diff --git a/cadCAD/configuration/__init__.py b/cadCAD/configuration/__init__.py
index ed6e6ce..1c8cd75 100644
--- a/cadCAD/configuration/__init__.py
+++ b/cadCAD/configuration/__init__.py
@@ -10,17 +10,17 @@ from cadCAD.configuration.utils import exo_update_per_ts
 
 class Configuration(object):
     def __init__(self, sim_config={}, initial_state={}, seeds={}, env_processes={},
-                 exogenous_states={}, partial_state_updates={}, policy_ops=[foldr(dict_elemwise_sum())], **kwargs):
+                 exogenous_states={}, partial_state_update_blocks={}, policy_ops=[foldr(dict_elemwise_sum())], **kwargs):
         self.sim_config = sim_config
         self.initial_state = initial_state
         self.seeds = seeds
         self.env_processes = env_processes
         self.exogenous_states = exogenous_states
-        self.partial_state_updates = partial_state_updates
+        self.partial_state_updates = partial_state_update_blocks
         self.policy_ops = policy_ops
 
 
-def append_configs(sim_configs, initial_state, seeds, raw_exogenous_states, env_processes, partial_state_updates, _exo_update_per_ts=True):
+def append_configs(sim_configs, initial_state, seeds, raw_exogenous_states, env_processes, partial_state_update_blocks, _exo_update_per_ts=True):
     if _exo_update_per_ts is True:
         exogenous_states = exo_update_per_ts(raw_exogenous_states)
     else:
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def append_configs(sim_configs, initial_state, seeds, raw_exogenous_states, env_
                     seeds=seeds,
                     exogenous_states=exogenous_states,
                     env_processes=env_processes,
-                    partial_state_updates=partial_state_updates
+                    partial_state_updates=partial_state_update_blocks
                 )
             )
     elif isinstance(sim_configs, dict):
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def append_configs(sim_configs, initial_state, seeds, raw_exogenous_states, env_
                 seeds=seeds,
                 exogenous_states=exogenous_states,
                 env_processes=env_processes,
-                partial_state_updates=partial_state_updates
+                partial_state_updates=partial_state_update_blocks
             )
         )
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class Processor:
         self.apply_identity_funcs = id.apply_identity_funcs
 
     def create_matrix_field(self, partial_state_updates, key):
-        if key == 'states':
+        if key == 'variables':
             identity = self.state_identity
         elif key == 'policies':
             identity = self.policy_identity
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ class Processor:
 
         if len(partial_state_updates) != 0:
             bdf = self.create_matrix_field(partial_state_updates, 'policies')
-            sdf = self.create_matrix_field(partial_state_updates, 'states')
+            sdf = self.create_matrix_field(partial_state_updates, 'variables')
             sdf_values, bdf_values = no_update_handler(bdf, sdf)
             zipped_list = list(zip(sdf_values, bdf_values))
         else:
diff --git a/cadCAD/configuration/utils/__init__.py b/cadCAD/configuration/utils/__init__.py
index 084f7ae..229a738 100644
--- a/cadCAD/configuration/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/cadCAD/configuration/utils/__init__.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class TensorFieldReport:
     def __init__(self, config_proc):
         self.config_proc = config_proc
 
-    def create_tensor_field(self, partial_state_updates, exo_proc, keys=['policies', 'states']):
+    def create_tensor_field(self, partial_state_updates, exo_proc, keys=['policies', 'variables']):
         dfs = [self.config_proc.create_matrix_field(partial_state_updates, k) for k in keys]
         df = pd.concat(dfs, axis=1)
         for es, i in zip(exo_proc, range(len(exo_proc))):
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def time_step(dt_str, dt_format='%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S', _timedelta = tstep_delta):
 
 ep_t_delta = timedelta(days=0, minutes=0, seconds=1)
 def ep_time_step(s, dt_str, fromat_str='%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S', _timedelta = ep_t_delta):
-    if s['sub_step'] == 0:
+    if s['substep'] == 0:
         return time_step(dt_str, fromat_str, _timedelta)
     else:
         return dt_str
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ def sweep_states(state_type, states, in_config):
 def exo_update_per_ts(ep):
     @curried
     def ep_decorator(f, y, var_dict, sub_step, sL, s, _input):
-        if s['sub_step'] + 1 == 1:
+        if s['substep'] + 1 == 1:
             return f(var_dict, sub_step, sL, s, _input)
         else:
             return y, s[y]
diff --git a/cadCAD/engine/simulation.py b/cadCAD/engine/simulation.py
index 9e3a153..96f43e9 100644
--- a/cadCAD/engine/simulation.py
+++ b/cadCAD/engine/simulation.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class Executor:
 
         self.apply_env_proc(env_processes, last_in_copy, last_in_copy['timestep']) # not time_step
 
-        last_in_copy["sub_step"], last_in_copy["time_step"], last_in_copy['run'] = sub_step, time_step, run
+        last_in_copy['substep'], last_in_copy['timestep'], last_in_copy['run'] = sub_step, time_step, run
         sL.append(last_in_copy)
         del last_in_copy
 
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class Executor:
         sub_step = 0
         states_list_copy = deepcopy(states_list)
         genesis_states = states_list_copy[-1]
-        genesis_states['sub_step'], genesis_states['time_step'] = sub_step, time_step
+        genesis_states['substep'], genesis_states['timestep'] = sub_step, time_step
         states_list = [genesis_states]
 
         sub_step += 1
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class Executor:
             states_list_copy = deepcopy(states_list)
             head, *tail = self.run_pipeline(var_dict, states_list_copy, configs, env_processes, time_seq, run)
             genesis = head.pop()
-            genesis['sub_step'], genesis['time_step'], genesis['run'] = 0, 0, run
+            genesis['substep'], genesis['timestep'], genesis['run'] = 0, 0, run
             first_timestep_per_run = [genesis] + tail.pop(0)
             pipe_run += [first_timestep_per_run] + tail
             del states_list_copy