A lifecycle is a collection of sequential project phases. Each phase represents a collection of logically related project activities.
You can use a lifecycle in Oracle Projects to track the progression of a project through the lifecycle phases, and to provide visibility of this progress. You can associate the work breakdown structure in a project or project template with a lifecycle.

You can assign the phases in the lifecycle to the top tasks in the work breakdown structure. As the project progresses through the phases, the project manager can update the project to indicate the current phase for the project.
Oracle Projects is integrated with Oracle Advanced Product Catalog, to address the enterprise project management and execution needs for the product lifecycle management (PLM) solution. Lifecycles can be associated with catalog categories, items, and item revisions. Items and revisions can then optionally be supported by a lifecycle tracking project, which is used to drive the product through the lifecycle, and provides metrics such as project progress status through each lifecycle phase.

Assigning Lifecycle Phases to Tasks
You can assign a lifecycle phase to a top task. The following rules apply to assigning lifecycle phases to tasks:

1. You must associate a lifecycle with your workplan before you can assign lifecycle phases to the top tasks in the workplan.
2. If your workplan is associated with a lifecycle, you must assign lifecycle phases to each of the top tasks in the workplan. You can only assign phases to tasks that are top tasks in all versions of the workplan.
3. Each phase can be assigned to only one top task.
4. Once a top task has a lifecycle phase assigned to it, you cannot move it below the top task level, whether through moving, copying, or indenting. You can change the sequence of top tasks with assigned phases, however.
5. If you change the lifecycle for a project workplan or project template, the system removes all existing phase assignments to top tasks.