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Every case has a status that indicates its current state in the workflow. Statuses help teams understand where each case is in the process and what needs to happen next. Cases progress through statuses from creation through active management to archiving or closure.

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Default Statuses

Penbox provides four default statuses that serve as the foundation for all case workflows:

Draft

Case is being prepared, not yet activeCommon uses: Initial setup, gathering preliminary info, preparing case before activation

Pending

Case is waiting to be started or for an external triggerCommon uses: Awaiting documents, awaiting customer action, scheduled to start later

In Progress

Case is actively being worked onCommon uses: Data collection, verification, processing, review

Closed

Case is completeCommon uses: Approved, completed, rejected, cancelled

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Status Hierarchy

Cases use a hierarchical status system where custom statuses are grouped under the four default parent statuses. Why hierarchical?
  • Flexibility - Create specific statuses for your workflow
  • Consistency - All statuses map to standard states
  • Filtering - Filter by parent status to see all “in progress” cases
  • Reporting - Group by parent status for high-level metrics
Example hierarchy: 
📁 draft
   └─ preparing
   └─ review_needed

📁 pending
   └─ awaiting_documents
   └─ awaiting_approval
   └─ awaiting_payment

📁 in_progress
   └─ collecting_data
   └─ verification
   └─ compliance_review
   └─ final_approval

📁 closed
   └─ approved
   └─ completed
   └─ rejected
   └─ cancelled

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Custom Statuses

Case templates can define custom statuses specific to their workflow. Each custom status is defined with: Status properties:
  • Key - Unique identifier (e.g., awaiting_documents, compliance_review)
  • Label - Display name shown to users (e.g., “Awaiting Documents”, “Compliance Review”)
  • Parent status - Must be one of: draft, pending, in_progress, closed
  • Auto transition - Optional conditions for automatic status changes
Custom statuses are defined in case templates. Individual cases inherit these statuses and progress through them based on your workflow.
Learn more about Case Templates →

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Status Transitions

Cases move through statuses either manually or automatically.

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Manual Status Changes

Team members can change status:
  • Select new status from dropdown
  • Status updates immediately
  • Change is logged in timeline
  • Can trigger automations

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Automatic Status Transitions

Statuses can change automatically based on conditions:
  • All required fields filled
  • Documents uploaded
  • Forms completed
  • External data received
  • Time conditions met
Learn more about Automations →

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Waiting For Indicator

Beyond the status, cases also track “Waiting For” to indicate who needs to act next:
  • None - No action required, case is progressing
  • Owner - Waiting for internal team action
  • Contact - Waiting for external contact response
This indicator helps teams prioritize work and identify cases that need immediate attention. It can be set manually or updated automatically by Intelligence based on email content.

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Case Lifecycle

Cases progress through a defined lifecycle from creation to closure:

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Creation

Cases enter the system through one of four methods:
  • Manually in Penbox - Team member creates from app
  • From incoming email - Email Intelligence or dedicated mailbox
  • From completed form - Form linked to case creation
  • Via API - Programmatic creation from external systems
New cases typically start in Draft or Pending status. Learn more about Case Creation →

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Active Management

During active management, cases:
  • Progress through statuses based on workflow
  • Collect data through forms and manual updates
  • Execute steps (emails, SMS, forms)
  • Trigger automations based on conditions
  • Track all activities in timeline
  • Update “Waiting For” indicator as needed
Team members work on cases, contacts respond to forms, and automations move the workflow forward.

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Archiving

Cases can be archived when they’re no longer actively needed but should be retained: Archived cases:
  • Don’t appear in default case lists
  • Can still be searched and accessed
  • Retain all data and history
  • Can be unarchived if needed
  • Maintain complete audit trail
When to archive:
  • Case is closed but may need future reference
  • Regulatory retention period requires keeping records
  • Historical data needed for reporting
  • Legal holds or compliance requirements
Archive closed cases to keep your active list clean while maintaining searchability for audits and historical reference.

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Deletion

Cases can only be permanently deleted under specific conditions: Deletion rules:
  • A case can only be permanently deleted before any steps are executed
  • Once steps are executed, the case enters the permanent record
  • Executed cases must be archived, not deleted
  • This preserves audit trails for compliance
Why this matters:
  • Maintains regulatory compliance
  • Preserves audit trails
  • Prevents accidental loss of case history
  • Ensures data integrity
Once a case has executed steps (sent emails, forms, SMS), it cannot be permanently deleted. This ensures complete audit trails for compliance and regulatory requirements.

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Status Best Practices

Use action-oriented names - Status names should indicate what’s happening or what’s needed. Good: “Awaiting Customer Response”, “Under Review”. Avoid: “Status 1”, “Phase 2”. Keep parent status logical - Choose parent statuses that match the actual case state. Use pending when waiting for something external, in_progress when team is actively working, closed only for final terminal states. Don’t create too many statuses - Each status should represent a meaningful stage in your process. Recommended: 5-10 custom statuses per template. Make statuses sequential - If your workflow has clear stages, make statuses follow that sequence. Example: Onboarding → Verification → Review → Approval → Closed. Plan for edge cases - Include statuses for exceptions like “Rejected”, “Cancelled”, “On Hold” to handle cases that don’t complete the standard workflow.

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Next Steps

Case Templates

Configure statuses in templates

Automations

Automate status transitions

What are Cases

Learn about cases

Data Schema

Understand case data