> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.arcuserp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Order Lifecycle and Safe Changes > Order status controls what can still be changed safely. Use this guide before editing, cancelling, refunding, fulfilling, or correcting an order that already has operational history. ## Read the Order State First Start from the order list or order detail page and confirm status, payment state, fulfillment state, invoice state, and return activity. Those signals tell you whether a simple edit is safe or whether you need a correction, refund, return, or void. Orders list with status tabs, search, customer, total, payment, fulfillment, and action columns ## Lifecycle Stages * **Draft**: still being built. Inventory is not committed and most fields can change. * **Open**: confirmed operational work. Inventory, customer communication, approvals, and payment checks may apply. * **Paid or partially paid**: money exists. Changes to totals need a payment, credit, refund, or balance adjustment. * **Ready to pack**: fulfillment can begin once holds and required approvals are clear. * **Partially fulfilled**: some items have moved. Remaining work must preserve shipped history. * **Fulfilled**: goods have shipped or been marked complete. Use returns or corrections for post-fulfillment changes. * **Cancelled, voided, or archived**: daily work is stopped or hidden, but the audit trail stays available. **Do not treat active orders like drafts** Once an order has payments, invoices, packages, shipments, returns, or accounting activity, use the supported reversal workflow instead of deleting or rewriting the original event. ## Check the Detail Page Before Editing The order detail page shows the safest path because it brings together customer, addresses, line items, payment summary, fulfillment state, documents, notes, and actions. Before changing a live order, review the visible action buttons and any warning banners. Order detail overview with customer information, shipping address, payment summary, line items, totals, and action buttons ## Safe Change Rules * **Customer or address changes**: safest before payment, tax finalization, label purchase, or invoice sending. * **Line item changes**: safest before fulfillment, invoice posting, or linked purchasing work. * **Price changes**: review payment balance, approval rules, and invoice state before saving. * **Shipping changes**: review package state and label purchase state before changing carrier, service, or address. * **Tax changes**: review customer exemption, product taxability, marketplace status, and document strategy before recalculating. * **Notes**: internal notes are generally safe; customer-facing notes may appear on documents or emails. **A disabled action is usually protecting history** When Arcus disables an edit, it is usually protecting a payment, invoice, shipment, inventory movement, approval, return, or accounting entry that already depends on the order. ## Payments Change What Happens Next Paid and partially paid orders need special care. If the order total changes after money is recorded, Arcus must keep the customer balance, payment history, receipt, and accounting activity aligned. Order detail payment entry point with payment summary, balance, and Record Payment action ## Cancel, Void, Delete, or Archive * **Delete**: use only for draft-like records with no meaningful operational history. * **Cancel**: use when the order should stop before completion and eligible reservations should be released. * **Void**: use when posted or completed activity needs a formal reversal with history intact. * **Return**: use when goods already left the business and the customer is sending them back. * **Refund**: use when money needs to go back to the customer. * **Archive**: use to hide completed or stopped records from daily lists without changing their history. **Pick the correction that matches what happened** If nothing shipped and no money moved, cancellation may be enough. If money moved, start with payment correction. If goods shipped, start with return or fulfillment correction. ## Common Blocks * **Cannot edit a line**: the line may be invoiced, packed, shipped, returned, or tied to inventory movement. * **Cannot cancel**: payment, fulfillment, return, or approval state may require a more specific reversal first. * **Cannot fulfill**: payment hold, ACH hold, approval, stock issue, address issue, or packing requirement may be blocking work. * **Cannot delete**: the order has history Arcus must preserve. * **Total no longer matches payment**: collect the difference, issue a refund, apply account credit, or correct the invoice path. ## Related Articles Build a sales order, add customers, set addresses, and add products. Use pricing rules, quantities, adjustments, and tax-aware line editing. Record cash, card, ACH, check, wire, external, terms, or credit payments. Move an order from confirmed to picked, packed, shipped, and invoiced. Use package suggestions, freight decisions, labels, and tracking. Create RMAs, receive returned items, inspect condition, choose disposition, and close customer returns.