Appointment lifecycle

Appointment lifecycle

Every appointment in Fluent progresses through a series of statuses that reflect its current state. Understanding this lifecycle helps you manage your scheduling workflow effectively.

Status overview

Here’s how an appointment typically moves through Fluent:

Requested → Unassigned → Assigned → Confirmed → In Progress → Complete

At any point, an appointment can also be Canceled.

Status definitions

Requested

The appointment has been submitted (by a customer through the portal or by your team) but no action has been taken yet. This is the initial state for new appointments.

What to do: Review the request and begin the assignment process.

Unassigned

The appointment has been reviewed and is ready for interpreter assignment, but no interpreter has been assigned yet.

What to do: Use offer-based scheduling or direct assignment to find an interpreter.

Assigned

An interpreter has been assigned to the appointment but hasn’t confirmed yet. The interpreter may have received an offer notification.

What to do: Wait for confirmation or follow up with the interpreter if the appointment is urgent.

Pending confirmation

A confirmation request has been sent to the interpreter but they haven’t responded yet. This status helps you track which assignments need follow-up.

What to do: Monitor for response; Fluent will send automatic reminders based on your settings.

Confirmed

The interpreter has confirmed they will attend the appointment. This is a stable state indicating coverage is secured.

What to do: The appointment is ready. No further action needed until the appointment time.

In progress

The appointment is currently happening. This status is typically set automatically when the interpreter checks in or manually by an admin.

What to do: Monitor if needed; the interpreter should be on-site or connected.

Complete

The appointment has finished. The interpreter has submitted their time (voucher) or an admin has marked it complete.

What to do: Review the voucher if needed, then the appointment flows into billing/payroll.

Canceled

The appointment was canceled before completion. Canceled appointments can have different reasons:

• Canceled by customer — The client no longer needs the service
• Canceled by agency — Unable to fill or other operational reason
• Canceled late — Canceled within a configured window (e.g., 24 hours), which may trigger late-cancel billing

Status transitions

Not all status transitions are allowed. Here are the valid paths:

From	Can transition to
Requested	Unassigned, Assigned, Canceled
Unassigned	Assigned, Canceled
Assigned	Confirmed, Unassigned (if declined), Canceled
Confirmed	In Progress, Canceled
In Progress	Complete, Canceled
Complete	(Final state)
Canceled	(Final state)

Automatic status updates

Fluent can automatically update statuses based on:

• Interpreter actions — Accepting offers, confirming, checking in/out
• Time-based rules — Auto-marking appointments as “missed” if no check-in occurs
• Voucher submission — Moving to “Complete” when time is recorded

Tips for managing the lifecycle

1. Use filters — Filter your appointment list by status to focus on what needs attention
2. Set up notifications — Configure alerts for status changes that matter to your workflow
3. Review pending confirmations — Regularly check appointments awaiting confirmation, especially for upcoming dates
4. Track cancellation patterns — Late cancellations may indicate issues to address with customers

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Need help with a stuck appointment? Check Troubleshooting: Appointment not showing up.