Welcome to the 2026 Annual!
The Annual 2026 brings together targeted improvements and optimizes existing features to help you work even more efficiently and comfortably. Many of these features will be made available in advance via the quarterly updates (current releases).
Annual 2026 – All features presented in the webinar
As with the Annual 2025, we’ve once again taken the opportunity this year to present all the new features and functions of the Annual 2026 in an exclusive webinar (in German only).
Look forward to around 45 minutes packed with concise explanations, practical insights and short videos that clearly demonstrate the new features. We have put a great deal of time and passion into the preparation and look forward to your feedback.
All the content and features from the Annual 2026 webinar are also explained in detail in text form in this article.
Did you know?
The release calendar provides timely information on upcoming Current and Annual releases of d.velop documents. Click on a completed release for detailed information on the improvements and bug fixes implemented.
You can find the release calendar in the d.velop service portal under Products > Release Calendar. Or simply click on the following link: Release Calendar
Product newsletter:
Once a quarter, we send out a product newsletter covering updates and changes to our products.
You can subscribe here: https://www.d-velop.de/ueber-d-velop/newsletter
Please note: Under the GDPR, we may only contact you with your consent, so you must register for the product newsletter once and confirm your consent via the DOI link in the email.
Greater transparency down to the last detail:
Once you have selected a software version, the release calendar in the service portal gives you direct access to the technical changelogs – including all bug fixes. This allows you to keep track of changes, optimizations and further developments at all times.
https://serviceportal.d-velop.de/de/release-calendar
What’s new in Annual 2026:
New dashboard:
The dashboard adapts dynamically to different window sizes and automatically arranges widgets optimally. This way you always keep an overview across different devices and screen sizes.
Layouts can be centrally distributed in the dashboard management, imported and exported as well as defined as default for users and user groups. This makes administration more efficient and ensures a uniform usage experience more easily. Additionally, the limit of manageable dashboards has been increased to 50.
Administrators can control the visibility of widgets specifically for individual users or user groups – also for self-created widgets. This allows dashboards to be tailored even more precisely to different requirements. In addition, the widget catalog is now searchable when creating new dashboards, so that suitable content can be found faster. Own widgets can also be created in multiple languages.
The drop zones in the area of the import widget are now displayed permanently visible. This makes the operation more intuitive and upload areas can be recognized and used faster.
Navigation:
By a longer click on the navigation arrow within the d.velop interface, you can now not only return to the previous page but also directly access recently visited pages.
The user flow in various areas has been fundamentally optimized. Actions and context actions are now displayed more clearly grouped, making frequently used functions easier to access. New “overflow” menus in result lists provide a more efficient display and processing of documents.
The designation in the context menu has been changed from “Remove from file” to “Detach from file”. This makes the function more understandable and provides more security and clarity in the application.
Global notification banner:
Administrators can now store a global notification banner directly in the configuration. This makes it possible to communicate important information, for example about planned software updates or maintenance windows, in a targeted and visible manner to all users. Even after hiding, the notice is displayed again when the system is reopened.
Absence settings:
The absence settings have been extended and now offer more flexibility and better control options:
- Notifications to substitutes can be specifically activated or deactivated
- In absence messages, specifying a substitute can be made mandatory
- Administrators can define a group that may centrally manage absences for all user accounts
This makes substitution regulations more transparent, processes more uniform and significantly simplifies administrative tasks.
Monitoring: d.ecs monitor:
In the d.ecs monitor, processes and logs can now be deleted collectively via multiple selection. This allows cleanup and administration tasks to be carried out much faster and more efficiently.
Document Management & Viewing (d.velop documents)
• Bulk editing: With the new bulk editing feature, properties such as responsibilities, status, or tags can now be adjusted for up to 50 documents and files at the same time. It is also possible to delete multiple items in batches. Thanks to asynchronous processing in the background, you can continue working without interruption and noticeably save time on recurring administrative tasks.
• Properties can now also be adjusted in the “Approval” status. This keeps processes more flexible and allows necessary changes to be implemented more quickly without interrupting the workflow.
• Preview and “undocking”: Comments and annotations can now be inserted and edited directly in the document preview within result and file lists. This enables information to be captured more quickly and coordination to be carried out more efficiently. In addition, the new undocking feature allows the preview area to be moved into a separate window—ideal for productive work on multiple monitors.
• Enhanced comment and redlining tools:
The comment and redlining tools have been comprehensively enhanced, making collaboration and the editing of sensitive documents even more efficient and secure.
• More control over comments: The write protection of comments can now be removed afterward by the creator or administrators.
• Audit-proof merging: Comments can be permanently embedded into PDFs. A new version is automatically created so that changes remain traceable.
• Secure redaction of sensitive content: Confidential information can not only be visually covered but also completely removed, including the underlying OCR text (creates a new version or a new document).
• Faster work with annotations: Elements such as rectangles, stamps, or arrows can be used multiple times in succession without having to select them again each time.
• Direct editing in the preview: Functions such as write protection, merging, redaction, and general comments will also be available directly in the preview within the result list.
This makes review, approval, and coordination processes significantly more convenient, secure, and efficient.
• Local editing by default: Direct editing of files from the DMS in local applications such as Word is now part of the standard feature set.
This allows documents to be edited conveniently in the familiar working environment without additional integrations or workarounds. At the same time, the elimination of additional login dialogs as well as an integrated eTag check ensure a smoother and more secure workflow by preventing duplicate edits.
