The ALMA product renewal and the rollout of WebALMA 5.0 will progress in phases throughout 2026. Our goal is to give all current CloudALMA customers the opportunity to transition to WebALMA 5.0 during 2026.
“This is not just a user interface refresh. It’s part of a broader change, as ALMA moves to a next-generation cloud service,” says Toni Penttilä, Director of Product Development at Vitec ALMA.
WebALMA 5.0 is a key part of this change, providing ALMA users with a browser-based, easy-to-use interface. By adopting WebALMA 5.0, customers will gain access to ALMA’s new features and views going forward. At the same time, they ensure they stay aligned with ALMA’s development in the years ahead.
Vitec ALMA ensures a controlled rollout through customer-focused service packages. In practice, we first deliver WebALMA 5.0 to the customer’s test environment, agree on the rollout schedule, and then move it to the production environment, including user training.
The scope of the rollout depends on how the customer currently uses ALMA. Vitec ALMA has grouped customers based on the extent of use and designed the rollout service packages accordingly.
“From the customer’s perspective, the most important thing is to act within your allocated time window, so the transition runs smoothly and the new interface becomes part of everyday work,” Penttilä advises.
There are three clear reasons to make the transition now.
1. Stay aligned with ALMA’s development
You will continue to gain access to new features, views and the new user interface in CloudALMA. Vitec ALMA is focusing its development efforts on WebALMA 5.0
“This also applies to customers who use ALMA extensively. The desktop interface will remain available for a long time, but new views and functionalities will be delivered via WebALMA 5.0 going forward,” Penttilä says.
2. The rollout is smoothest within your allocated time window
Vitec ALMA has divided customers into three groups based on the extent of their current use of ALMA: information management customers, maintenance customers, and customers who use ALMA extensively. Each group has its own service package, schedule and required expert resources.
“We’ve designed this to be as easy as possible for the customer: a ready-made package, a fixed price and a clear schedule. Once the customer approves the package, we can reserve the resources and carry out the transition,” Penttilä explains.
3. New features make everyday work easier
WebALMA 5.0 improves the tasks users perform in ALMA every day. The new interface makes it easier to search for information, find documents and manage maintenance tasks. Users can access the information they need faster and work more smoothly.
“The software is a tool for our customers. For example, a maintenance technician doesn’t want to spend time on the software—they want to get the necessary and important things done as easily and user friendly as possible,” Penttilä says.
We schedule the rollout of WebALMA 5.0 based on how extensively the customer uses ALMA in day-to-day work today. The more extensively ALMA is used, the more preparation, configuration and training the rollout includes. For this reason, customers will proceed in three groups.
The first group includes customers who use WebALMA more lightly, for example to search for and view information and documents.
The second group consists of maintenance customers for whom WebALMA is a daily tool — for example, for managing work orders, tasks, hours, notifications and inventory functions.
The third group includes customers who use WebALMA extensively across different functionalities and who often also have large numbers of users.
1. We deliver WebALMA 5.0 to the test environment
The rollout starts in the customer’s test environment. Vitec ALMA configures WebALMA 5.0 in the test environment so the customer can familiarize themselves with the new interface before moving to the production environment.
2. The customer tests the new user interface
Once WebALMA 5.0 is available in the test environment, the customer can log in, try the functionalities and get familiar with the new way of working. At the same time, Vitec ALMA reviews rollout progress together with the customer.
3. We agree on the cutover week with the customer
After the testing phase, we agree on the cutover week—the time when we move WebALMA 5.0 to the production environment. During that week, Vitec ALMA reserves the expert resources needed for the rollout and carries out the required actions in the production environment.
4. We move WebALMA 5.0 to the production environment
During the cutover week, Vitec ALMA performs the version upgrade, the required configurations and other production-environment actions. After this, the customer can use WebALMA 5.0 in their production environment.
5. We train users on the new interface
The rollout includes user training. The aim is to help users get up and running smoothly with the new interface and to enable them to benefit from it in their daily work.
Feedback from the first rollouts has been positive. Customers have especially praised the improved usability and how much easier it has become to find information. According to Penttilä, the transition has not raised major concerns when the rollout is delivered as a clear, end-to-end package.
“Feedback has been extremely positive from those customers who have already been able to test and use WebALMA 5.0. Customers have been pleased with ALMA’s development direction,” Penttilä says.