Booking Status Workflow
Understanding the booking status workflow in EquiBillBook is essential for effective reservation management. This guide explains all booking statuses and how they transition throughout the booking lifecycle.
What is Booking Status Workflow?
The booking status workflow tracks the progress of table reservations from creation to completion. Each status represents a stage in the booking lifecycle and helps you manage reservations effectively.
Booking Statuses
EquiBillBook includes the following booking statuses:
- Pending: Initial status when a booking is created but not yet confirmed
- Confirmed: Booking has been confirmed and is expected to proceed
- Seated: Customers have arrived and are seated at their tables
- Completed: The booking has been completed and customers have left
- Cancelled: The booking has been cancelled
- No-Show: Customers did not arrive for their reservation
Status Transitions
Understanding how statuses transition:
- Pending → Confirmed: When you confirm the booking with the customer
- Confirmed → Seated: When customers arrive and are seated
- Seated → Completed: When customers finish their meal and leave
- Any Status → Cancelled: When a booking is cancelled at any stage
- Confirmed/Pending → No-Show: When customers don't arrive for their booking
Changing Booking Status
To update a booking status:
- Navigate to the booking details page
- Click on the Status dropdown
- Select the new status
- Save the changes
- The system will update the booking and table availability accordingly
Status-Specific Actions
Different actions available based on status:
- Pending/Confirmed: Can be edited, cancelled, or marked as seated
- Seated: Can create KOT, process orders, and mark as completed
- Completed: Final status - booking is closed, can view history
- Cancelled: Tables are released, deposits may be refunded
Table Availability and Status
How booking status affects table availability:
- Pending/Confirmed: Tables are marked as reserved/booked
- Seated: Tables are marked as occupied
- Completed/Cancelled: Tables are released and available for new bookings
- No-Show: Tables are released after the booking time has passed
Status Notifications
Notifications and reminders based on status:
- Pending: Reminders may be sent to confirm the booking
- Confirmed: Confirmation messages sent to customers
- Seated: Staff notifications when customers are seated
- No-Show: Alerts to track no-show patterns
Best Practices
- Update booking statuses promptly as reservations progress
- Confirm pending bookings as soon as possible
- Mark customers as seated when they arrive to update table status
- Complete bookings when customers leave to free up tables
- Document cancellation reasons for cancelled bookings
- Track no-shows to identify patterns and implement policies
- Use status filters in reports to analyze booking performance
Status Reports
You can generate reports based on booking status:
- Pending Bookings: View all unconfirmed reservations
- Confirmed Bookings: See upcoming confirmed reservations
- Seated Bookings: Track currently active bookings
- Completed Bookings: Analyze historical booking data
- Cancelled Bookings: Review cancellation patterns
Next Steps
After understanding booking status workflow:
- Establish standard procedures for status updates
- Train staff on when and how to update statuses
- Set up automated reminders for pending bookings
- Create reports to track status transitions
- Implement no-show policies and tracking