Introduction

A lifecycle defines how instances of a type move through a business process. It contains the states an instance can be in, the promote actions that move the instance between states, and the permissions and commands that apply while the instance is in each state.

Use lifecycles when records need governed progress, such as task execution, review and approval, exception handling, onboarding, asset maintenance, document control, or any process where users must follow controlled steps.

Lifecycle sections

Section	Purpose
States	Define the meaningful stages of the process, such as Draft, In Review, Approved, Rejected, In Progress, Completed, or Archived.
Promote Actions	Define the actions users or programs can run to move an instance from one state to another.
Permissions	Control what users can view, edit, link, unlink, delete, or promote while the instance is in a state.
Commands	Run configured outcomes during a promotion, such as updating attributes, sending notifications, unlinking instances, or running a program.
Usage	Understand where lifecycle configuration appears across types, forms, widgets, queries, and programs.

Core configuration flow

1. Create the lifecycle and add the states in the order users should understand the process.
2. Mark the starting state for new instances.
3. Add promote actions between source and target states.
4. Configure which roles can perform each promote action.
5. Configure state-wise permissions for viewing, editing, linking, unlinking, deleting, and promoting.
6. Add commands when a promotion should update data, notify users, or run custom logic.
7. Assign the lifecycle to a type from the Type Details tab.
8. Validate the flow with users in each role, including blocked actions and required comments.