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

# Journey Lifecycle

> Follow a single client matter from creation through close — and how it moves between Avenues and Stages along the way.

A **Journey** is a single client matter. From the moment a prospect calls until the disbursement statement is signed, it's the same Journey record — gaining detail (medical records, damages, demand letters, negotiation history) as the case develops. This page walks through that life end-to-end.

\[Screenshot: A timeline visualization of a single Journey moving through Prospect → Pre-Litigation → Litigation, with Stage names beneath]

## Step 1 — Journey creation

A Journey starts in one of two ways:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="From an intake form">
    A potential client submits your firm's [public intake form](/intake-forms/overview). HoLaCe creates a Journey in the **Prospect** Avenue, drops the submission into the first Stage of the Prospect workflow, and assigns it (by routing rules or to a default user). The conflict-check runs automatically against existing Journeys in your firm.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Manually">
    A team member clicks **+ New Journey** in the dashboard. They fill out the basics (client name, contact info, incident date, type), pick an assignee, and submit. The Journey lands in **Prospect → Stage 1**.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

Every Journey gets a unique **Journey Number** (e.g. `J-2026-0142`) on creation — that's the human-readable identifier you use in conversations and billing.

## Step 2 — Working a Stage

Each Stage exposes a list of **Steps** (the customizable checklist defined in [Workflows, Stages & Steps](/case-management/workflows-stages-steps)). Day-to-day work looks like:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the journey">
    From the [Pipeline](/case-management/pipeline-view) or the Journeys list. The Journey detail page opens on the [Dashboard tab](/case-management/journey-tabs/dashboard).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Tick off Steps as you complete the underlying work">
    A Step might be "Records requested from St. Luke's" — check it once you've actually sent the request. Each check is logged with who and when.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Auto-advancement fires when all required Steps are done">
    The Journey moves to the next Stage automatically. You'll see a toast notification and the Stage badge in the header updates.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Some Steps are completed by HoLaCe itself — for example, when a medical chronology run finishes, its corresponding Step ticks off. You don't have to remember to check those.
</Note>

## Step 3 — Manual stage transitions

Auto-advancement is the default, but sometimes you need to override it:

* **Skip-forward** — the case is further along than the checklist reflects (rare; mostly for migrated cases). An attorney or firm admin can use the **Stage Transition** button on the journey header.
* **Move backward** — almost never the right move; preserves history but can confuse reporting. Allowed for `FIRM_ADMIN` only and requires a reason.
* **Force-advance with a note** — when a required Step genuinely doesn't apply to this case (e.g., no police report exists), an attorney can advance with a justification that's logged on the [Notes / Activity tab](/case-management/journey-tabs/notes-activity).

\[Screenshot: Stage Transition modal with the next Stage selected and a reason field filled in]

<Warning>
  Manual transitions are visible in the Stage Timeline forever — they're not "do-overs." If you advance a Journey by mistake, you can move it back with a reason, but both moves stay in the history.
</Warning>

## Step 4 — Crossing Avenue boundaries

Most of the lifecycle is Stage-to-Stage movement inside one Avenue. Three transitions cross Avenue boundaries:

| From → To                   | When it happens                    | Who triggers it        |
| --------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | ---------------------- |
| Prospect → Pre-Litigation   | Contract signed and case qualified | Attorney or firm admin |
| Pre-Litigation → Litigation | Decision to file suit              | Attorney               |
| Any → DNQ                   | Case closing without settlement    | Attorney or firm admin |

Crossing into a new Avenue resets the Stage to the first Stage of that Avenue's Workflow. The Journey's history, documents, contacts, medical records, etc. all stay attached — only the active Workflow changes. See [Avenue Overview](/case-management/avenue-overview) for the rules around this.

## Step 5 — Settlement and close

Inside Pre-Litigation (or sometimes Litigation), once a settlement is reached, the Journey runs through its terminal Stages:

1. **Settlement** — agreed amount captured
2. **Lien Negotiation** — medical and other liens reduced
3. **Disbursement** — the [3-page disbursement statement](/legal-workflow/disbursement-statement) is generated, signed by the client (DocuSeal), and funds release

When the disbursement is signed and funds clear, the Journey is marked **Closed**. It stays in your records — you can still open it, search it, and reference it for future related matters.

## Journey statuses

In addition to its Avenue and Stage, every Journey has a `status` flag:

<Card title="Active" icon="circle-play">
  The default. Work is happening on this Journey.
</Card>

<Card title="On Hold" icon="circle-pause">
  Temporarily paused (e.g., client unreachable, awaiting outside report). Doesn't auto-advance, doesn't fire reminders, but stays visible. Set a reason and an optional resume-by date.
</Card>

<Card title="Closed" icon="circle-check">
  Disbursement signed and funds released. Read-only by default — the firm admin can reopen if needed.
</Card>

<Card title="DNQ" icon="circle-xmark">
  The Avenue itself; no separate status. Journey is in the DNQ Avenue with a reason captured.
</Card>

## What auto-fires along the way

HoLaCe runs several automatic checks and prompts during a Journey's life. You don't have to set these up — they're on by default:

* **Conflict check** runs at intake and rerunds when the defendant or insurance company is added.
* **Statute of Limitations countdown** appears on the dashboard when the SOL is within six months.
* **Stale Journey nudge** — if a Journey hasn't moved in N days (firm-configurable), it surfaces in the assigned attorney's "needs attention" list.
* **Negotiation silence reminder** — if the adjuster has been silent past a configurable threshold after a demand or counter-offer, a reminder fires.

\[Screenshot: A Journey header with the SOL warning badge, the on-hold pause indicator, and the auto-advancement toast all visible]

## Where to go next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Pipeline View" icon="kanban" href="/case-management/pipeline-view">
    The cross-Journey view of everything in flight at your firm.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Journey Dashboard" icon="layout-dashboard" href="/case-management/journey-tabs/dashboard">
    The single-Journey landing page where day-to-day case work happens.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>