it states that no action is normally required. The button label is Show SharePoint recovery options.

  • Select several files from SharePoint - Requires: three test documents in SharePoint and permission to edit record documents.

    1. Open Manage Documents and select Select files from SharePoint.
    2. Make sure that each file shows a checkbox and a selected state when you select it.
    3. Select all three files and finish the upload to the same document section.

    Expected result: All three files upload without a folder conflict error and open successfully.

  • Rename a signed document and keep its signature instructions - Requires: permission to sign documents.

    1. Upload a signed document.
    2. Rename it.
    3. Add a second document to the record.
    4. Open the signature instructions for the first document.

    Expected result: The new name shows in the interface. The signature instructions do not change.

  • Upload notifications - Requires: a user with All Record Activity notifications enabled and a second user who uploads documents.

    1. As the second user, upload a standard document, a signed document, and several documents at once.
    2. Check the notifications of the first user.

    Expected result: The first user receives a notification for each upload.

  • Template selection and file names with a plus sign - Requires: permission to edit record documents and a template.

    1. Upload an Original Correspondence file whose name contains a + character.
    2. Select a template on the Documents tab.

    Expected result: The template uploads once. The loader stops and no upload loop starts.

Notifications and people

  • Send a notification to a group - Requires: System Administrator for test setup, a group with two users, and a group-enabled role.

    1. Assign the group to the role on a record.
    2. On the Documents tab, select the bell icon on a document.
    3. Select the role with the group and send the notification.
    4. Repeat with a mix of individual users and the group.

    Expected result: Each user in the group receives the notification. In the mixed case, both users and group members receive it.

  • People picker in the role assignment dialog - Requires: permission to assign roles.

    1. Open People and Roles.
    2. Open a role assignment dialog and search for a person with part of their name.

    Expected result: The full suggestion list shows and is not clipped.

Rollback

If the deployment fails validation or introduces critical issues, redeploy the previous stable package version from the Deploy Brief Connect Application release pipeline.

Update Azure resource configuration

  1. In Azure Portal, open the Brief Connect resource group for the affected environment.

  2. Open the Azure Function App resource and click Stop.

  3. Go to Settings -> Environment variables.

  4. Add or update these settings:

    • FUNCTIONS_INPROC_NET8_ENABLED: 1
    • FUNCTIONS_WORKER_RUNTIME: dotnet

  5. Save the changes.

  6. Return to the resource group, open the API Web App resource, and click Stop.

  7. Open Azure Cloud Shell and run the following commands, replacing the placeholder values with the names for the affected environment:

    az functionapp config set --resource-group "<resource-group-name>" --name "<function-app-name>" --net-framework-version "v8.0"
az webapp config set --resource-group "<resource-group-name>" --name "<web-app-name>" --net-framework-version "v8.0"

Deploy the previous release

  1. Go to Azure DevOps and open your Brief Connect project.
  2. Go to Pipelines -> Releases.
  3. Open the latest successful release that used the previous stable package version.
  4. Redeploy that release to the affected environment.

Start the Azure resources

  1. In Azure Portal, open the Brief Connect resource group for the affected environment.
  2. Open the Azure Function App resource and click Start.
  3. Return to the resource group, open the API Web App resource, and click Start.