---
schema_version: "1"
id: b55180939a153043ddd2d1f527cb1bafc6f20e8a463bd5c20e06c5af89ac2804
title: Specify a Branch for a Pipeline Stage
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/devops_center_specify_branch.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.devops_center_specify_branch.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 68a7b0b7c92e38cc3e12868822ccb717ffc1186a582bdd34c3edf758ad2d8693
description: Each pipeline stage in Lifecycle Center has an associated branch in your source control repository that contains the changes for your team's work items. When you build your pipeline, let Lifecycle Center create a branch for a stage, or specify an existing branch in the repository.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
release: "264"
---
# Specify a Branch for a Pipeline Stage

Each pipeline stage in Lifecycle Center has an associated branch in your source control repository that contains the changes for your team's work items. When you build your pipeline, let Lifecycle Center create a branch for a stage, or specify an existing branch in the repository.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: Lightning Experience in <strong>Professional</strong> (API access required), <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions</td></tr></tbody><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Not available in: <strong>Government Cloud Plus</strong>. Contact your Salesforce account executive for more details.</td></tr></tbody><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Not available in: <strong>EU Operating</strong> Zone. EU Operating zone is a special paid offering that provides an enhanced level of data residency commitment. Lifecycle Center <em>is</em> supported in orgs in the EU that aren’t part of EU OZ, per standard product terms and conditions.</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
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            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d15460e104">User Permissions Needed</th>
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            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d15460e104 ">To specify a branch for a pipeline stage:</td>


            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d15460e104 ">Lifecycle Center Admin</td>

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If you let Lifecycle Center create the branch, provide a unique alphanumeric name. We recommend that branch names use:

- All lowercase letters
- 60 characters or fewer
- Hyphens or underscores as separators (no spaces)
- Both letters and numbers, but not all numbers

![Important](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-devops_center-264-0-0-production-enus/166010c3-4c34-4087-92ad-aea917baf524/images/icon_important.png)

Important If you share branches across projects, you can experience unexpected behavior, particularly if changes are made to the branches outside of Lifecycle Center.

A branch must be sourced from the next stage's branch (right to left). For example, if your release environment's branch is `main`, then the branch for the pipeline stage to the left of it, Staging, must be created from `main`. The branch for the pipeline stage to the left of Staging, UAT, must be created from `staging`. Lifecycle Center handles this sourcing for you when it creates the branch.

1. Go to the Pipelines tab, and select your pipeline.
2. Locate the pipeline stage, and click **Specify Branch**.
    
    ![Add Branch window with options to create a branch from main or use an existing branch for the pipeline stage.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-platform-devops_center-264-0-0-production-enus/166010c3-4c34-4087-92ad-aea917baf524/devops_center/images/next_gen_specify_branch.png)
3. From the Add Branch window, assign a unique branch to the pipeline stage.
    - To let Lifecycle Center create a branch, select **Create a branch from main for this stage**, and enter a unique name in **Branch Name**.
    - To use a branch that already exists in your repository, select **Use an existing branch for this stage**, and enter the branch name in **Branch Name**.
4. Save your changes.
    
    The branch is assigned to the pipeline stage.

#### See Also

- [Source Control Branches](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.devops_center_basics_source_control_branches.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "A branch is a local copy of your project where you can make changes without affecting anyone else’s work.")
- [Build Your Pipeline](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.devops_center_build_pipeline.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Define the sequence of stages for your release lifecycle by building a pipeline in Lifecycle Center.")