Work Order Status
Work order status shows the current stage of maintenance work, such as open, in progress, on hold, completed, closed, or cancelled.
What this term means in maintenance
Work order status shows the current stage of maintenance work, such as open, in progress, on hold, completed, closed, or cancelled.
Why status matters
Status gives users a shared understanding of what is happening with a work order.
Common statuses include:
- Open
- In progress
- On hold
- Completed
- Closed
- Cancelled
Practical example
A repair is placed on hold because a replacement part is unavailable. The status and hold reason show that the work is approved but cannot continue.
Completed versus closed
Completed usually means the technician has finished the physical work.
Closed may mean the record has also been reviewed, evidence checked, and final administrative controls completed.
Status transitions
Transitions should reflect business rules, permissions, and record integrity. Some organizations allow cancelled work to reopen, while closed work remains final.
Common mistake
Using status to represent priority, approval, or work type creates confusion. Each concept should remain separate.
How this term differs
Work Order Status is the current lifecycle state of the work record. It is related to Work Order Closure, Hold Reason, and Work Order Completion Evidence, but these terms describe different records, measures, roles, strategies, or decisions and should not be used interchangeably.
Related concepts
Related maintenance terms
Keep exploring connected CMMS, reliability, and maintenance planning terms.
Work Order
A work order is an authorized record that defines maintenance work to be performed, including the asset, priority, scope, assignee, instructions, labor, parts, status, and completion evidence.
Work Order Closure
Work order closure is the final review and confirmation that maintenance work, documentation, evidence, costs, and required follow-up have been completed.
Work Order Priority
Work order priority is the assigned urgency used to determine how quickly maintenance work should be reviewed, planned, scheduled, and executed.
Glossary FAQs
- What are common work-order statuses?
Open, in progress, on hold, completed, closed, and cancelled.
- What is the difference between completed and closed?
Completed means the physical work is finished; closed normally means final review is also complete.
- Can cancelled work orders be reopened?
Organizations may allow it when the business rules preserve traceability and closed work remains final.