Content Lifecycle

Content reaches a specific maturity state based on the business process criteria and conditions. The generic lifecycle used by most engineering content controls how users create, release, revise, and eventually, make content obsolete. An app can define extensions to the generic lifecycle. For more information, see the app documentation.

The lifecycle manages transitions of the content from its creation to when it becomes obsolete. The following graphic shows the generic conceptual transitions for content. The arrows between the states indicate the type of transitions users can make between the two states, and the required responsibility the user must have. The following chart uses the internal names for states and transitions. For more information, see your specific app user assistance.

*The category responsibility depends on the type of content:

Category Responsibility	Content Category
Leader	Resource
Author	Definition
Contributor	Evaluation

Content can be managed by two types of owners. A person with the Author responsibility who creates content is the owner (lowercase o) of that content. A person with the Owner responsibility (uppercase O) is the owner of the collaborative space. In general, an Owner has greater permissions within the collaborative space. Depending on the current lifecycle state of the content, the owner (who has the Author responsibility) can act on the content, or the Owner of the collaborative space can act on the content.

Content defined as Personal Management content has a single state: UNSPECIFIED. This content does not have a lifecycle and cannot be revised.

For conditions on changing maturity states, see Controlling Access to Content in Collaborative Spaces.

Previously referred to as Global Design Management, Engineering apps include:

• CATIA apps for design engineering disciplines
• SIMULIA apps for simulation engineering disciplines
• DELMIA apps for manufacturing engineering disciplines

Each domain defines the maturity states and transitions required for the content created within that domain.

Content is governed by these policies and can be seen in 6WTags, content properties, and so on:

• Engineering Resource (internal name: VPLM_SMB_Resource_MajorRev)
• Engineering Definition (internal name: VPLM_SMB_Definition_MajorRev)
• Engineering Evaluation (internal name: VPLM_SMB_Evaluation_MajorRev)

The policies use the following internal state names and transitions.

*The category responsibility depends on the type of content.

The following table defines the maturity state transitions (promotions or demotions) allowed based on the current maturity state of the content.

State Name	Allowed State Changes
(Conceptual Name)	State Content Can Move To	Transition Name	Who Can Make this State Change
Private (PRIVATE)	In Work	Begin work	Person who owns the content AND is assigned a responsibility (for example, Author) required by the category of the content (for example, Definition)
In Work (IN_WORK)	Frozen	Freeze	Person who owns the content AND is assigned a responsibility (for example, Author) required by the category of the content (for example, Definition) OR Person who is assigned Leader responsibility
	Private	Make private	Person who owns the content AND is assigned a responsibility (for example, Author) required by the category of the content (for example, Definition) OR Person who is assigned Leader responsibility
	Released	Release	Person who is assigned the Leader OR Owner responsibility
Frozen (FROZEN)	Released	Release	Person who is assigned the Leader OR Owner responsibility
	In Work	Begin work	Person who owns the content AND is assigned an responsibility (for example, Author) required by the category of the content (for example, Definition) OR Person assigned Leader responsibility
Released (RELEASED)	Obsolete	Make obsolete	Person who is assigned the Leader responsibility
Obsolete (OBSOLETE)	None	None	None

If you encounter an error when changing the maturity state in Collaborative Lifecycle, check that the collaborative space of the credentials used by Collaborative Lifecycle matches the collaborative space of the loaded object, and the responsibility is appropriate for the maturity state change you want to make. For example, an Owner is forbidden from making certain maturity state changes. If the collaborative space is different or if your responsibility is not appropriate for the maturity change you intend to make, you can switch credentials as required.

Any state names define in the Collaborative Spaces Configuration Center show in the language as entered—they are not translated into any other languages.