> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.kordless.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Book lifecycle

> The complete sequence from source to published version, including every state and transition.

The Book moves through a defined sequence from source to published version. Every state and transition is determined by the authoring and verification record — not by a manual toggle.

## The golden path

```text theme={null}
Source
  → Extract or construct
  → Clarify
  → Calibrate
  → Verify
  → Publish
  → Quote
  → Improve the Book
```

Import, explanation, supported starting points, and guided first-pricing setup are starting methods, not separate paths. They converge on the same first Test Book, evaluator, readiness rules, and Live publication contract. A user may combine or switch methods before publishing without recreating the Book.

## States

The Book is always in one of the following states. The state chip on the Book overview shows which one:

| State                  | What it means                                                                  | Next action                   |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------- |
| Not started            | No Book exists yet, or a workspace exists but has no draft and no Live version | Add pricing                   |
| Extracting             | Sources received; extraction is running                                        | Wait for extraction to finish |
| Needs answers          | Draft has open required questions                                              | Answer questions              |
| Needs calibration      | Draft has calibration cases awaiting a decision                                | Review cases                  |
| Needs verification     | Draft statements still need owner verification                                 | Verify rules                  |
| Verified draft         | Material rules verified; not yet published                                     | Preview and publish           |
| Ready to publish       | The workspace has passed its gates                                             | Preview and publish           |
| Live                   | A published version is in use with no open changes                             | None — the Book is answering  |
| Live · changes pending | Live, with an open workspace or pending proposals                              | Review changes                |
| Paused                 | Live execution is paused (billing pause); setup is preserved                   | Resume Live use               |
| Blocked                | The compiler reports blocking issues                                           | Resolve the blocking issue    |

## State transitions

### First-publish ladder

Before the Book is Live, it walks through the first-publish ladder:

```text theme={null}
Not started
  → Extracting
  → Needs answers (if required questions exist)
  → Needs calibration (if calibration cases await)
  → Needs verification (if statements are unverified)
  → Verified draft
  → Ready to publish
  → Live
```

The ladder is driven by the workspace's authoring status and the counts of open items. You can move between stages out of order — for example, you can review the draft, answer some questions, then go back to review — but the state reflects the most pressing open item.

### After Live

Once the Book is Live:

* **No open changes** → **Live**. The Book is answering.
* **Open workspace or pending proposals** → **Live · changes pending**. Review and publish the changes.
* **Billing pause** → **Paused**. Live execution stops; setup is preserved. Resume to return to Live.
* **Compiler issues** → **Blocked**. Resolve the blocking issues before publishing.

### Paused and blocked dominate

Paused and blocked override other states. A paused Book with pending changes still shows **Paused**, not **Live · changes pending**. A blocked draft still shows **Blocked**, not **Needs verification**.

## What each stage produces

| Stage                  | What exists                            | What does not exist yet           |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| Not started            | Nothing                                | No draft, no rules, no version    |
| Extracting             | A source has been ingested             | No structured draft yet           |
| Needs answers          | A structured draft with open questions | Not all questions resolved        |
| Needs calibration      | A draft with calibration cases pending | Not all cases confirmed           |
| Needs verification     | A draft with unverified rules          | Not all rules verified            |
| Verified draft         | All material rules verified            | Not yet published                 |
| Ready to publish       | The workspace has passed its gates     | Not yet an immutable version      |
| Live                   | An immutable published version         | No open changes                   |
| Live · changes pending | A Live version with proposed changes   | The changes are not yet published |

## The progress rail

Before the Book is Live, a progress rail appears at the top of the Book overview. It shows six stages: Start, Draft, Clarify, Calibrate, Verify, and Publish. The current stage is highlighted and each completed stage is marked.

The progress rail disappears once the Book is Live. The Live state shows a single next-action sentence instead.

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Provenance and authority" icon="shield" href="/product/reference/provenance-and-authority">
    How source, evidence, and suggestion are tracked and verified.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Versions and replay" icon="layers" href="/product/reference/versions-and-replay">
    How Book versions work and why Quotes can be replayed.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>