# Order statuses: approval, closing, and the effect on reservations

URL: https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/order-statuses/
Updated: 2026-11-06

> An order status in Bimp is a processing stage shown by color in the list. Some statuses also control the system: a status with the "Closed order" flag (by default "Completed") releases the reserved goods and excludes the order from purchase planning. Custom statuses are created in "Directories → Order statuses".

## Why order statuses are needed

A status shows the processing stage of an order, and some statuses also trigger actions in the system. Statuses work in [customer orders](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/customer-order/), supplier orders, and work orders. The full [sales process from order to payment](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/sales-process/) is covered in one article. If an order does not save after you change a discount, see the [“Data is filled in incorrectly” error](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/order-save-error/).

Statuses give you three things:

- **Navigation.** The status color is visible in the order list: red for urgent, green for ready.
- **Filtering.** You can select all orders at the "Production" or "Logistics" stage in one click.
- **System logic.** A status with the "Closed order" flag releases the reservation and excludes the order from purchase planning.

## How to change an order status

To change the status, open the order, click the current status or the arrow to the right of it in the left panel, and choose a new one from the list. The status takes effect after you save the document.

![List of statuses in an open customer order: "New", "In progress", "Partially paid", "Partially shipped", "Shipped", "Paid", "On hold", "Rejected", "Completed" (under the cursor), "Archive", "Overpayment remains", "Not shipped", "Not paid"](https://bimpsoft.com/help/_img/9bf4d6f3-9608-4847-ba56-a6b903a028fd.webp)

## How to approve an order

Approving an order means checking it and moving it to the "Confirmed" status or another suitable one. There is no separate **Approve** button: approval is a status change.

1. Open **Sales → Orders** and click the order.
2. Check the products, quantities, prices, and other parameters.
3. Change the status to "Confirmed" or another one that fits your process.

If multi-level approval is set up in your company, the order may require confirmation from several responsible people. They are specified in the "Responsible" and "Approve with" fields. The same method is used to send an order back for re-approval, for example to the "For approval" status.

## How to create a custom status

You add a custom status in the "Order statuses" reference book. This is useful when the standard stages are not enough: for example, an online store with prepayment adds a yellow "Awaiting payment" status between "New" and "In progress" to see who has already been sent the payment details.

1. In the main menu, open **Directories** and select the "Order statuses" tab.
2. Click **Create**.
3. In the form on the right, fill in "Name" and select "Status color".
4. If the status should release the reservation, turn on the "Closed order" switch (see below).
5. Click **Save**.

[Скріншот: The "Order statuses" reference book with the card of the "Rejected" status open: the fields "Name" and "Status color", and the switches "Active" and "Closed order"]

### How to turn off a status you no longer need

Do not delete a status that is no longer used; deactivate it. Open the status card and turn off the "Active" switch. The status disappears from the list for new orders but stays in old documents.

## Which status releases the reservation

The reservation is released by a status whose card has the "Closed order" switch turned on. The hint next to the switch explains: when an order moves to such a status, all reserved goods become available for free sale.

For the system status "Completed", the switch is on by default. For other statuses, an administrator turns it on. Recommendation: turn it on for all statuses that mean the customer has finally refused, for example "Rejected".

| Status | "Closed order" | Reservation after the transition |
|---|---|---|
| "Completed" | on by default | released |
| "Rejected" (after setup) | on | released |
| "Awaiting payment" | off | kept |

**How it works.** The "Closed order" flag tells Bimp that work on the order is finished and the goods no longer need to be held. So when an order moves to such a status, the system releases the remaining reservation using a Stock reservation document with the operation type "Release from reservation". See [Reserving goods](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/reserves/).

### How to release a reservation if the customer has refused

1. Open the customer order with the reserved goods.
2. Change the status to "Completed" or another status with the "Closed order" flag.
3. Save the document. The reservation is released automatically, and you do not need to zero out the "Reserve" column in each line.

> [!WARNING] "Completed" releases the reservation regardless of whether a shipment was made. If you close an order without a sale, you also free the goods, and the order disappears from purchase planning.

## What else the "Completed" status changes

Besides the reservation, the "Completed" status excludes the order from the calculations of the "Purchase planning" module. The system considers the need closed and does not suggest buying goods for this order, even if no actual shipment took place. So move an order to "Completed" only when all obligations are fulfilled or the deal is finally closed. For more on planning, see [Purchase planning](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/purchase-planning/).

## How to close an order

Closing an order means moving it to "Completed" after everything is done.

1. Make sure all goods are shipped, services are provided, and the customer has paid the order in full. Check that all the necessary documents are created and posted: invoice, delivery notes, certificates. See [Shipment](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/shipment/).
2. Change the order status to "Completed" and click **Save**.
3. Check that the reservation is released and the stock balances are updated.

After saving, the order goes to the archive of closed orders. It is hidden in the list; to see it, click **Archive** on the right above the order list.

![The order list in the "Sales → Orders" section with the "Archive" button in the top right corner of the toolbar; the list shows orders with the statuses "In progress", "Paid", "Shipped"](https://bimpsoft.com/help/_img/ff904ce4-8f9d-43a3-9bf9-94428af28f53.webp)

> [!WARNING] Do not set "Completed" before the Sales of goods and services document with reservations is created. The status releases the reservation, and Bimp will not save a sale that still has a reservation. If you need to record the order before shipment, use an intermediate status without the "Closed order" flag, for example "Fulfilled".

## Statuses and reservations in integrations

When statuses change automatically, through a CRM or a marketplace, the rule is the same: a Bimp status with the "Closed order" flag releases the reservation. So map the rejection status in the external system to a Bimp status where this flag is on, and do not map "Completed" to statuses that must keep the reservation. For examples and typical errors with KeyCRM, see [KeyCRM: reservations and order statuses](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/integrations/keycrm-reserves-and-statuses/).

## FAQ

**How do I release goods from a reservation if the sale will not happen?**

Open the customer order, change the status to "Completed" (or another status with the "Closed order" flag), and save. Bimp releases the reservation on all lines itself, and the goods become available to other customers.

**What happens when an order moves to the "Completed" status?**

The reservation on all order lines is released, and the order is no longer counted in the "Purchase planning" module. After saving, it goes to the archive of closed orders.

**Can I delete a status I no longer need?**

It is better not to delete it but to turn off the "Active" switch in the status card. The status disappears from the list for new orders, and the history in old documents is kept.

**Why should I not set "Completed" before creating a sale?**

Because "Completed" releases the reservation, and a Sales of goods and services document that still has a reservation will not save afterwards. Ship the goods first and close the order only after that.