Understanding Ticket Statuses
Learn what each ticket status means and how to use them
On this page
Overview
Ticket statuses help you track where each work request stands in your workflow. At a glance, you can see what needs attention, what's in progress, and what's complete.
Ticket Status Types
Open
What it means: The ticket is new or waiting for action
- Work hasn't been started
- May need to be scheduled
- Waiting for customer approval
- Parts may need to be ordered
When to use:
- Just received a work request
- Waiting on information before scheduling
- Work is paused/on hold
In Progress
What it means: Work is actively happening
- At least one job is scheduled or in progress
- Team member is working on it
- Active engagement with this ticket
When to use:
- When you schedule or start a job
- Work is actively being performed
- Multiple visits are in progress
Completed
What it means: All work is finished
- The requested work is done
- No more visits needed
- Ready for final invoicing
- Customer has been satisfied
When to use:
- All jobs associated with ticket are complete
- Customer has signed off
- Work is ready to invoice
Cancelled
What it means: Work won't be done
- Customer cancelled the request
- Work is no longer needed
- Job went to another contractor
- Not feasible to complete
When to use:
- Customer explicitly cancels
- Work is abandoned
- Scope change makes original request obsolete
Status Transitions
Common Paths
Typical workflow:
Open → In Progress → Completed
Cancelled work:
Open → Cancelled
In Progress → Cancelled
Complex jobs:
Open → In Progress → Open (waiting on parts) → In Progress → Completed
Automatic vs. Manual Changes
Automatic changes happen when:
- Creating a job from a ticket → In Progress
- Completing all jobs on a ticket → Completed (optional prompt)
- Job completion triggers status review
Manual changes:
- You can change status anytime from the ticket detail
- Add notes explaining why (especially for cancellations)
- Override automatic suggestions when needed
Filtering by Status
In the Tickets List
- Open the Tickets page
- Click the Status filter
- Select the statuses you want to see:
- View only Open tickets (what needs scheduling)
- View In Progress (what's being worked)
- View Completed (for review or invoicing)
Dashboard Widgets
Your dashboard may show:
- Count of Open tickets
- Count of In Progress work
- Recently Completed tickets
Status Best Practices
Keep Statuses Current
- Update status as work progresses
- Don't leave tickets in wrong status for long
- Review open tickets regularly
Use Notes When Changing
When changing status, especially to Cancelled:
- Add a note explaining why
- Document any customer communication
- Note any follow-up needed
Review Stale Tickets
Periodically check for:
- Open tickets that should be in progress
- In Progress tickets that should be complete
- Old tickets that need attention
Tips
- Use status filters to focus on what needs attention now
- Train your team on consistent status usage
- Review "Open" tickets daily to ensure nothing falls through
- Add notes when status changes for unclear reasons
Common Questions
Q: Can I create custom statuses? A: Currently, BlueClerk uses the standard four statuses. Custom workflows may be added in the future.
Q: Does changing status notify the customer? A: No, status changes are internal. Use explicit communication to update customers.
Q: Can I reopen a completed ticket? A: Yes, you can change a Completed ticket back to Open or In Progress for follow-up work.
Q: What's the difference between ticket status and job status? A: Ticket status is the overall work request. Job status is for individual scheduled visits. A ticket "In Progress" might have one "Completed" job and one "Scheduled" job.