Status Management & Transitions
Complete guide to understanding and managing repair order statuses throughout the workflow.
Status Overview
Complete Status Lifecycle
The repair order follows a clear path from initial appointment to completion:
Main Flow Path:
- New Customer → Scheduled → Confirmed → Checked In
- Checked In → Inspecting → Waiting for Approval → Approved
- Approved → In Progress → Quality Check → Completed
- Completed → Invoiced or Delivered → Paid → Complete
Alternative Paths:
- Jobs can move directly from Inspecting to Approved (when no estimate needed)
- In Progress jobs may go to Waiting for Parts and return to In Progress
- Quality Check may send jobs back to In Progress if issues found
- Jobs can be Declined from approval stage or Cancelled from various stages
Status Definitions
Appointment Statuses
| Status | Description | Customer Sees | Next Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled | Appointment booked | "Appointment Confirmed" | Check-in, Reschedule, Cancel |
| Confirmed | Shop verified | "We're expecting you" | Check-in, Remind, Cancel |
| Reminder Sent | 24hr notice sent | "See you tomorrow" | Check-in, Confirm |
Repair Order Statuses
| Status | Internal State | Customer Message | Valid Transitions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft | RO created, not active | Not visible | Schedule, Delete |
| Checked In | Vehicle received | "Your vehicle is here" | Start Inspection |
| Inspecting | Diagnosis in progress | "Evaluating your vehicle" | Complete Inspection |
| Waiting for Approval | Estimate sent | "Review and approve" | Approve, Decline, Modify |
| Approved | Work authorized | "Work authorized" | Start Work |
| In Progress | Active repair | "Work in progress" | Update, Pause, Complete |
| Waiting for Parts | Parts on order | "Waiting for parts" | Parts Received, Cancel |
| Paused | Work stopped | "Work paused" | Resume, Cancel |
| Quality Check | Final inspection | "Final inspection" | Pass, Fail |
| Completed | Work done | "Ready for pickup" | Create Invoice |
| Invoiced | Payment pending | "Payment due" | Process Payment |
| Delivered | Vehicle returned | "Thank you" | Await Payment |
| Paid | Transaction complete | "Paid - Thank you!" | Close |
| Declined | Work not authorized | "Work declined" | Reschedule, Close |
| Cancelled | Service cancelled | "Cancelled" | Archive |
Transition Rules
Allowed Transitions Matrix
The system automatically enforces which status changes are allowed to ensure smooth workflow:
- From Scheduled: Can move to Checked In or Cancelled
- From Checked In: Can move to Inspecting or Cancelled
- From Inspecting: Can move to Waiting for Approval, Approved, or Declined
- From Waiting for Approval: Can move to Approved, Declined, or Cancelled
- From Approved: Can move to In Progress
- From In Progress: Can move to Waiting for Parts, Quality Check, or Paused
- From Waiting for Parts: Can move to In Progress or Cancelled
- From Paused: Can move to In Progress or Cancelled
- From Quality Check: Can move to Completed or back to In Progress
- From Completed: Can move to Invoiced or Delivered
- From Invoiced: Can move to Paid
- From Delivered: Can move to Paid
- Terminal States: Paid, Declined, and Cancelled are final statuses
Validation Requirements
| Transition | Required Fields | Validations |
|---|---|---|
| To Checked In | Mileage In, Key Tag | Customer present |
| To Inspecting | Technician assigned | Tech available |
| To Waiting Approval | Estimate created | Services added |
| To Approved | Customer authorization | Signature/approval |
| To In Progress | Parts available | Tech assigned |
| To Quality Check | Work complete | All jobs done |
| To Completed | QC passed | No issues found |
| To Invoiced | Payment method | Total calculated |
| To Paid | Payment processed | Transaction successful |
Visual Status Indicators
Color Coding System
Each status has a distinct color to help you quickly identify the current state:
- Scheduled: Blue - Appointment confirmed
- Checked In: Cyan - Vehicle received
- Inspecting: Purple - Evaluation in progress
- Waiting for Approval: Orange - Customer decision needed
- Approved: Light Green - Work authorized
- In Progress: Deep Purple - Active repair work
- Quality Check: Teal - Final inspection
- Completed: Green - Ready for customer
- Invoiced: Indigo - Payment processing
- Paid: Dark Green - Transaction complete
- Declined: Gray - Service not authorized
- Cancelled: Red - Service cancelled
Status Icons
| Status | Icon | Unicode | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled | Calendar | - | Calendar |
| Checked In | Car | - | Car arrived |
| Inspecting | Search | - | Magnifying glass |
| Waiting | Clock | - | Clock |
| Approved | Check | - | Check mark |
| In Progress | Wrench | - | Wrench |
| Quality Check | Target | - | Target |
| Completed | Sparkles | - | Sparkles |
| Invoiced | Document | - | Document |
| Paid | Money | - | Money bag |
Automatic Transitions
Time-Based Triggers
The system automatically takes actions based on how long a job stays in certain statuses:
Waiting for Approval (24 hours):
- Sends automatic reminder to customer
