Managing Orders
Understand order statuses across all fulfillment methods and track orders from placement to completion
Overview
Every order in CMS Max moves through a series of statuses that reflect its current state — from the moment it is placed through fulfillment, or cancellation. The statuses available for an order depend on how it will be fulfilled. This guide explains what each status means and what actions trigger status changes.
Status Reference by Fulfillment Method
Shipping (Carrier Delivery)
Orders delivered by USPS, UPS, FedEx, or other carriers.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Processing | The order has been received and is being prepared for shipment. |
| Shipped | A shipping label has been printed. The order is in transit with the carrier. This status updates automatically when the label is printed. |
| Fulfilled | The order has been delivered. This status updates automatically via a carrier notification upon delivery confirmation. |
| Cancelled | The order has been cancelled and will not be processed. |
| Refunded | Payment has been returned to the customer's original payment method. |
| On Hold | The order is paused pending additional information or verification. |
| Failed | The order could not be completed due to a payment or processing issue. |
In-Store Pickup
Orders the customer collects at your location.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Processing | The order has been received and is being prepared. |
| Ready for Pickup | The order is ready for collection. An email notification is automatically sent to the customer. |
| Fulfilled | The customer has collected their order. |
| Cancelled | The order has been cancelled and will not be processed. |
| Refunded | Payment has been returned to the customer's original payment method. |
| On Hold | The order is paused pending additional information or verification. |
| Failed | The order could not be completed due to a payment or processing issue. |
Curbside Pickup
Orders brought out to the customer's vehicle.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Processing | The order has been received and is being prepared. |
| Ready for Pickup | The order is ready. The customer is notified by email to arrive for curbside handoff. |
| Fulfilled | The order has been delivered to the customer's vehicle. |
| Cancelled | The order has been cancelled and will not be processed. |
| Refunded | Payment has been returned to the customer's original payment method. |
| On Hold | The order is paused pending additional information or verification. |
| Failed | The order could not be completed due to a payment or processing issue. |
Local Delivery
Orders delivered by your own staff or drivers.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Processing | The order has been received and is being prepared for delivery. |
| Out for Delivery | The driver has departed and the order is on its way to the customer. |
| Fulfilled | The driver has completed the drop-off and the order has been delivered. |
| Cancelled | The order has been cancelled and will not be processed. |
| Refunded | Payment has been returned to the customer's original payment method. |
| On Hold | The order is paused pending additional information or verification. |
| Failed | The order could not be completed due to a payment or processing issue. |
Third-Party Delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart)
Orders fulfilled by an external delivery service. These orders are fully automated — a driver is dispatched approximately 15 minutes after the order is placed, and all status updates happen via automatic notifications from the delivery service.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Processing | The order has been received and is being prepared. A driver will be automatically dispatched approximately 15 minutes after placement. |
| Handed to Driver | The order has been given to the delivery driver. This status updates automatically. |
| Fulfilled | The order has been successfully delivered to the customer. This status updates automatically. |
| Cancelled | The order has been cancelled. This may happen automatically if the delivery service cannot complete the delivery. |
| Refunded | Payment has been returned to the customer's original payment method. |
| On Hold | The order is paused pending additional information or verification. |
| Failed | The order could not be completed due to a payment or processing issue. |
Payment Statuses
Each order also has a Payment Status badge that tracks the payment lifecycle independently of the order's fulfillment status. You'll see this on the order detail page.
| Payment Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pending | Payment has not yet been received. Common with manual payment methods (Bank Transfer, Money Order) or on-hold authorizations. |
| Paid | Payment has been captured successfully. |
| Failed | Payment could not be processed. |
| Refunded | Payment has been fully returned to the customer after the transaction settled (typically the day after purchase or later). |
| Partial Refund | Part of the payment has been returned; the remainder is still with you. |
| Voided | Payment was reversed before the transaction settled (typically a same-day cancellation). The customer is never charged. |
| On Hold | Payment was authorized but not yet captured. You'll capture it manually before fulfilling the order. |
Tip: Refund and Void are different. Voiding an unsettled transaction is faster and avoids processor fees, but it's only possible until the daily settlement cutoff. After settlement, the system automatically processes a Refund instead.
Viewing and Managing Orders
- Navigate to eCommerce > Orders to see all orders.
- Use the status filter to view orders in a specific state (e.g., all orders in Processing).
- Click on an order to view its full details, customer information, and order history.
- To update an order's status manually, open the order and select the new status from the Status dropdown, then save.
Tip: Some status changes (such as Shipped and Fulfilled for carrier orders) happen automatically when triggered by label printing or carrier delivery notifications. Manual updates are only needed when automatic triggers are not available.
Customer Notes
When the Enable Order Notes option is turned on in Store Settings, customers can leave an optional note during checkout (for example, "Please deliver before noon" or "Leave at side door"). This note appears on the order detail page under Customer Notes and is included in the order confirmation email and the printable order receipt.
Customer notes are read-only in the admin panel — they represent exactly what the customer typed at checkout and cannot be edited after the order is placed.
To enable this feature, go to Store Settings → Features → Checkout and turn on Enable Order Notes. See the Checkout Settings doc for details.
Order Notes (Admin)
The Order Notes field on the order detail page is separate from customer notes. It is editable by admins and is intended for internal use — for example, logging a phone call or flagging an issue with an order. Order notes are not visible to customers.