# `step.settings_invalid`

Steps setting in `application { }` doesn't read.

Area 12, [Jobs and events](../topics/jobs-and-events.md); not declinable; the next step is usually the agent's.

`steps:` holds one setting, `encryption_key:`, which reads a `SigningKey`
setting:


```jadpo
application {
    steps: {
        encryption_key: config.step_encryption_key
    }
}
```

```text
error: `encryption_key:` reads `step_encryption_key`, which isn't a `SigningKey`
 --> app.jadpo:3:25
  |
3 |         encryption_key: config.step_encryption_key
  |                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ `step_encryption_key` is `Text`
  reason: A record's answers are encrypted with a `SigningKey` setting: secret, at least 32 characters, and replaced by moving the old value to the variable with `_PREVIOUS` after its name (area 10), as grants' `encryption_key:` is.
  next: Declare `step_encryption_key: SigningKey` in `config.jadpo` (agent)
  rule: step.settings_invalid
  help: https://jadpo.dev/docs/errors/step.settings_invalid

check failed: 1 error, 2 files
```