Purpose: This article explains how booking statuses work in Administrate, what they do and do not indicate, and how to think about status as part of the wider booking lifecycle. Use this page to understand status behavior before updating bookings in bulk or making assumptions based on related activity like invoicing, payments, or communications.
Booking status reflects the operational state of a booking. It does not automatically summarize everything that has happened to that learner, and it should not be treated as a catch-all indicator of commercial, attendance, or communication progress unless your workflows have been configured to make that true.
For the wider context of how bookings work, see Bookings Overview. For the operational hub covering the full booking lifecycle, see Managing Bookings.
Booking status and lifecycle behavior
Booking statuses reflect operational progress based on explicit system actions and configured workflows. Status changes are not inferred from surrounding activity.
Key points
- Statuses change only as a result of explicit actions or configured automation.
- Not all bookings move through every possible status.
- A booking can remain indefinitely in a non-terminal status if no qualifying transition occurs.
Important clarifications
- Creating a booking does not imply confirmation.
- Confirming a booking does not imply financial completion.
- Reaching a terminal status does not retroactively validate prior steps.
- Related activity, such as invoices, payments, communications, or integrations, does not imply a status change unless you have explicitly configured a workflow that updates status based on that activity.
- Always verify a booking’s current status directly rather than assuming progression based on timing or related actions.
How to use booking status correctly
Use booking status to answer a narrow operational question: what state is this booking currently in according to the workflow and actions that have actually been applied?
That makes status useful for:
- understanding where a learner sits in the registration lifecycle
- checking whether a booking still needs review or follow-up
- separating active bookings from cancelled or completed ones
- supporting operational reporting and workflow decisions
Status is less useful when people try to infer too much from it. For example, a booking may be confirmed while finance is still unresolved, or an invoice may exist while the booking itself remains in a status that still requires operational review.
What status does not tell you by itself
A booking status should not be used by itself to assume:
- that payment has been made
- that an invoice exists or has been settled
- that communications have been sent
- that attendance has been completed correctly
- that all prerequisite workflow steps were followed in the intended order
If you need to confirm finance, attendance, or communication activity, review those records directly instead of assuming the booking status answers all of those questions.
When booking status usually changes
Status typically changes when an administrator takes a direct action or when your account has been configured to update status through a specific workflow.
Examples may include:
- creating or confirming a booking
- cancelling a learner’s participation
- completing attendance-related processes
- workflow-driven automation built by your team
The exact statuses available and the transitions your team uses may vary depending on your setup, so always align operational guidance with your own configured process.
How status relates to the rest of the booking lifecycle
Status is only one part of the booking lifecycle. A complete review of a booking may also require you to check:
- how the booking was created
- whether learner details need to be edited
- whether the booking should be cancelled or transferred
- whether invoices or payments exist
- whether the booking is behaving unexpectedly and needs troubleshooting
Use the related articles below when status is only part of the issue.
Common mistakes when interpreting status
- Assuming a learner is fully ready to attend because the booking exists.
- Assuming financial completion because the learner appears operationally confirmed.
- Assuming a status changed automatically because time passed or a related record was created.
- Assuming all bookings should pass through the same statuses in the same order.
- Using status alone to diagnose a broader booking problem.
These mistakes usually lead to confusion during learner management, reporting, finance review, or troubleshooting.
What to check before changing status
Before you change a booking’s status, confirm:
- why the status is being changed
- whether the learner’s operational position really has changed
- whether finance, attendance, or approval activity should also be reviewed
- whether your team has a standard rule for when this status should be used
This helps prevent inconsistent lifecycle handling across your team.
When status is not enough
If the booking issue is broader than a status question, continue with the relevant operational article:
- Creating a Booking
- Editing or Cancelling a Booking
- Booking Payments and Invoices
- Booking Troubleshooting