Booking Lifecycle Overview

Booking phases

Every booking in OutdoorShare passes through a defined sequence of phases:

| Phase | Status | Description | |-------|--------|-------------| | 1 — Booking | → | Customer selects dates and pays. Admin confirms. | | 2 — Pre-pickup | | Automated reminders sent. Rental agreement signing, identity verification. | | 3 — Pickup | | Admin marks equipment picked up; pickup photos documented. | | 4 — Active Rental | | Equipment in the renter's possession. | | 5 — Pre-return | | Automated return reminder sent 24 hours before end date. | | 6 — Return | → | Return photos documented; admin marks returned. Deposit released. |

The admin task checklist

On every confirmed/active booking detail page you'll see a Task Checklist — a live list of actions to complete before and after the rental: Rental Agreement — send a digital agreement for the renter to sign Identity Verification — send a Stripe Identity link for government ID verification Pickup Photos — send a link for the renter to upload photos of the equipment before pickup Return Photos — send a link for return condition documentation

The checklist shows only tasks relevant to the current booking phase.

Status transitions

| From | Action | To | |------|--------|----| | Pending | Admin confirms | Confirmed | | Confirmed | Admin marks picked up | Active | | Active | Admin marks returned | Completed | | Any | Admin cancels | Cancelled |

FAQ

Q: Can a customer cancel their booking?

A: Yes — from their booking detail page on the storefront, if the rental has not yet started.

Q: What happens to the deposit when a booking is completed?

A: The security deposit hold is released automatically when the booking is marked Returned (unless a damage claim is filed).

Q: Can I reopen a completed booking?

A: Not directly. Contact support if you need to make corrections to a completed booking.