---
title: "Initialize States"
canonical: "https://support.appfire.com/space/CDML/649827807/Initialize%20States"
format: markdown
---
> Macro (aura-html)


|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **[Document Management](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649827041)** | [Configuration](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649956239) | [Parameters](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649726501) | [Notifications](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/650119000) | [Import](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649627884) | [Clear History](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649791892) | [Support](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/650250352) | [Audit Log](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649530343) | [Data Refresh](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649859819)  
<sub>(Report Data Population)</sub> | [Attach Activity and Metadata](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649793583) |

<span style="color: #808080">Screen Location: </span>[Space Tools](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/650314379)<span style="color: #808080"> > Document Management > </span><span style="color: #808080">[Document Management tab ](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649827041)</span><span style="color: #808080"> > Workflow Action Menu (Ellipsis) > Initialize States</span>

> Macro (toc)

## Overview

This option, chosen from the ellipsis actions menu on a workflow in the document management dashboard, allows you to transition all content for the associated workflow into a specific state within that workflow.

![image](media://8ec203ca-796c-40d0-b0ba-80d908cf0525)

Select the desired state from the drop-down list and choose the **Initialize states **button. All content that the workflow is applied to will be transitioned to the selected state.

> 📝 The workflow must be enabled for the **Initialize states** button to be visible.

## When would I want to do this?

The most common use is after applying a workflow that uses [same-space publishing](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649794062) to a large amount of already-published content in order to force it directly into the Published (`final=true`) workflow state to ensure view-only users can access it.

## What are "unprocessed" pages?

When a workflow is first applied to a page in [space mode](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649531846), only the link to the workflow is created (and any page restrictions, if using [same-space publishing](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649794062), are applied).

The page (or blog post) itself won't actually transition into the initial workflow state, despite it appearing that way when you look at the [workflow status bar](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/650117676).

> ℹ️ If you look at the [Activity Report - Content](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/650119122) ([Document Activity Report](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649891440) in data center app from 7.0+) for such pages, there are no workflow-specific entries listed. These pages are referred to as "**unprocessed**".

<span style="color: #172b4d">Unprocessed pages may cause some unexpected behavior. For example</span>

- when the initial state has a due date or auto-assigned approvals, these are not displayed and potentially block the workflow from progressing
- if the initial state uses a [workflow parameter reference value](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649760641), the value may not be available for use until a workflow process, such as a transition, occurs

As soon as any workflow-related action occurs, such as changing states or working on tasks, new entries will be added to the [Activity Report](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/650119122) ([Document Activity Report](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649891440) in data center app from v7.0+) and the page will be considered "**processed**" by the workflow.

## Override current state

By default, only unprocessed pages will be affected when you initialize workflow states.

If you tick the **"Override current state" checkbox**, the transition will also be applied to content that is considered "processed".

> 📝 If the current workflow state of a document is the same as the selected state to **Initialize States**, workflow trigger actions related to a state change will not be implemented as these require a transition into the state.

### See also

- [Confused states - grey indicator circle](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649532620)
- [Administrator state override](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649760835)

| [‹ Back to Document Management tab](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CDML/pages/649827041) |
| --- |