# Defining Document Lifecycle States

Lifecycles are the sequences of states (_Draft_, _In Review_, etc.) that a document goes through during its life. For each individual state, you can configure various settings, including entry criteria, automated document actions, user-initiated actions, and user role permissions.

## Accessing Lifecycle States

Lifecycle states are visible and editable from **Admin > Configuration > Document Lifecycles > [Lifecycle Name] > States**. You can view or edit settings by clicking on the lifecycle state name.

## How to Create Lifecycle States

The following procedure outlines the process for creating a new lifecycle state and provides links to articles which cover specific aspects in detail. You can also create a new lifecycle state by [copying an existing lifecycle state][1].

To create a new lifecycle state:

1. From the **States** tab, click **Create**.
2. Enter a **Label** for the state. This value appears in the **Status** field for documents while they are in the state.
3. Optional: Enter a **Description** for the state. This value only appears in the **Admin** area.
4. Select an option from the **Workflow Cancel State** picklist. You can select any state configured on the lifecycle, **No State Change**, or **State in which workflow started** (default). See details [below][2].
5. Optional: Select **Do not execute entry actions for workflow cancel state** to skip all entry actions when a document enters the configured workflow cancel state.
6. Optional: If the state should not be active immediately, select **Inactive** in the **Status** picklist.
7. Click **Save**.
8. Optional: On the **States** tab, click into the new lifecycle state and set any necessary options for security settings, entry actions, etc. See details [below][3].
9. Optional: In the **Overlays** tab, [configure a conditional overlay template](/en/lr/52336/) to apply to documents in this state when users download the viewable rendition.

## How to Copy Existing Lifecycle States {#copylifecyclestate}

Creating lifecycle states from copies is useful when the two states differ by only a few configuration points. Once you've created a copy, you can modify the copy as needed.

To copy an existing lifecycle state:

1. From the **States** tab, click on the state name.
2. Select **Make a Copy** from the **Actions** menu.
3. Provide a name for the new state copy when prompted and click **Continue**. This value appears in the **Status** field for documents while they are in the state.
4. Click **Edit**, make any necessary changes to the lifecycle state details, and click **Save**.

## How to Reorder Lifecycle States

To reorder lifecycle states:

1. Click **Reorder**.
2. Click and drag a state using the small triangle in the upper left corner.
3. Click **Save**.

Vault doesn't include changes to document lifecycle state order in the [System Audit History](/en/lr/14341/#system). The first time that you reorder the [_Planned_ state](/en/lr/14560/#planned_starting) after you make it _Active_, Vault includes updates to the state's label in the System Audit History, but not the state's order.

## About Workflow Cancel State {#cancelState}

When defining each lifecycle state, you must make a selection for the **Workflow Cancel State** field. This selection defines which state to automatically move a document to if a user cancels the document's workflow while it's in this state. The default selection, _State in which workflow started_, moves the document to the state it was in when the Workflow Owner began the workflow.

For example, the _Review_ workflow moves a document from _Draft_ to _In Review_. If a user canceled the _Review_ workflow, the document could move back to _Draft_ if your Vault uses the default option or could move to _Review Incomplete_ if that was the defined **Workflow Cancel State**.

<div class="note-border alert-info">
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      <p><strong>Note</strong>: When the workflow cancels, Vault moves the document into the cancel state while checking entry criteria and performing entry actions for the new state. If the entry criteria is invalid, an error message displays. If the <em>Workflow Cancel State</em> is set to <em>State in which workflow started</em>, Vault executes any entry actions configured in this state. However, if <strong>Do not execute entry actions for workflow cancel state</strong> is selected during workflow configuration, all entry actions are skipped when the workflow is canceled.</p>
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### Entry Criteria & Entry Actions

As of 20R1.2, workflow cancel states check entry criteria and perform entry actions for the new state. If a document does not meet entry criteria, it will stay in its current state.

### Document Workflows

When canceling [document workflows](/en/lr/50493/), Vault uses the same state change logic as with a standard workflow. If users remove a specific document from a document workflow, the removed document goes into the **Workflow Cancel State**.

## Lifecycle State Settings {#settings}

The lifecycle state details page is organized into various tabs:

* **Details**: Fields related to the lifecycle state generally
* **User Actions**: Configured [actions that users can perform on a document](/en/lr/12339/) in the selected lifecycle state, including workflow start actions.
* **Security Settings**: [Permissions available to users in each role](/en/lr/2572/) for a document in the selected lifecycle state.
* **Atomic Security**: [Permissions available to users in each role](/en/lr/62043/) for a document in the selected lifecycle state; this tab is specifically for actions controlled by Atomic Security.
* **Entry Criteria**: [Conditions that must be present](/en/lr/12617/) before a document can enter the selected lifecycle state.
* **Entry Actions**: Configured [actions that Vault automatically performs](/en/lr/12399/) when a document enters the selected lifecycle state.

## How to Delete States

To delete a state:

1. Open the **Details** tab for the state to delete.
2. Click **Delete**.
3. In the confirmation dialog, click **Continue**.

## How to Disable States

To disable a state:

1. Open the **Details** tab for the state to delete.
2. Click **Edit**.
3. Select **Inactive** from the **Status** picklist.
4. Click **Save**.

If you disable a state that documents are currently using, it has no effect on those documents. The documents do not automatically move to another state and users can still access the configured user actions for the disabled state.

## Restrictions on Deleting & Disabling

In certain circumstances, you cannot delete a state. Most of these conditions also prevent you from changing a state's status to _Inactive_:

* There are documents currently using the state. _Inactive_ status is allowed.
* A workflow uses the state.
* The state is selected as one of the "special" states for the lifecycle (Starting State, Steady State, Superseded State).
* A state change user action exists to move documents into the state.
* The state is "standard" or system-managed, meaning that it is integral to processes in Vault. Inactive status is allowed.

## Lifecycle Stages & Stage Groups

Lifecycle Stages allow organizations to group document and object lifecycle states into ordered collections of stages. Vault then visually represents a document or object record's current stage in the _Doc Info_ page and object record detail page through the _Lifecycle Stages Chevron_ panel. Learn more in [Configuring Lifecycle Stages](/en/lr/52053/).

[1]: #copylifecyclestate
[2]: #cancelState
[3]: #settings