Summer ’15 is just around the corner and yesterday was the first big milestone when you, as a customer, get access to the Salesforce pre-release environment.  

Why do I need a pre-release org? Glad you asked! It’s a special environment that's upgraded even before Sandboxes, giving you new features weeks in advance of the release. It's not linked to your production org, so it won't have the same data or configuration and you can test without worrying about breaking anything.  

Sounds good, how do I get one? Sign up here and you'll get an email with a login to a new test org.

Let’s look at the rest of the key dates for Summer ’15 so you can mark your calendars:

April 23rd — Release notes available and release website updated

Dive into summer! Today, we switch the Release Site and the Release Notes to the Summer '15 release. Also, check out the Summer '15 Release Preview or watch the Release Videos that demo the key new features. Don't forget that the Salesforce Release Notes now also come in HTML format so that you can read them on any mobile device and quickly find the sections you’re most interested in.

April 24th – Your ideas “Coming in Summer ’15” on the Idea Exchange 

Starting next week, you can see which of your ideas are coming in the next release. You can also check what’s going into pilot or beta in the next release.

May 8^th and 9^th — Sandboxes upgraded

Check out our article about the Summer ’15 Sandbox preview which gives you all the options if you want to take part in the Sandbox preview. Just like the pre-release program, the Sandbox preview gives you the opportunity to test new features without impacting your live environment. It also allows you to test new features in a way that matches your production environment.

May 22nd — NA1 upgraded

The first release weekend is when we at salesforce.com and any customers on NA1 get upgraded.

June 2nd and 3rd — Release Readiness Live broadcast

Our Product Management team will be back for Summer ’15 discussing and demoing the new features live from our studio, so you'll see how those features work in real time.  Full details on agenda and timings to come in May on Success – Release Readiness 

June 5th — The second release weekend

This is when another set of instances — NA6, NA7, NA8, NA9, NA17, NA18, NA22 and EU5 — gets upgraded. Check out our Trust page to see when you’ll be upgraded. 

If you haven’t already, check out the new Trust beta site when you’re there — maintenance information is integrated into the individual instance pages for ease of use and the confirmed maintenance calendar looks 12 months forward.

June 12^th and 13th — The final release weekend

All remaining Salesforce systems will be upgraded over this weekend. This is also the upgrade weekend for any Sandboxes you’ve opted not to include in the Sandbox preview.

Mid-June — Release training available

At this stage, you probably already have your key features earmarked. Release training covers all the main features and is a great tool for getting your users up to speed on what’s new.

You can get more information on pre-release sign up and other release-related topics by joining the Success – Release Readiness group on our Success Community site.