• Viewer updates: The viewer has been significantly enhanced and now supports additional file formats such as JPG, TIFF, HEIC and HEIF. At the same time, the scrolling behavior can be customized individually—both in the web client and in d.velop mobile, for example with smooth scrolling, page view, or double-page mode.
In addition, local D3L files as well as d.3 links can now be opened directly in the web client. This makes working with different document formats more flexible, convenient, and efficient.
Task Management (Task App)
The Task App has been expanded and optimized in many areas to make daily task processing even more flexible, clear, and efficient. Individual customization options, simplified processing workflows, and new functions for planning and managing tasks provide greater convenience in everyday work and support more productive collaboration.
• Individual layouts: The column layout (width, grouping) can now be permanently saved in the database per task list. All task groups can be expanded or collapsed with a single click.
• Single processing & tabs: If the option “Process tasks individually” is active, the system returns to the overview after completing a task instead of opening the next one. Task lists can also be opened in new tabs.
• Resubmission (“Edit later”): Tasks can be assigned a new delivery date. They disappear into “My planned tasks” and only become active again on the due date (early processing remains possible).
• Create, modify, delete: Self-created tasks can be edited later or deleted via the interface (also by admins in another user’s inbox). The limit for mass forwarding has been removed.
• Recipients and service users: Recipient groups can be restricted by group types. Technical user accounts can be configured as service users for API access.
• Inbox app deprecation: With Current Q1.2026 / Annual 2026, support for the on-premises Inbox app will end in favor of the Task App.
⚙️ Process Automation (d.velop process studio)
The d.velop process studio has been comprehensively modernized to make the development and management of automations even more intuitive, efficient, and powerful. New convenience features, intelligent AI support (hybrid usage required), and extended options for structuring and automating processes simplify daily work and create greater transparency and productivity in process development.
• New design and full-screen mode: The studio appears in a new, fresh, and more streamlined look. A key highlight is the new full-screen mode, which can be activated via a button in the top right and maximizes the workspace (e.g., for the script or form editor). From a technological perspective, "Operaton" is now used as the modern standard foundation.
• Automations as a wrapper: Functionally related elements such as processes, scripts, forms, and rules can now be bundled into higher-level “automations” (e.g., “leave request”). These can be documented in Markdown format, exported/imported, and pinned (pin icon) for quick access.
• AI assistant: An AI helper (based on d.velop pilot) in the form and script editor generates JavaScript/CSS code, analyzes errors, provides a code comparison view, and automatically integrates NPM packages.
• Events and impersonation:
o Processes can now be automatically triggered directly by system events (e.g., document import, task completion).
o Impersonation: Individual actions can be executed specifically in the context of certain technical users. The new variable dv_completion_user always provides the user account of the previous step.
• Scripts, forms & engine: The studio now supports searching for form IDs and Ctrl+Z. There is a new header component, a collaboration view (shows who is editing the form), and the formInit function. In scripts, certificates can be loaded directly from the Windows certificate store.
• Ease of use: Filters and sorting in lists are stored within the browser session. The browser tab displays the exact current studio area as its title.
• Permissions & EoL: Permissions (administration, usage, migration) are configured centrally on one page. d.velop kickstart4process will reach its end-of-life on January 31, 2027.
🤝 Integrations, Import & Mobile
The latest enhancements around integration, import, and mobile usage ensure even more seamless workflows in digital document management. Processes can be controlled without media disruptions, content can be integrated more easily into existing work environments, and documents can be processed faster and more conveniently both on desktop and on mobile devices.
• d.velop sign: In hybrid systems, signature processes (for internal signatures or external parties) can now be started, managed, and automatically versioned directly from the d.velop documents interface without media disruption.
• Microsoft Teams & Outlook: d.velop content can be integrated as dedicated tabs in Microsoft Teams. In Outlook, filing templates are now available for the “Send and file” function.
• Import (Inbound App): Import widgets can now include up to four permanent drop zones. Individual pages can be moved via drag & drop within or between batches. Automatic document separation now also works with changing barcode values.
• d.velop mobile: The app offers a new collapsible tab and sidebar for iOS 18, an improved display of the offline area, and generally faster search functionality.
🛠 Administration & Infrastructure
The latest enhancements strengthen security, migration, and system operations alike, helping organizations position their d.velop environment in a future-proof, high-performance, and flexible way. New security features, optimized cloud migration processes, as well as expanded infrastructure and system support ensure greater stability, transparency, and efficiency in daily operations.
• Cloud Migration Tool: The now certified tool (“d.velop cloud migration”) migrates on-premises data to the cloud via EXE connector. A new feature is the “correctness check,” which validates metadata for errors immediately after upload to the cloud.
• Security: Login now supports 2FA (including FIDO2) as well as domain-specific identity providers with a dedicated logout page. Administrators can temporarily grant access to user accounts for support purposes or restrict their visibility based on departments.
• Infrastructure & system support: The HTTP Gateway app switches from Apache to Microsoft YARP. For on-premises apps, NATS is established as a high-performance notification system. Official support is provided for Microsoft SQL Server 2025, HCL Domino/Notes 14, and Citrix 2507 LTSR. A “protected mode” secures data transfers between environments.
• Further deprecations (EoL): Installation packages for the old d.3 smart explorer are being removed.
The d.3 user provider will be discontinued by March 2027 and replaced by d.velop user management. As an interim solution, it can only be created via command-line command.