A retirement definition configured for a parent class will be inherited by child classes. If a different retirement definition is configured for a child class, it will override the parent class' retirement definition.
In your example, the definition for cmdb_ci_printer overrides the definition for cmdb_ci. Any child classes of cmdb_ci_printer will inherit its definition - not that of cmdb_ci.
Retire/Archive/Delete policies use the definition that applies to the CI class selected in the Data Filter. Referring to the example above, if a Retire policy used cmdb_ci_printer in the Data Filter, the retirement definition for cmdb_ci_printer would be automatically selected and the Life Cycle Stage and Life Cycle Stage Status fields updated with the values specified in the definition.
Similarly, using the example above if cmdb_ci_win_server was used in a Retire policy, the retirement definition for cmdb_ci would be automatically selected since there's no other definition for its class.
When setting a retirement defintion, be sure to make it Active otherwise it will be ignored when Data Manager executes policies.
