Lifecycle administration in Autodesk Vault simplifies project management by reducing the effort needed to organize and control groups of files, custom objects, or entire projects. This article explores how Vault Lifecycles help transition designs through different states efficiently.

Understanding Vault Lifecycles

A lifecycle state represents a specific stage in the lifecycle of Vault data, such as Work in Progress, Review, or Released. These states define how files are managed, accessed, and controlled throughout the design process.

Versions and Revisions in Vault

• Versions: Vault automatically creates a new version every time a file is checked in or its state changes, maintaining a historical record of modifications.
• Revisions: A revision marks a significant milestone in a document’s history, grouping related files under a specific revision level for reference and retrieval.

Lifecycle Definition and Transition Rules

The Lifecycle Definition engine automates security, behaviours, and properties for Vault objects based on their lifecycle stage. Administrators with the appropriate permissions can create and configure lifecycle definitions.

A lifecycle definition consists of states and transition rules that control an object’s movement through the process:

• States: Define an object’s status (e.g., Work in Progress → Review → Released).

• Transition Rules: Specify how and when an object moves between states, either manually, automatically, or both.

For example:

• A revision can be triggered automatically when a file moves from “Review” to “Released.”
• If a folder’s status changes to “Obsolete,” the lifecycle definition can restrict access, ensuring only an administrator can modify or restore it.

Setting Up Lifecycle Definitions in Autodesk Vault

To effectively manage product data, Autodesk Vault uses Lifecycle Definitions, which define how files progress through different states. This guide walks you through the prerequisites, assumptions, and steps to create and configure a Lifecycle Definition to fit your design workflow.

Prerequisites

Before creating a lifecycle definition, ensure that a Category is assigned.

• Categories allow you to automatically apply predefined rules and behaviours to objects.
• Any object not explicitly assigned to a category will default to the category set for that entity class.
• To create a category, refer to Create a Category in Autodesk Vault.

Assumption

A Revision Scheme must be assigned to the Category.

• Categories are linked to revision schemes, ensuring consistent versioning across files and items.
• To assign a revision scheme to a category, see Assign Revision Schemes to Categories.
• For customization, refer to Create a Revision Scheme to define versioning rules for your design process.

Revision management maintains consistency throughout the product lifecycle by applying standardized definitions and behaviours to files.

Steps to Set Up a Lifecycle Definition

1. Create a Lifecycle Definition

• Define a new lifecycle and link it to a Category.
• For detailed instructions, refer to Create a Lifecycle Definition.

2. Add Lifecycle States

Lifecycle states represent different stages in the design workflow, such as:

• Work In Progress (WIP)
• Design Check
• Review
• Released

Steps:

1. Open the Lifecycle Definition dialog.
2. Add new lifecycle states based on your workflow needs.
3. Assign a name, color, and description to each state.
4. Repeat the process to create all required states.
5. Refer to Add a Lifecycle State to a Lifecycle for details.

3. Configure Lifecycle State Security and Control

State Security (Security Tab)

• Define who can read, modify, or delete objects in each state.
• Control access for specific users or groups.

File Retention and Purge Settings (Control Tab)

To manage file versions, configure purge settings:

• All – No versions in this state are deleted during a purge.
• First and Last – Retains only the first and last version of each file.
• Last – Keeps only the last version.
• None – Removes all versions unless referenced by a parent file.

Check the Include existing file versions box to apply purge restrictions to previous file versions.

4. Define Lifecycle Transitions (Transitions Tab)

A transition occurs when an object moves from one lifecycle state to another. Example:

• Work in Progress → Released

Steps to Configure Transitions:

1. Open the Lifecycle Definition and go to the Transitions Tab.
2. Select a state transition and click Edit.
3. Configure transition criteria, events, and security settings.

Transition Settings:

• Criteria: Define conditions required for a transition (e.g., files must have an “Initial Approver” before moving to “Review”).
• Actions: Automate actions like bumping a revision when a state changes.
• Security: Set permissions to control who can perform a transition.

5. Assign Transition Permissions

• If only certain members can perform a transition, add “Allow” permission for them.
• If a transition should be restricted, set the transition security to “Everyone Deny”.

To assign role-based security:

1. Uncheck “No state-based security”.
2. Click Add to specify members with read, modify, or delete permissions.
3. Select members from the Available Members list and assign permissions (Allow/Deny).
4. For detailed access settings, refer to Access Control Lists.

By following these steps, you can streamline workflow automation, improve security, and ensure controlled data progression in Autodesk Vault.