Work order lifecycle & release approval
Every work order moves through a fixed set of statuses. Stock and the ledger react at specific transitions, and releasing an order can go through an approval workflow.
When to use
Use it to understand what happens in stock and accounting at each status, and why a release may be waiting for approval.
Before you start
- Permissions:
manufacturing:writeto change status;manufacturing:executeto record work. - Toggles: none. Approval depends on a workflow configured for your tenant.
Steps
Release the order
Move the order from draft to confirmed. If no workflow applies, it releases immediately; if one applies, it waits in the approver’s inbox.
Start production
Move to in progress. Raw materials are issued from stock and a work-in-progress entry is posted.
Complete
Move to completed once all quality checks pass. Finished goods are received and the finished-goods entry is posted.
Cancel if needed
Cancel to reverse the stock movements and the ledger entries.
Statuses
| Status | Meaning | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | Being prepared | No stock or ledger effect; can be deleted |
| Confirmed | Released | Ready to start; can be cancelled |
| In progress | Production running | Materials issued; WIP entry posted |
| Completed | Finished | Finished goods received; finished-goods entry posted |
| Cancelled | Stopped | Stock and ledger entries reversed; can be deleted |
Tips & common mistakes
- If the workflow cannot be submitted, the order stays in draft and shows an error; check the workflow configuration.
- A policy can block the release outright.
- Rejecting the approval keeps the order in draft.
- Large cost variances against plan are only logged, not shown as a warning.