> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bizaxl.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# The Order Journey

> The full BIZ Cafe lifecycle - the order journey from placed to invoice to feedback, the till lifecycle, and every status value you will see.

This page shows how work moves through BIZ Cafe end to end. There are two lifecycles to understand: the **order journey** that each order follows, and the **till lifecycle** that frames a cashier's shift. Knowing the status values helps everyone read the screens the same way.

***

## The Order Journey

An order is placed, prepared, billed, and then closed out with feedback. The Desk workspace shows this as the Order Journey pipeline: `Order Placed` then `Invoice` then `Feedback`.

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
  A[Order Placed] --> B[Invoice]
  B --> C[Feedback]
  classDef accent fill:#14f1b1,stroke:#0d9488,color:#05133C;
  class A,B,C accent;
```

Underneath that high-level pipeline, an order moves through a detailed set of statuses.

***

## Cafe Order Status

Every order carries a status that tells the kitchen and counter where it stands.

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
  P[Pending Payment] --> N[New]
  N --> PR[Preparing]
  PR --> R[Ready]
  R --> C[Completed]
  N --> X[Cancelled]
  PR --> X
  classDef accent fill:#14f1b1,stroke:#0d9488,color:#05133C;
  class P,N,PR,R,C,X accent;
```

| Status              | What It Means                                                                  |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Pending Payment** | The order is placed but online payment has not yet completed                   |
| **New**             | The order is confirmed and waiting for the kitchen to start                    |
| **Preparing**       | The kitchen has started making the order                                       |
| **Ready**           | The order is made and ready to collect; the customer is notified at this point |
| **Completed**       | The order has been handed over and closed                                      |
| **Cancelled**       | The order was cancelled before completion                                      |

<Info>
  When an order reaches `Ready`, the customer is automatically notified that their order is ready to collect.
</Info>

***

## The Till Lifecycle

Billing happens inside a till session. A cashier opens the till at the start of a shift, bills orders against it, and closes it at the end.

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
  O[Open till] --> B[Bill orders]
  B --> CL[Close till]
  classDef accent fill:#14f1b1,stroke:#0d9488,color:#05133C;
  class O,B,CL accent;
```

<Warning>
  Billing is blocked until a till session is open. A cashier must open the till before they can bill any order. See [Till Sessions](/hospitality-leisure/cafe/till-sessions).
</Warning>

***

## Status Values Across BIZ Cafe

The records you work with each have their own status. Here is every status machine in one place.

### Cafe Invoice

| Status        | What It Means                                                                         |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Draft**     | The bill is being prepared and has not been submitted                                 |
| **Paid**      | The bill is submitted; the sale is mirrored to accounting and stock in the background |
| **Cancelled** | The bill is cancelled; the background accounting and stock entry is reversed          |

### Cafe Opening Entry (the till session)

| Status     | What It Means                                                          |
| ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Open**   | The till is open and accepting billing                                 |
| **Closed** | The shift's Closing Entry has been submitted, so the session is closed |

### Cafe Closing Entry

| Status        | What It Means                                                                                                                                                            |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Draft**     | The closing figures are being entered                                                                                                                                    |
| **Submitted** | The shift is closed; cash reconciliation is posted, a closing-summary alert is sent, and a cash-variance alert is sent if the till is over or short beyond the threshold |
| **Cancelled** | The closing entry is cancelled                                                                                                                                           |

***

## Who Drives Each Stage

| Stage                             | Role           |
| --------------------------------- | -------------- |
| Place a counter order             | Cafe Cashier   |
| Place a storefront order          | Guest customer |
| Advance to Preparing and Ready    | Cafe Kitchen   |
| Bill the order                    | Cafe Cashier   |
| Open and close the till           | Cafe Cashier   |
| Review reports and reconciliation | Cafe Admin     |

***

## Upstream and Downstream Dependencies

* An order needs a **menu** to exist before it can be placed. See [Menu Management](/hospitality-leisure/cafe/menu-management).
* Billing needs an **open till session**. See [Till Sessions](/hospitality-leisure/cafe/till-sessions).
* A submitted bill **feeds** your accounting and stock records in the background, and a closed till **feeds** the cash reconciliation and the Z-report. See [Reports Overview](/hospitality-leisure/cafe/reports-overview).

***

## Best Practices

* **Move orders promptly through the kitchen statuses.** The customer notification fires at `Ready`, so keep the board honest.
* **Do not skip `Cancelled` for abandoned orders.** Cancelling keeps reports clean rather than leaving orders stuck in `New`.
* **Close the till the same shift it was opened.** Closing posts the reconciliation and locks the session for an accurate Z-report.