---
alias: user-guide-change-state-protocol-instance
description: "This documentation details how to modify the state of a protocol instance"
---

# Change Protocol Instance State

:lock: ProtocolInstance.**ChangeState**

## Overview

This operation is used to change the state of a **Protocol Instance**.

## Setup

No special setup is required other than to meet the preconditions of the transaction.

## Preconditions

* The Protocol instance exists, is active and is in the system state *Open*.
* If a role is defined in the current Protocol Instance Path State, the user must belong to that role.
* The new Protocol Instance state must be different from the current Protocol instance state.
* The new Protocol Instance State belongs to the Protocol Instance State Model.

## Sequence of Steps

### Step 1

1. Press the **Change State** button and select the next state of the **Protocol Instance**.
2. Optionally, enter a comment.
3. Click **Change State** to complete the transaction.

![Protocol_Instance_Change_State][Protocol_Instance_Change_State]

!!! note
	The **Change State** operation can be automatically triggered depending on the option selected at *Default auto state change behavior*. Please visit the [Protocol Creation](../create_protocol.md) section to find out more on this topic.

[Protocol_Instance_Change_State]: ../images/Protocol_Instance_Change_State.png