A **Life Cycle Stage** is a standard attribute within the [[Foundation (CSDM domain)|Foundation domain]] of the [[Common Service Data Model|Common Service Data Model]] (CSDM), a reference architecture developed by [[ServiceNow|ServiceNow]] that provides prescriptive guidance on service-related definitions and data modeling within the ServiceNow AI Platform. A Life Cycle Stage represents one of the broad phases that an object moves through, from inception or procurement to operation and then to end of life, working in combination with [[Life Cycle Stage Status (CSDM)|Life Cycle Stage Status]] to uniquely specify an object's position within its life cycle process. Life Cycle Stages are defined by five [[CSDM Life Cycle Processes|life cycle processes]] depending on object type: [[Product Life Cycle Process (CSDM)|Product Life Cycle Process (CSDM)]] for [[Product Model (CSDM)|Product Models]] (Ideation, Design, Operational, End of Life); [[Tangible Life Cycle Process (CSDM)|Tangible Life Cycle Process (CSDM)]] for physical [[Asset|assets]] and [[Configuration item|CIs]] (Ideation, Purchase, Inventory, Deploy, Operational, Defective, Missing, End of Operation, End of Life); [[Intangible Life Cycle Process (CSDM)|Intangible Life Cycle Process (CSDM)]] for logical assets and CIs (Ideation, Purchase, Design, Inventory, Deploy, Operational, End of Operation, End of Life); [[Document Life Cycle Process (CSDM)|Document Life Cycle Process (CSDM)]] for [[Contract (CSDM)|contracts]] and documents (Ideation, Operational, End of Life); and [[Location Life Cycle Process (CSDM)|Location Life Cycle Process]] for [[Location (CSDM)|locations]] (Design, Operational, End of Life). Life Cycle Stages are not editable and are provided by ServiceNow to ensure data integrity, with only those choices appropriate to the object type being displayed on forms.