---
title: "Confused states - grey circle"
canonical: "https://support.appfire.com/space/CDML/649532620/Confused%20states%20-%20grey%20circle"
format: markdown
---
> Macro (aura-html)


## What are confused states?

Sometimes, a workflow state is displayed with a grey > Macro (inline-media-image)

 [state status indicator circle](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/650152863).

This can occur if you delete or rename a state in a workflow template; any associated workflows that were in that state are set as confused because the state no longer exists.

This can also occur if a new workflow is applied and has not been initialized on documents that previously had a different workflow applied.

> 📝 An invalid value for the `color` parameter in a **[state](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649531575)**[ macro](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649531575) can also cause a grey circle.

## How to fix?

It depends on the workflow application mode for a document:

In [space mode](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649531846), the workflow is applied across the documents in a space by a space administrator. You can fix the confused workflow state depending on your role and permissions as follows:

- [Workflow authors](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/648611901): Add the missing state to the workflow template – no more confused states!
- [Space administrators](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/650314379): For large-scale repairs – see: [Initialize States](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649827807)
- [End-users](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/648907144): For small-scale repairs, manually transition to a valid state using buttons in the [workflow state dialog box](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649659846).

In [page mode](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649628831), the workflow is added and applied to the document. You can fix the confused workflow state depending on your role and permissions as follows:

- [Workflow authors](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/648611901): Add the missing state to the workflow template – no more confused states!
- [End-users](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/648907144): Manually transition to a valid state using buttons in the [workflow state dialog box](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649659846)

[Space administrators](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/650314379) cannot change the confused state unless they edit the workflow on the page or manually transition the applied workflow.

## See also

- [Administrator state override](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649760835)