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

# Projects, cycles & entities

> The workspace hierarchy where a conversion runs

A conversion lives inside a **project → cycle → entity** hierarchy. Set it up top-down.

| Level       | What it is                                                                                           |
| ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Project** | One client conversion — the top-level container.                                                     |
| **Cycle**   | One full practice run of the conversion. Each is faster than the last because ORCA remembers.        |
| **Entity**  | One Oracle business object (Worker, Assignment, Payroll) with its own template, mappings, and state. |

## Create a project

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start a project">
    Go to **Projects → Create Project**, type a **Project Name** (ORCA derives a short ID from it), and pick the **Source System** (e.g. PeopleSoft, SAP, Workday, ADP, UKG / Kronos, or CSV).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create">
    Click **Create Project**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Start a cycle

<Steps>
  <Step title="New cycle">
    In the project, click **New Cycle**, give it a **Cycle ID** (e.g. `cycle-0`), and choose the **Oracle Connection** the cycle loads against.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create and advance">
    Click **Create Cycle**. It opens in `PLANNING`; edit its status to move it to `IN_PROGRESS` and `COMPLETED`.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  The cycle **carries the connection** — everything it loads or queries runs through that pod. There's no separate "start" button; you advance a cycle by editing its status.
</Info>

## Add entities

In the **Entities** card, use **+ Add Entity** to pick from the templates loaded for this pod (Worker, Assignment, Salary, Payroll, …). Each row shows **Status**, **Files**, **Errors**, **Iteration**, and an **Attention** flag.

<Note>
  Oracle entities have a real dependency order (Organization / Location first, Payroll last) and the conversion respects it — but the grid does not render a load-order column today. Treat sequencing as consultant knowledge, not a screen.
</Note>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="The conversion lifecycle" icon="diagram-project" href="/orca/workspace/conversion-lifecycle">
    From POC to prod cutover across cycles and environments.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Inside an entity" icon="layer-group" href="/orca/workspace/entity-workspace">
    Source data, mappings, preview, run, and learnings.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>