Lifecycle management

Work with lifecycles in the Administration Console to specify the processing for the types of item, Dimensions CM request, and baseline.

About lifecycles

A lifecycle consists of a number of states. You define these states and the permitted transitions that can occur between them. You also assign user roles to each transition.

Each lifecycle can be related to one or more object types, meaning that the object types are to be processed according to that particular lifecycle.

Use the Lifecycles section in the Administration Console to work with Dimensions CM object type lifecycles:

  • View existing lifecycles in the base database, or those for items, requests, or baselines.

  • Create a lifecycle from scratch or by copying an existing lifecycle.

  • Relate a lifecycle to one or more object types.

  • Edit certain lifecycle properties.

  • Edit the states, transitions, and associated roles and rules for a lifecycle.

  • View and manage graphical image files associated with lifecycles.

  • Delete lifecycles.

To open the Lifecycles section, go to Administration Console > Configuration Object Management > Lifecycles. For details, see Lifecycles main window.

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Guidelines for managing lifecycles

The following restrictions apply to lifecycles:

  • The role titles set for each lifecycle transition must have been previously defined, except $ORIGINATOR. For details, see Define roles.

  • A lifecycle can be deleted only if no object types in any product currently specify it.

  • A different lifecycle ID may be specified for an object type, or the lifecycle relationship may be deleted, only if no objects of that type already exist.

If the restrictions are met, the following guidelines apply:

  • The ADMIN group may update any lifecycle in the database.

  • A lifecycle which is not used by any product may be created, updated, or deleted by any user who holds the Product Manager role for any product.

  • A lifecycle used in exactly one product may be updated by the Product Manager of that product.

  • A lifecycle used in multiple products may be updated by a user that holds the Product Manager role for all the affected products.

You can modify an object lifecycle only if no associated items or requests are currently in a checked out or held state, respectively. If they are not checked in or saved, a warning is displayed "Item requires status in lifecycle which is not included in update."

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See also: