This guide will help you select the right workflow state names based on clarity, purpose, and real-world usage.

---

Why Naming Matters

Workflow states act as signals:

• Who owns the document right now?
• What action is expected next?
• Is the document final or still in progress?

If users have to interpret a state, your naming has already failed.

---

Core Principle: Name States by Action + Responsibility

A good workflow state should answer:

“What is happening to this document right now?”

Avoid vague or generic names. Prefer explicit, action-oriented terms.

---

Recommended Standard States (and When to Use Them)

1. Draft

Use when: The document is being created

• Clear, universal meaning
• Always the starting point
• Editable by the creator

✔ Good: Draft ✖ Avoid: Initial, New Entry

---

2. Pending Review

Use when: Someone else needs to check the document

• Indicates waiting state
• Assigns responsibility to reviewer

✔ Good: Pending Review ✖ Avoid: In Progress, Open

👉 “In Progress” is ambiguous—who is progressing it?

---

3. Reviewed

Use when: A reviewer has validated the document

• Signals completion of a review step
• Typically moves to approval next

✔ Good: Reviewed ✖ Avoid: Checked, Verified (unless domain-specific)

👉 Only use this if you have a multi-step process. Otherwise, skip it.

---

4. Approved

Use when: Final acceptance is granted

• Clear decision
• Usually triggers business actions

✔ Good: Approved ✖ Avoid: Accepted, Confirmed (unless consistent across system)

👉 This should be your main success endpoint

---

5. Rejected

Use when: The document is denied permanently

• Final state
• No further action expected

✔ Good: Rejected ✖ Avoid: Declined, Failed (less standard)

👉 Use only when the process ends here

---

6. To Amend

Use when: The document needs correction and resubmission

• Sends responsibility back to the creator
• Keeps the workflow alive

✔ Good: To Amend ✖ Avoid: Returned, Fix Required, Rework

👉 The key difference:

• Rejected = dead end
• To Amend = fix and continue

---

7. Cancelled

Use when: A submitted document is voided

• System-level final state (docstatus = 2)
• Used after submission or approval

✔ Good: Cancelled ✖ Avoid: Closed, Stopped

👉 This is not a “decision” state—it’s a lifecycle termination

---

Common Naming Mistakes (Avoid These)

❌ Using Vague Terms

• Open
• Processing
• Active

👉 These don’t indicate ownership or action

---

❌ Mixing Business Meaning

Example:

• Using Rejected when you actually mean “fix and resubmit”

👉 This breaks user expectations

---

❌ Overcomplicating States

Too many states like:

• Under Review
• In Review
• Reviewing

👉 These create confusion with no added value

---

❌ Synonym Chaos

Using multiple words for the same concept:

• Approved, Accepted, Confirmed

👉 Pick one standard and stick to it

---

A Clean, Recommended Workflow Naming Structure

For most use cases:

Draft → Pending Review → Approved / Rejected

For more controlled processes:

Draft → Pending Review → Reviewed → Approved
                         ↘ Rejected
                         ↘ To Amend → Draft

---

How to Decide What to Include

Ask yourself:

1. Do you need multiple validation steps?

• Yes → Add Reviewed
• No → Skip it

---

2. Do users fix and resubmit documents?

• Yes → Add To Amend
• No → Only use Rejected

---

3. Can documents be cancelled after submission?

• Yes → Include Cancelled
• No → Optional

---

Best Practices Checklist

Before finalizing your workflow names:

• ✅ Each state clearly describes what is happening
• ✅ Each state implies who is responsible
• ✅ No duplicate meanings across states
• ✅ Terminal states are clearly defined
• ✅ Users can understand the workflow without training

---

Final Thought

A well-named workflow doesn’t just support your process—it teaches it.

If users can look at a document and instantly understand:

• where it is,
• who owns it,
• and what happens next,

then your workflow design is doing its job.