Order status can, for the most part, be moved from one status to another.  Although it is recommended to keep orders moving through your store in a coherent fashion, you have the ability to move orders backwards through their statuses if necessary.  The information below explains each status and describes the rules for moving an order from that status to the next.

Directional Flow for Custom Statuses

You can create any number of custom statuses and place them after any default status in the order process.  When you create and place a custom status, it will be considered a "Child" status and the "Parent" status will be the preceding default status.  Each custom status will be considered as part of the default status and will retain the default status on the Master Control Panel (MCP).  Movement can occur within a default (parent) status any number of times and in either direction.
 

The Default Statuses

1. Order Received

This is an initial status assigned to an order when the customer completes the shopping cart process.  Orders that were made with a custom payment, or payments that are “authorize only”, will begin the order flow with this status.

This status can trigger an email to the customer and decrement inventory.  It can also trigger a notification email to the client.

From Order Received an order can be moved into any status, including sub-statuses.

2. Payment Received

This status shows that the order is in process, and you have successfully charged the customer’s account.  This may also be an initial status for orders placed and accepted via a real time payment method.

This status can trigger an email to the customer and decrement inventory.  It can also trigger a notification email to the client.

From Payment Received, the following statuses (and their sub-statuses) are available:

• Partially Shipped
• Shipped - This is the default flow if the entire order cannot be fulfilled
• Canceled - This is the optional flow

NOTE:  Custom statuses also may be used after Payment Received.  These custom statuses would follow the rules of the preceding default (parent) status.

3. Partially Shipped

This status shows that part of the customer’s order has been shipped, but the order is not complete yet for whatever reason.  This status can trigger an email to the customer.

From Partial Shipment, the following statuses (and their sub-statuses) are available:

• Payment Received
• Shipped
• Canceled

NOTE:  Custom statuses also may be used after Partial Shipment.  These custom statuses would follow the rules of the preceding default (parent) status.

4. Shipped

This status shows that the entire order has been completed as far as the customer is concerned.  This status can trigger an email to the customer.

From Shipped, the following statuses (and their sub-statuses) are available:

• Payment Received
• Partially Shipped
• Canceled

5. Cancel

This status shows that the order has been cancelled for some reason.  This status can trigger an email to the customer.  It also places inventory back into stock.
 

From Cancel, the following statuses (and their sub-statuses) can be selected:

• Order Received
• Payment Received

6. Archived

This status shows that the order has been archived from your Control Panel list.  These orders are placed on the Archive tab.  An archived order does not update inventory in any way.

From Archived status, there is no status that can be selected.  You can Un-Archive and order by selecting the desired order(s) and clicking the Unarchive Selected button.  This action places the selected orders back into the Active Orders listing in their last active statuses.  

You can also clone the order, which will create a new order in the Admin status in your Active Order list.

7. Declined

This status shows that the order cannot be processed due to an issue, which must first be resolved.  You can move the order from the initial status of Order Received into this status.  This may also be the initial status for orders placed but declined via a real time payment method.

Once the issue has been resolved, you can move the order out of Declined status.

This status can trigger an email to the customer.  It can also trigger a notification email to you.  This status places inventory back into stock if inventory was previously decremented (i.e. the order was moved to this status from a status of Order Received).

From Declined, the following statuses can be selected:

• Order Received
• Payment Received