Magento 2 Order State vs Status: Understanding The Workflow

• What Is The Order State In Magento 2?

• What Is Magento 2 Order Status?

• What Are The Predefined Order Statuses In Magento 2?

• What Is Order State Workflow In Magento Open Source?

• What Is Order Status Workflow In Adobe Commerce?

• What Is The Difference Between Magento Order Status And State?

• Quick Recap of the Difference Between Order Status and Order State

• FAQs

• Summary

What Is The Order State In Magento 2?

An order state is a position in the Magento order processing workflow. It helps define the current stage of the order, such as pending payment, processing, or completion.

When an order is created, an order state is automatically assigned. This state indicates the stage of the order processing. For example, if the order is canceled, the state reflects this.

Magento 2 also provides predefined order states, such as new or processing, to ensure a smooth order workflow. This system allows owners to identify an order's position and manage operations easily. It also helps store owners and developers understand the exact order flow for better decision-making and control.

What Is Magento 2 Order Status?

Order status in Magento 2 defines the condition of an order at any given time. It works alongside the order state to describe how the order is progressing.

For example, when a new order is created, a default order status like "Pending Payment" may apply. It helps businesses track the order in the current workflow.

Each order status is assigned based on its state and reflects specific details about the order. Merchants can assign one or more order statuses to an order. For instance, a processing order can have statuses like "Payment Confirmed" or "Invoice Issued for This Order."

Adobe Commerce allows businesses to customize the status setting to handle specific workflows. Merchants can adjust the status to state mapping. This system ensures clear tracking and helps companies to follow the order status workflow efficiently.

What Are The Predefined Order Statuses In Magento 2?

Predefined Order Statuses in Magento 2 refer to the default options provided by Magento for managing orders. These statuses indicate the stage of an order's processing flow.

These predefined statuses ensure that every order state and status is consistent and easy to track during the order processing stage.

List of order statuses predefined in Magento 2:

• New: Shows customers created an order payment that hasn't been made.

• Pending: Indicates that an invoice is not created for the order.

• Processing: Shows that payment has been made and fulfillment is in progress.

• Complete: Indicates that the order has been invoiced and shipped.

• Canceled: This applies when an order is canceled.

• Closed: Refers to refunded or fully credited orders.

• On Hold: Used for orders paused by the merchant.

• Payment Review: Applied when the payment method requires validation.

Magento also allows you to create custom order statuses if needed. Each status is associated with an ordered state and can be customized to meet specific needs. Magento uses these predefined statuses to provide a clear status label to store owners and customers.

What Is Order State Workflow In Magento Open Source?

Step 1: Order Creation

When a customer places an order, a status code is automatically assigned. It marks the order state as a position at the beginning of the order processing workflow.

For example, when an order is created, the state is "New," and the default status is "Pending Payment." This state shows that the order awaits payment confirmation.

Step 2: Payment Confirmation

After the customer completes payment, the order transitions to the "Processing" state. This state ensures the payment is verified, and the status appears in the order comments section for tracking.

The predefined order states, such as "Payment Review," help merchants confirm payments before proceeding with the order.

Step 3: Order Fulfillment

Once the payment is confirmed, the order moves to the "Processing" state. At this stage, merchants prepare the order for shipment.

Under this state, Magento assigns the following order statuses: "Packaging" or "Ready to Ship." Merchants can also create and use custom order statuses, like "Quality Check."

Step 4: Shipment and Completion

After the order is shipped, the state transitions to "Complete." It means that the product has been delivered to the customer. The order status and state now indicate that the order is finalized.

Magento accurately reflects this stage by using a set of predefined order statuses, such as "Complete" or "Delivered."

Step 5: Cancellations or Holds

If an order cannot proceed, it will move to the "Canceled" or "On Hold" state. These states ensure clarity when an order cannot be fulfilled or needs a temporary pause.

For example, if a merchant cancels an order, the status associated with this state becomes "Canceled." This update also affects the entire workflow.

Step 6: Managing Refunds

For refunded orders, the workflow transitions to the "Closed" state. Magento allows merchants to assign it to the order when a full refund is issued. It ensures the order is marked as resolved and the order in the workflow is finalized.

What Is Order Status Workflow In Adobe Commerce?

