---
title: "Add a stage"
slug: "add-a-stage"
abstract: "How to add a normal or a linked stage to a multi-stage project."
---
# Add a stage

Stages, along with [milestones](https://doc.sitecore.com/ch/en/users/content-hub/add-a-milestone.html "Add a milestone"), are the main building blocks in a multi-stage project. Stages offer the basic project functionality, including content, tasks, a budget, and resources management, while interacting with other stages and milestones in the project. Stages have the same details page layout as [basic projects](https://doc.sitecore.com/ch/en/users/content-hub/basic-projects.html "Basic projects").

You can add multiple hierarchy levels to the multi-stage project structure by adding a:

- **Linked stage** - a linked stage is connected to other predecessor or successor stages/milestones. A successor stage's start requires completion of the predecessor stage.
- **Sub-stage** - a sub-stage is a child stage within a parent stage. A parent stage's completion depends on the completion of all the children stages.

[Standard operations](https://doc.sitecore.com/ch/en/users/content-hub/projects-and-jobs-operations.html "Projects and jobs operations") are available for stages.

To add a stage to the project:

1. On the menu bar, click **Project** > **Projects**.
2. On the **Projects** page, select the multi-stage project to which you want to add a stage.
3. On the project details page, click the **Timeline** tab, click **New** and select **Stage**.
4. In the **New project** dialog, enter the following details:
    - **Name** - the name of the stage. This field is required.
    - **Start Date** - the date the stage is to start. Click the date picker :mdiCalendarMonthOutline: or enter a date. Leave the start date blank if this project is going to be used as a template.
    - **Duration** - the duration of the stage in days.
5. In the **OPTIONS** section, if you want the stage to automatically start when the predecessor stages are finished and the stage status set to *In progress*, turn on the **Activate when all predecessors are finished** switch.

    > [!note]
    > This option only affects the automatic activation of stages. It doesn't prevent someone from manually starting a stage, even if that stage’s predecessor is set to **Not started**.

6. To copy attachments from predecessor stages, turn on the **Copy attachments from predecessor** switch.
7. To specify the status of the content copied from the predecessors, click **Add** :mdiPlus: and select the check boxes next to the statuses and then click **OK**.
8. Click **Create**.

To add a linked stage:

1. On the menu bar, click **Project** > **Projects**.
2. On the **Projects** page, select the multi-stage project to which you want to add a linked stage.
3. On the project details page, on the **Timeline** tab, next to the stage to which you want to add a linked stage, click **More actions** :mdiDotsHorizontal: and select **Add linked stage**.
4. In the **Add linked stage** dialog, enter the following details:
    - **Name** - the name of the stage. This field is required.
    - **Start Date** - the date the stage is to start. Click the date picker [date picker](https://mss-p-003-delivery.stylelabs.cloud/api/public/content/13b1b9529744437badc047705d0b7d67?v=28ada6ce) or enter a date. Leave the start date blank if this project is going to be used as a template.
5. In the **OPTIONS** section, if you want the stage to automatically start when the predecessor stages are finished and the stage status set to *In progress*, turn on the **Activate when all predecessors are finished** switch.

    > [!note]
    > This option only affects the automatic activation of stages. It doesn't prevent someone from manually starting a stage, even if that stage’s predecessor is set to **Not started**.

6. To copy attachments from predecessor stages, turn on the **Copy attachments from predecessor** switch.
7. To specify the status of the content copied from the predecessors, click **Add** :mdiPlus:, select the check boxes next to the statuses, and then click **OK**.
8. Click **Create**.