Understanding Proposal Statuses and Workflow
Proposals move through different statuses as they progress from creation to client decision. Understanding these statuses helps you track where each proposal stands and what actions you can take next.
The Six Proposal Statuses
1. Draft
What it means: You’re still building or editing the proposal. It hasn’t been sent to the client yet.
What you can do:
- Edit content, sections, and pricing
- Preview how it will look to clients
- Send or mark as sent when ready
- Delete if no longer needed
- Duplicate to create variations
Visual indicator: Usually gray or neutral color badge
2. Pending
What it means: The proposal has been sent to the client and is awaiting their decision.
What you can do:
- Resend the email reminder
- Copy the public link to share another way
- Download PDF
- Recall back to Draft status if needed
- Cancel the proposal
- Duplicate
What you cannot do:
- Edit the proposal content (it’s locked to preserve what the client is reviewing)
Visual indicator: Usually yellow, orange, or blue badge indicating “in progress”
3. Accepted
What it means: The client has signed the proposal. They’ve agreed to your terms and pricing.
What you can do:
- View the client’s signature and acceptance details
- Download PDF with signature
- Copy link to view the signed version
- Recall (with caution—see warning below)
- Duplicate
What you cannot do:
- Edit the proposal (it’s a signed legal document)
- Send again (it’s already accepted)
Visual indicator: Usually green badge indicating success
Recalled Accepted Proposals: You can recall an accepted proposal back to Pending, but use caution. If recurring invoices have been created from this proposal, you’ll see a warning.
4. Declined
What it means: The client has explicitly declined the proposal.
What you can do:
- Review what was declined
- Copy link to see the proposal
- Download PDF
- Duplicate and modify for a new version
What you cannot do:
- Send or resend (it’s been declined)
- Edit (maintains the record of what was declined)
Visual indicator: Usually red or dark badge
5. Cancelled
What it means: You cancelled the proposal (perhaps the project was put on hold or the client withdrew).
What you can do:
- Copy link to view
- Download PDF
- Duplicate if you want to reuse the content
What you cannot do:
- Send or edit
- Client cannot accept or decline
Visual indicator: Usually gray, black, or muted badge
6. Ended
What it means: The contract period specified in the proposal has ended.
What you can do:
- View the historical proposal
- Copy link
- Download PDF
- Duplicate if you want to create a renewal
What you cannot do:
- Edit or send
Visual indicator: Usually gray or neutral badge
How Statuses Change
Automatic Changes
- Draft → Pending: When you send or mark as sent
- Pending → Accepted: When client signs the proposal
- Pending → Declined: When client declines the proposal
- Accepted → Ended: When the contract period end date passes
Manual Changes
- Pending → Draft: You recall the proposal
- Accepted → Pending: You recall (rare, use with caution)
- Any → Cancelled: You cancel the proposal
Editing and Status Rules
Can edit only in Draft status:
To protect the integrity of proposals that clients are reviewing or have signed, you can only edit proposals in Draft status.
Need to make changes to a Pending proposal?
Recall it to Draft, make your changes, then send again.
Need to modify an Accepted proposal?
Don’t. It’s a signed agreement. Instead, duplicate it and create a new proposal with the changes, or create an addendum agreement.
Status Indicators Throughout Nizam
In Proposal Lists:
Colored badges next to each proposal name
On Client Pages:
Proposals tab shows status for each proposal
In Dashboards:
Status summary charts show distribution of proposals across statuses
In Email Subject Lines:
Status may be referenced in automated emails
Filtering by Status
Use status filters in your proposal list to focus on specific groups:
- Draft: Unfinished proposals you need to complete
- Pending: Proposals awaiting client decision (follow-up opportunities)
- Accepted: Signed proposals (time to start work!)
- Declined: Learn from rejections
- Cancelled: Cleaned up proposals
Best Practices
✅ Keep Drafts moving: Don’t let proposals sit in Draft. Finish and send them or delete if not needed.
✅ Follow up on Pending: Proposals in Pending status need attention. Follow up with clients who haven’t responded.
✅ Review Declined proposals: When a proposal is declined, review it to understand why and improve future proposals.
✅ Don’t recall without reason: Once a proposal is Pending or Accepted, avoid recalling unless absolutely necessary. Changing a proposal after sending can confuse clients.
✅ Use Duplicate for revisions: If a Pending proposal needs changes, consider leaving it and creating a duplicate with modifications as a new version.
Common Questions
Can clients see the status?
Not directly. Clients see their copy of the proposal and whether it’s open for acceptance, but they don’t see internal statuses like “Draft” or “Pending.”
How long do proposals stay in Pending?
Until the client accepts, declines, you recall it, or it expires. There’s no automatic timeout except for expiration dates you set.
What happens when a proposal expires?
The expiration date warns clients of a deadline, but the system doesn’t automatically change status. Expired proposals remain Pending unless you act.
Can I have multiple Pending proposals for one client?
Yes. You can send multiple proposals to the same client—for different projects, different options, or revisions.
Does Accepted automatically create a project or invoice?
No. Acceptance records the client’s decision. You may need to manually create projects or invoices based on the accepted proposal.
Can I delete an Accepted proposal?
This depends on your settings and whether it’s linked to other records. Generally, you should avoid deleting accepted proposals as they’re signed agreements.
Status-Based Permissions
Different team members might have different permissions based on proposal status:
- All team members: View all statuses
- Some team members: Edit only Drafts
- Managers: Recall Pending proposals
Check with your workspace admin about specific permissions.
