Job Status Management

Master the job workflow system to track progress, manage transitions, and maintain project visibility across your organization.

Understanding Job Status

Job status represents the current stage of your project in the workflow. Each status has specific meanings and typically follows a logical progression from creation to completion.

Default Status Types

Most companies use these standard statuses:

New: Just created, awaiting initial review
Planning: Gathering requirements, scheduling resources
In Progress: Active work being performed
On Hold: Temporarily paused (client request, resources unavailable)
Review: Work completed, awaiting approval
Completed: Project finished and approved
Cancelled: Project terminated before completion

Image Prompt: Flowchart diagram showing the progression from New → Planning → In Progress → Review → Completed, with branches for On Hold and Cancelled states. Use color coding for each status.

Status Properties

Each status in your system has these characteristics:

Visual Indicators

Color Coding: Quick visual identification
Badge Styling: Consistent appearance across the system
Icon Support: Optional icons for enhanced recognition

Workflow Settings

Display Order: Controls progression sequence
Default Status: Automatically assigned to new jobs
System Status: Core statuses that cannot be deleted
Active/Inactive: Toggle status availability

Image Prompt: Screenshot of status management configuration panel showing a list of statuses with color swatches, toggle switches for active/inactive, and drag handles for reordering.

Status Transitions

Manual Updates

From Job Details:

Open any job
Click on current status badge
Select new status from dropdown
Confirm the change

Quick Status Navigation:

Use arrow buttons for next/previous status
Follows the configured display order
Skips inactive statuses automatically

Image Prompt: Screenshot showing the job details header with current status badge and left/right arrow buttons for quick status navigation.

Bulk Status Updates

Update multiple jobs simultaneously:

Navigate to Jobs list
Select multiple jobs using checkboxes
Choose "Bulk Actions" → "Update Status"
Select target status
Confirm changes

Image Prompt: Screenshot of jobs list with multiple selected checkboxes and bulk actions dropdown menu open, highlighting the "Update Status" option.

Status Tracking & History

Activity Logging

Every status change is automatically recorded:

Timestamp: When the change occurred
User: Who made the change
Previous Status: What it changed from
New Status: What it changed to
Method: Manual update vs. quick navigation

Status Analytics

Track status patterns across your projects:

Time in Status: How long jobs spend in each stage
Bottlenecks: Statuses where jobs get stuck
Completion Rates: Percentage reaching final status
Team Performance: Status updates by user

Image Prompt: Dashboard screenshot with pie charts showing status distribution, bar charts showing average time in each status, and progress indicators.

Advanced Status Features

Status Automation

Auto-Progression Rules:

Move to "In Progress" when first task is assigned
Change to "Review" when all tasks complete
Set "Completed" when final approval given

Conditional Logic:

Status requirements based on job category
User permission restrictions for certain transitions
Validation rules before status changes

Custom Status Workflows

Different job types may need different workflows:

Installation Projects: New → Scheduled → In Transit → On Site → Installing → Testing → Complete

Maintenance Work: New → Dispatched → Diagnosed → Parts Ordered → Repairing → Complete

Consultation Services: New → Scheduled → In Progress → Report Draft → Client Review → Final Report

Status Notifications

Configure automatic alerts:

Status Change Notifications: Alert stakeholders of updates
Stale Status Warnings: Jobs stuck too long in one status
Milestone Alerts: Important status transitions
Client Updates: Automated status emails to clients

Image Prompt: Screenshot of notification settings panel with toggle switches for different notification types, email templates, and recipient selection options.

Best Practices

Status Naming

Use clear, action-oriented names
Keep names short but descriptive
Maintain consistency across job types
Avoid technical jargon clients won't understand

Color Coding Standards

Red: Problems, cancelled, urgent attention
Yellow/Orange: Waiting, on hold, caution needed
Blue: In progress, active work
Green: Completed, approved, successful
Gray: New, inactive, neutral states

Workflow Design

Linear Progression: Most jobs follow predictable sequence
Parallel Paths: Allow for different completion routes
Loop-Back Options: Return to previous stages when needed
Emergency Exits: Quick paths to cancelled/on-hold status

Team Training

Ensure all team members understand status meanings
Establish clear criteria for each status transition
Document who can change statuses for different job types
Regular review of status usage and effectiveness

Troubleshooting Status Issues

Common Problems

Status not appearing in dropdown:

Check if status is marked as "Active"
Verify user permissions for status transitions
Confirm status belongs to correct company

Cannot change status:

User may lack permissions for target status
Job may have validation requirements unmet
System status restrictions may apply

Status changes not saving:

Check internet connection
Verify all required fields completed
Look for validation error messages
Try refreshing page and attempting again

Status Permission Issues

Different users may have different status access:

Team Members: Can update to active work statuses
Supervisors: Can move jobs to review/completion
Administrators: Full status management access
Clients: May only view status, not change

Data Recovery

If status changes are lost:

Check activity log for record of changes
Use browser back button if change just made
Contact administrator for database restoration
Re-apply changes if necessary

Status Reporting

Standard Reports

Status Summary:

Count of jobs in each status
Percentage distribution
Comparison to previous periods

Status Duration:

Average time spent in each status
Longest/shortest durations
Trending analysis

Status Transitions:

Most common transition paths
Unusual transition patterns
Workflow bottlenecks

Custom Reporting

Create specialized status reports:

Filter by date ranges
Group by job categories
Team performance analysis
Client-specific status tracking

Image Prompt: Screenshot showing a reports dashboard with multiple chart types displaying status information - bar charts, pie charts, and trend lines.

Integration & API

External System Integration

Status updates can trigger:

CRM Updates: Sync project status with customer records
Billing Systems: Trigger invoicing at certain statuses
Calendar Integration: Update scheduling systems
Communication Tools: Send updates to project channels

API Status Management

Developers can programmatically:

Retrieve current job statuses
Update statuses via API calls
Set up webhooks for status changes
Build custom status interfaces