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Every gig in Aourly follows a lifecycle from creation to completion. Understanding this workflow helps you manage your projects effectively, keep clients informed, and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

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Gig Statuses

An gig can be in one of eight statuses. Here is what each one means and when it applies.

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Draft

The starting status for every new gig. While in Draft:
  • You can edit all fields freely (name, pricing, scope, dates, etc.)
  • You can add and remove performers
  • No time can be logged
  • No invoices can be generated
Think of Draft as your workspace for refining the gig before it goes live.

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Pending Approval

The gig has been sent to the client for review and sign-off. While in Pending Approval:
  • The client has received a link to review the gig details
  • Gig terms are locked and should not be changed
  • The client can approve or reject
Warning: Once sent for approval, gig terms cannot be changed. If changes are needed, the client must reject, you make edits, and then you send a new version for approval.

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Scheduled

The client has approved the gig, but the start date is in the future. This status acts as a holding state:
  • The approved snapshot has been created
  • Performers are assigned and ready
  • Time logging is not yet available
  • The gig will automatically transition to Active on the start date

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Active

The main working state. While Active:
  • Performers can log time entries
  • Expenses can be tracked against the gig
  • Timesheets are generated according to the configured frequency
  • Invoices can be created from approved time entries
  • Progress tracking is live

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On Hold

A temporary pause state. Use it when:
  • The client requests a delay
  • You are waiting for external input or approvals
  • Budget constraints require a temporary stop
  • You need to reallocate resources to other work
Moving to On Hold signals to all performers that work is suspended. No restrictions are enforced on time logging, but the status serves as a clear indicator.

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Completed

All work is finished. Moving to Completed signals that:
  • The project deliverables have been met
  • Final timesheets should have been approved and invoiced
  • No further time entries are expected

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Cancelled

The gig was terminated before completion. Reasons might include:
  • The client cancelled the project
  • The scope changed fundamentally, requiring a new gig
  • Business circumstances changed
Cancellation does not delete any data. Existing time entries and expenses remain accessible.

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Rejected

The client reviewed the gig and declined it. From Rejected, you can:
  • Edit the gig terms
  • Send it for approval again with updated conditions
  • Cancel it if the engagement is not going forward

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Status Transitions

Not all transitions are available from every status. Here is the flow: 
Draft --> Pending Approval --> Scheduled --> Active --> Completed
  |            |                             |   ^
  |            v                             |   |
  |         Rejected                     On Hold-+
  |
  +--------------------------------------------> Cancelled
Key transitions:
  • Draft to Pending Approval: Send gig for client review
  • Draft to Active: Skip approval and start working immediately
  • Pending Approval to Scheduled/Active: Client approves (Scheduled if future start date, Active otherwise)
  • Pending Approval to Rejected: Client declines
  • Rejected to Pending Approval: Revise and resubmit
  • Active to On Hold: Temporarily pause work
  • On Hold to Active: Resume work
  • Active to Completed: All work finished
  • Any status to Cancelled: Terminate the gig

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Client Approval Process

The approval process provides a formal agreement between you and your client. Here is how it works in detail.

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Sending for Approval

  1. Open the gig in Draft (or Rejected) status
  2. Click Send for Approval
  3. The client receives a notification with a link to review the gig

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What the Client Sees

The client is presented with:
  • The gig name and description
  • Pricing type and rates
  • Scope and timeline
  • Any attached documents (terms of service, liability insurance, etc.)

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Client Signs

When the client agrees to the terms, they digitally sign the gig. This creates an approved snapshot (ApprovedGig) containing:
  • A complete copy of the gig data at the moment of approval
  • Checksums for any attached documents
  • A signature hash combining the signer’s identity, timestamp, and all data
This snapshot is immutable and can be verified at any time for integrity.

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Multiple Approvals

If you need to change terms on an already-approved gig, you can send it for approval again. Each approval creates a new versioned snapshot, and the latest one is considered the current agreement. All previous snapshots are retained for audit purposes.

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Changing Status

To change an gig’s status:
  1. Open the gig detail page
  2. Use the status action buttons (e.g., Send for Approval, Activate, Put On Hold, Complete)
  3. Confirm the transition when prompted
Some transitions may require additional input (e.g., sending for approval triggers a notification to the client).

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Best Practices

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Before Activating

  • Verify all performers are added with correct hourly rates
  • Confirm the scope and timeline are realistic
  • Ensure the client information and billing details are correct

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During Active Work

  • Monitor progress regularly using the dashboard
  • Review and approve time entries promptly
  • Keep the gig description updated if scope evolves

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Before Completing

  • Approve all pending time entries
  • Invoice all approved timesheets
  • Verify all billable expenses have been included
  • Review the gig summary for any unbilled work

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When to Use On Hold vs. Cancelled

  • Use On Hold when you expect work to resume
  • Use Cancelled when the engagement is definitively over
  • On Hold preserves the expectation of continuation; Cancelled is final
Once sent for approval, gig terms are locked. If changes are needed after approval, you must create a new version and send it for approval again.
The client approval process is optional. You can activate an gig directly from Draft if formal client sign-off is not needed.
Approved snapshots serve as a contract record. You can access them at any time from the gig detail page to verify what was agreed upon.
Completing or cancelling an gig does not automatically invoice remaining time entries. Make sure to process all outstanding timesheets first.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Moving an gig back from Completed to Active is possible but should be done carefully. Any new time entries will need to go through the normal approval and invoicing flow.
The gig moves to Rejected status. You can edit the terms and send it for approval again. The rejection does not delete any data.
Yes. If you do not need formal client sign-off, you can move an gig directly from Draft to Active. The approval step is optional but recommended for larger engagements.
The snapshot captures the gig details at the moment of approval: name, description, pricing, scope, dates, and any attached documents. It includes a digital signature hash to verify that the data has not been altered.
Some fields can be updated on an Active gig, but core terms (pricing type, scope) may require sending a new version for approval if the client needs to agree to the changes.