Work Package Lifecycle
Work packages move through a defined lifecycle as the work progresses. This guide explains each status, the transitions between them, and who can trigger each transition.
Status overview
Open → In Progress → Submitted → Approved → Closed
↕
(Returned)
| Status | Colour | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Grey | Created but work has not started |
| In Progress | Blue | Work is actively being done |
| Submitted | Amber | Assignee has marked it ready for review |
| Returned | Orange | Reviewer sent it back with comments |
| Approved | Green | All required workflows completed; package accepted |
| Closed | Dark grey | Package closed — permanently archived |
Status transitions
Open → In Progress
Who: Assigned member (or Project Admin)
When: Work on the package begins
How: Open the work package → click Mark as In Progress
Use this transition to signal that work has started. It starts the clock for overdue tracking against the due date.
In Progress → Submitted
Who: Assigned member (or Project Admin)
When: All documents in the package have been delivered and are ready for review/acceptance
How: Open the work package → click Submit
Prerequisite check: The system may check whether linked workflows are complete before allowing submission (depends on your project configuration). If workflows are still active, you see a warning.
Submitted → Returned
Who: Project Admin (or designated reviewer)
When: Submission is incomplete — documents missing, workflows not complete, quality issue
How: Open the work package → click Return → add a note explaining what's needed
Effect: Status returns to In Progress. Assigned member is notified with the return reason.
Submitted → Approved
Who: Project Admin (or designated reviewer)
When: All documents are accepted; linked workflows are complete; package meets the deliverable requirement
How: Open the work package → click Approve
Approved → Closed
Who: Project Admin
When: End of project, or formal close-out after all close-out evidence is attached
How: Open the work package → click Close
Effect: Status changes to Closed. The package is read-only — no further edits, documents, or workflows can be added.
Adding close-out evidence
Before closing a work package, attach any close-out evidence:
- Open the work package.
- Click Add Document → select the signed-off inspection record, test certificate, or close-out report.
- The close-out document appears in the Documents list.
- Then click Close.
Overdue tracking
A work package is overdue when:
- Status is Open or In Progress, AND
- The current date is past the Due Date
Overdue packages show in red in the Work Packages list and appear in the Dashboard overdue alerts panel.
What's next
- Work Package Reporting — tracking package progress and overdue counts
- Creating Work Packages — all fields when creating a new package
- Work Package Review Cycle tutorial — end-to-end example