> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.soundchecklive.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Event lifecycle > Every state a gig moves through — Draft, Active, Completed, Settled, plus Cancelled, Archived, and Template — and the rules that gate each transition. Every Soundcheck gig moves through a small set of states. Most gigs follow one path — **Draft → Active → Completed → Settled** — but two off-path states exist for the gigs that don't go the distance: **Cancelled** and **Archived**. A separate **Template** state holds reusable gig structures. The gig's status shows as a pill in the gig header. Clicking it opens the status picker, where the transitions available to you appear as options; the ones you can't take are shown greyed out with the reason why. ## Lifecycle at a glance ```mermaid theme={null} stateDiagram-v2 [*] --> DRAFT: Create as draft / use template [*] --> ACTIVE: Create active gig DRAFT --> ACTIVE: Set to Active (publish) ACTIVE --> COMPLETED: Automatic after the event date COMPLETED --> SETTLED: Mark settled (gated) SETTLED --> COMPLETED: Un-settle (correction) DRAFT --> CANCELLED: Cancel gig ACTIVE --> CANCELLED: Cancel gig ACTIVE --> TEMPLATE: Save as template TEMPLATE --> DRAFT: Use template COMPLETED --> [*] SETTLED --> [*] CANCELLED --> [*] ``` **Cancelled and Archived are not the same thing.** Cancelling calls a gig off before it happens and is never gated by close-out. Archiving files away a delivered gig and — when your organization enforces it — is gated by the close-out checklist. See [Cancelled vs. Archived](#cancelled-vs-archived) below. ## States ### Draft A draft gig is still being prepared. Use drafts while details are incomplete, or while you're reviewing a gig created from a template. You can build the whole thing — crew, fees, schedule, notes, setlists — without anyone being paged, because a draft doesn't send invitations on its own. Draft is a **one-way entry point**: a gig publishes forward to Active and never returns to Draft. See [Draft and publish](/features/gigs/draft-publish). ### Active An active gig is live for normal operations. Invitations and notifications can go out, the team can respond, the schedule and finances are in play. A gig becomes active either by being created directly as active or by publishing a draft. An older **Unarchived** state behaves exactly like Active — a gig that was archived and brought back reads and works as an active gig. ### Completed A gig is **Completed** once its event date has passed. This is **automatic** — you don't mark a gig completed by hand. The moment the date passes, the status pill reads *Completed* even if the underlying flip is still catching up, and the gig moves out of active operations and into [closeout](/features/gigs/closeout). ### Settled **Settled** is the final state of a healthy gig: the show happened and everyone owed on it has been paid. Settling is a manual step for admins and gig coordinators, and it's **gated** — Soundcheck won't let you close the books early. See [What gates settlement](#what-gates-settlement). If you settle a gig too soon, you can **un-settle** it back to Completed as a correction. ### Cancelled **Cancelled** means the gig was called off. You can cancel a gig only while it's a **Draft or Active** — a gig that already happened can't be cancelled. Before you confirm, Soundcheck shows a summary of what cancelling will affect (invitations, offers, payouts in flight). Cancelling **cannot be undone**, and it is **never gated by the close-out checklist**. ### Archived **Archived** is a legacy terminal state for filing away a delivered gig. Archived gigs stay viewable in your history. Archiving is not offered as a button on the close-out tab anymore — treat it as a background/historical state rather than a routine action. ### Template A template is a reusable gig structure, saved from an existing gig and used to spin up new **Draft** gigs. Templates are best for recurring formats, repeat clients, and standard production packages. See [Templates and duplication](/features/gigs/templates-and-duplication). Template save/use depends on the **gig templates** feature. If you expect templates but don't see them, [contact support](mailto:support@soundcheck.live). ## Transition matrix | From | To | How | Gating | | --------------- | --------- | -------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | — | Draft | Create as draft, or use a template | — | | — | Active | Create without saving as draft | — | | Draft | Active | **Set to Active** in the status picker | Confirmation — sends invites and notifies the team; one-way, no return to draft | | Active | Completed | Automatic once the event date passes | None — not a manual action | | Completed | Settled | **Mark settled** in the status picker | All payouts settled in Finances **and** (if enforced) the close-out checklist complete — admins can override with a logged reason | | Settled | Completed | **Un-settle** (admin / coordinator) | Correction only | | Draft or Active | Cancelled | **Cancel gig** in the status picker | Confirmation only — never gated by close-out; shows what it affects | | Active | Template | **Save as template** | Gig templates feature | | Template | Draft | **Use template** | Gig templates feature | ## What gates settlement Settling is the one transition with real guardrails, because it closes a gig on the books. To mark a gig **Settled**, all of the following must be true: Settlement only becomes available after the event date — a gig has to be Completed first. All crew payouts on the gig must have cleared. If any are still processing, the option reads *"Settle all payouts in Finances first."* See [payments](/features/gigs/payments). When your organization turns on close-out enforcement, the settle-blocking checklist steps must be checked off. Until then, the option reads *"Complete N close-out step(s) first."* Organization owners and admins can **override** a blocked checklist and settle anyway — but the override requires a written reason, which is recorded on the gig's close-out log. Coordinators without override permission see the settle option disabled with the count of steps still outstanding. Full detail lives in [post-event closeout](/features/gigs/closeout). ## Cancelled vs. Archived Both are terminal, but they mean different things and follow different rules: | | **Cancelled** | **Archived** | | ---------------- | --------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | | Meaning | The gig was called off | A delivered gig, filed away | | Available from | Draft or Active only | Historical / background state | | Close-out gating | **Never** gated | Gated by the archive checklist when enforced | | Reversible | No | The gig stays viewable; an unarchive reads as Active | | Typical use | A booking that fell through | Long-term record-keeping | ## Permissions Owners, admins, and gig coordinators manage lifecycle actions. Settling, un-settling, and cancelling need management access; the checklist **override** needs owner/admin. Template save and use additionally depend on the gig templates feature. Anyone invited to a gig can view its status. ## What copies from templates and duplicates When a gig is duplicated or created from a template, Soundcheck can carry over: * Schedule and timing, rebased to the new date * Setlists and songs * Task phases and tasks * Venue and resource details * Crew invitation structure * Notes and payment setup where applicable Copied invitations stay **draft and unsent** until you decide to send them. Prepare a gig, then set it Active. The checklist, settle gate, and reviews. Reuse gig structures safely.