- Escalates to service manager for follow-up
Completed (48 hours):
- Sends pickup reminder to customer
- Alerts about potential storage fees
Invoiced (7 days):
- Sends payment reminder
- Escalates to collections process
Event-Based Triggers
| Event | Trigger | Status Change |
|---|---|---|
| Parts Arrive | Inventory update | Waiting → In Progress |
| Payment Received | Transaction complete | Invoiced → Paid |
| Customer Approves | Digital signature | Waiting → Approved |
| QC Passed | Checklist complete | Quality Check → Completed |
Customer-Facing Status
Status Simplification
Customers see simplified, friendly status messages instead of internal system terms:
- Internal: Draft → Customer sees: "Preparing"
- Internal: Scheduled → Customer sees: "Appointment Confirmed"
- Internal: Checked In → Customer sees: "Vehicle Received"
- Internal: Inspecting → Customer sees: "Inspection in Progress"
- Internal: Waiting for Approval → Customer sees: "Estimate Ready for Review"
- Internal: Approved → Customer sees: "Work Authorized"
- Internal: In Progress → Customer sees: "Repairs Underway"
- Internal: Waiting for Parts → Customer sees: "Ordering Parts"
- Internal: Paused → Customer sees: "Temporarily on Hold"
- Internal: Quality Check → Customer sees: "Final Inspection"
- Internal: Completed → Customer sees: "Ready for Pickup"
- Internal: Invoiced → Customer sees: "Payment Pending"
- Internal: Delivered → Customer sees: "Vehicle Picked Up"
- Internal: Paid → Customer sees: "Complete - Thank You!"
- Internal: Declined → Customer sees: "Service Declined"
- Internal: Cancelled → Customer sees: "Appointment Cancelled"
Progress Indicators
Customers see a visual progress bar that shows how far along their repair is:
- 25% Complete: Vehicle Received - Your vehicle is checked in and ready for inspection
- 50% Complete: Work in Progress - Active repairs are underway
- 75% Complete: Quality Check - Final inspection to ensure everything is perfect
- 100% Complete: Ready for Pickup - Your vehicle is ready to go!
Status Notifications
Notification Matrix
| Status Change | Customer | Technician | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| → Checked In | SMS | - | - |
| → Inspecting | - | Assigned | - |
| → Waiting Approval | Email + Link | - | If high value |
| → Approved | SMS | Start work | - |
| → In Progress | Update | - | - |
| → Completed | Call/SMS/Email | Done | Review |
| → Paid | Receipt | - | Daily report |
Message Templates
Customers receive automatic notifications when status changes occur:
Vehicle Checked In:
- SMS: "Hi [Customer Name], your [Vehicle] has been checked in. We'll inspect it shortly."
- Email: "Vehicle Check-in Confirmation"
Estimate Ready:
- SMS: "Hi [Customer Name], your estimate is ready: [Review Link]"
- Email: "Your repair estimate is ready for review"
Work Completed:
- SMS: "Great news! Your [Vehicle] is ready for pickup."
- Email: "Your vehicle is ready!"
Status Analytics
Key Metrics
| Metric | Calculation | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Time in Status | Average duration per status | Minimize |
| Transition Rate | Successful transitions | 95%+ |
| Approval Rate | Approved / Waiting | 70%+ |
| Completion Time | Check-in → Complete | 4 hours |
| Payment Speed | Invoiced → Paid | Same day |
Status Duration Targets
Optimal Time in Each Status:
- Checked In to Inspecting: 15 minutes - Quick transition to begin diagnosis
- Inspecting: 30 minutes - Thorough evaluation of vehicle condition
- Waiting for Approval: 2 hours - Customer review and decision time
- In Progress: 2-4 hours - Actual repair work (varies by complexity)
- Quality Check: 15 minutes - Final inspection and testing
- Completed to Pickup: 4 hours - Customer notification and pickup scheduling
Status Management Tools
Bulk Status Updates
Managers can update multiple repair orders at once using filters:
Example Operations:
- Find all completed jobs older than 24 hours and send pickup reminders
- Update all "waiting for parts" jobs when parts arrive
- Send payment reminders to all invoiced jobs over 3 days old
This saves time when managing many active repair orders simultaneously.
Status Override
Only managers can:
- Skip status steps
- Reverse transitions
- Force status changes
- Bypass validations
Status Alerts
Critical Status Situations
| Condition | Alert | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| Stuck in Waiting | 24+ hours | Call customer |
| Parts Delayed | ETA passed | Update customer |
| QC Failed | 2nd failure | Manager review |
| Payment Overdue | 7+ days | Collections process |
| High Value Waiting | $1000+ | Priority approval |
Best Practices
Status Discipline
Update immediately when work status changes Add notes when changing status Use correct status for situation Don't skip required statuses Communicate delays proactively
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Leaving in "In Progress" when actually waiting Marking complete before QC Forgetting to update after parts arrive Not using "Paused" status when stopped Skipping customer approval step
Master the workflow with precise status management and clear communication at every step.