1. New

When an order is placed, it enters the "New" state. At this point, a default order status like "Pending Payment" is assigned. This step ensures that the order state is recorded and the order is ready to progress based on payment confirmation.

2. Pending

Orders in the "Pending" state are awaiting payment. The customer might be redirected to the payment gateway, such as PayPal. The status for orders in this stage includes "Pending Payment." It ensures merchants know which orders need immediate payment follow-up.

3. Processing

The "Processing" state begins after payment is confirmed. It is where merchants prepare the order for shipment. Magento allows multiple order statuses assigned at this stage, such as "Preparing for Shipment." Merchants can also create order statuses for internal steps like "Quality Check."

4. Complete

The "Complete" state indicates the order has been delivered to the customer. At this point, default order statuses such as "Complete" or "Shipped" are used. It signifies that the workflow for this order has been finalized, and no further action is required.

5. Canceled

When an order is canceled, it moves to the "Canceled" state. It occurs if the customer or merchant cancels the order for any reason. The order status is part of this state and helps merchants easily track orders that are no longer active.

What Is The Difference Between Magento Order Status And State?

1. Stage Representation

• Order State: The order state defines the position of an order in its lifecycle, such as "New" or "Processing." It is fixed and shows the broader stage.

• Order Status: The order status adds specific details to the state, like "Pending Payment." It refines the broader stage into actionable steps.

• Comparison: One order state, such as "Processing," can have multiple order statuses, such as "Packaging" or "Shipping." It gives more details about the order's progress.

2. Workflow Structure

• Order State: The state sets the structure for order progression in the order workflow. It is predefined in Magento and integral to workflow automation.

• Order Status: Statuses are assigned to a state and provide flexibility for tracking. You can also create a custom status and assign it to a state.

• Comparison: For instance, the "Complete" state is fixed. But, merchants can add statuses like "Customer Feedback Awaited" to provide additional details within the order workflow.

3. Automation and Customization

• Order State: The state can be assigned automatically. It is based on actions, such as moving from "Pending" to "Processing" after payment confirmation.

• Order Status: Merchants can enter a status code for a custom status. They can add specific steps to a state, like "Awaiting Approval."

• Comparison: States like "On Hold" are fixed. But statuses can be customized. Merchants can add a status from the state that matches their workflow needs.

4. Detail Granularity

• Order State: Each order state is a high-level representation and remains constant. It is regardless of finer order details.

• Order Status: This option offers more granularity. It defines the specific actions within the state, such as "Awaiting Pickup" under "Complete."

• Comparison: Magento allows a number of order statuses for each state, giving businesses the flexibility to customize their workflows without changing the state structure.

5. Visibility and Communication

• Order State: Magento mainly uses it internally for order flow management and automating transitions.

• Order Status: It makes it more visible to customers and teams. For example, customers can see the order status you want in their accounts for transparency.

• Comparison: A customer might see "Pending Payment" (the status code for internal tracking), but the system tracks the state as "New." It will ensure clear internal and external communication.

6. Role in Reporting

• Order State: Magento generates general reports on order lifecycle stages using states, such as "Pending" or "Processing." The reports show the number of orders in each state.

• Order Status: Magento allows businesses to include specific status changes in reports. It helps analyze actions within states, like "Awaiting Customer Pickup."

• Comparison: Order states like "Complete" provide summary-level data. Order statuses add detail and help businesses identify inefficiencies in specific steps.

7. Integration with Third-Party Systems

• Order State: The following predefined order states are standardized and easy to map with third-party tools. It ensures compatibility for broader integrations.

• Order Status: Custom statuses can be created to match third-party workflows. Merchants can create custom status entries. It helps them align with external systems like warehouse or courier platforms.

• Comparison: States' fixed nature makes them stable integration points. Statuses offer the customization needed for unique situations.

8. Customization Limits

• Order State: States in Magento Open Source are fixed and cannot be modified. To ensure compatibility, merchants have to work within the predefined structure.

• Order Status: Statuses are fully customizable. They let merchants enter a status code to track internal workflows. Merchants can tailor statuses like "Quality Check Complete" to meet unique business requirements.

• Comparison: The state remains fixed, but merchants can add multiple statuses to increase flexibility in the order workflow.

9. Default Assignment Behavior

• Order State: A state can be assigned automatically during order creation or as actions are performed.

