Sales order status workflow

Draft

The order has been created but not submitted.

• Full editing is allowed.
• It is not in the approval queue.
• It can be modified freely.

Use Draft while the customer is still deciding.

Pending

The order has been submitted and is waiting for approval.

• Full editing is closed, with limited changes depending on permissions.
• It is visible for review and verification.
• The approval action appears for authorised users.

Approved

The order has been verified and confirmed.

• Editing is restricted.
• The order can be converted into an invoice.
• It is part of the final sales processing flow.

Completed

The order has been converted into an invoice.

• It is closed for operational changes.
• It stays available for reference and reporting.
• It is linked to the invoice record.

Void

The order has been cancelled and removed from the active workflow.

• It cannot be used in any transaction flow.
• It stays visible for audit and reference.
• A reason is required before voiding.
• Only authorised users can void.

Voiding is the correct way to cancel an order the customer has withdrawn. Deleting is not offered, because the record of what was promised matters even when it did not happen.

The rules

• Status changes are controlled by role permissions.
• Each status determines which page actions are available.
• Completed and void orders cannot be edited.
• Approval is required before an invoice can be created.

When an action is missing

If the convert to invoice action is not there, the order is not yet approved. If the edit action has gone, the order has moved past Draft. If approval is not offered to you, your role does not include it. You can check this under Settings and profile, then Profile information.

Skipping the pending stage

The pending stage can be removed for sales orders under Configuration, then Inventory configuration, then Inventory validation settings. This is useful in a small shop where the same person sells and approves.