The repository must already contain a lifecycle. You cannot use Documentum Administrator to create a lifecycle.
To assign a lifecycle to a file:
Navigate to the file and select it.
Tip: You can perform this procedure on multiple files by selecting multiple files.
Select Tools > Lifecycle > Apply.
In the selection dialog box, select the lifecycle, the lifecycle state, and an alias set.
If you perform this procedure on a template, the lifecycle is assigned to all future files created from the template. The lifecycle is not assigned to files that have already been created from the template.