• Order Status: Order status requires mapping to states, but it can be manually adjusted based on rules or conditions. Merchants can use out-of-the-box order statuses or create custom statuses as needed.

• Comparison: Magento automates the assignment of states. But, merchants have complete control over statuses.

Quick Recap of the Difference Between Order Status and Order State

Aspect	Order State	Order Status
Definition	Represents the high-level stage in the order lifecycle. It helps check where the order stands in the workflow. Magento predefines it.	It provides detailed information within the state, refines the order's stage, and allows for the granular tracking of specific actions or conditions.
Customization	Predefined and fixed in Magento Open Source. Merchants cannot modify or add to these stages.	Fully customizable. Merchants can create statuses to match specific business needs. These statuses can be mapped to any predefined state for flexibility.
Granularity	Remains constant, regardless of finer details within the stage.	A detailed representation offers more specific steps or conditions within a state.
Role in Workflow	It structures the order workflow. States determine the order's lifecycle path.	Statuses define what actions or conditions are being fulfilled at each state. It adds specificity to the workflow.
Visibility	Primarily used internally by Magento to manage workflows. Customers typically do not see states directly.	Customers see statuses in their order history. It makes the communication transparent.
Automation	The state transitions automatically as the order progresses through the workflow.	Requires manual or automated mapping to states. Custom statuses can be applied to provide additional details at each step.
Role in Reporting	Used for high-level reporting on the lifecycle stages of orders. Reports show how many orders are in each state to evaluate workflow efficiency.	It provides granular reporting data. Statuses add detailed insights, such as the number of orders "Awaiting Pickup" or "Quality Check Pending" within the "Processing" state.
Integration Use	Standardized for third-party integrations. Order states are fixed. It makes it reliable for ERP or shipping software to process the order lifecycle consistently.	Customizable for third-party tools. Custom statuses can be created and mapped to meet the specific requirements of external systems.
Default Assignment	Assigned automatically during order creation or based on specific system rules.	It requires manual or rule-based mapping of states to provide more context to customers.
Error Management	It helps identify broad issues in the workflow, such as orders stuck in "Pending." It signals potential payment gateway problems.	It points out specific problems within a state, such as "Payment Declined" or "Awaiting Customer Action." It helps merchants resolve issues quickly.
Impact on Notifications	Drives lifecycle-level notifications, such as a delivery or order confirmation email, when the order moves to the "Complete" state.	Enables targeted updates, such as sending a "Shipment Delayed" notification to keep customers informed.
Bulk Operations	It groups orders into broader categories, such as "Processing" or "Complete." It simplifies filtering and bulk actions.	It adds granularity to bulk operations. For example, filtering orders with the "Awaiting Stock Replenishment" status under "On Hold" allows merchants to prioritize actions efficiently.

FAQs

1. Can multiple order states be active simultaneously for a single order?

No, a single order can only have one order state active. The order state indicates the current stage in the order workflow.

2. What happens if you assign an incorrect new order status to the wrong order state?

It disrupts the order state in the workflow and causes errors. Incorrect mapping may delay order processing or SMS notifications.

3. Is it possible to export custom order states and statuses when migrating to a new store?

Yes, you can create your own custom order states. Export tools allow transferring custom states and statuses during migration.

4. Do order states affect inventory management differently than order statuses?

Yes, order states are used to manage stock levels. Order statuses only indicate order progress and customer updates.

5. Can you set different order state workflows for different store views?

Yes, you can customize workflows for each store view. Magento allows assigning order states used in the order workflow.

6. How do order states impact tax calculations and reporting?

Order states are used to calculate taxes accurately. They determine if an order requires tax calculation or reporting.

7. How do I make order statuses visible to customers on the storefront?

Enable visibility in settings to indicate that an order has been processed. Customers can view order statuses on their order pages.

Summary

Magento 2 Order State vs. Status defines workflow positions and tracking stages. The following predefined order states and statuses work together to streamline operations.

• Magento order state indicates the position of the order in workflow stages.

• Default order statuses are used to track the order processing flow.

• Orders have an order status that merchants can assign to order states.

• PayPal or other payment methods trigger automatic state transitions effectively.

• Order statuses out-of-the-box streamline the stage of order processing seamlessly.

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