Task lifecycle

Every task moves through a defined state machine. The happy path runs from draft to paid; branches handle rejection, cancellation, and expiry. Each transition is a ledger event and, where relevant, a webhook — so your systems and the task always agree on where things stand.

The main path

1. draft — the task shape exists but isn't committed. (You'll usually skip straight past this by creating a funded task directly.)
2. screening — the task is created, escrow is locked, and it's in safety screening. Emits task.submitted; a task routed to ops review during screening emits task.review_required.
3. live — the task cleared screening and is open for matching. Emits task.live.
4. matched — an eligible Operator has been matched. Emits task.matched.
5. accepted → in_progress — the Operator accepts the offer (assignment.accepted) and starts the work.
6. proof_submitted — the Operator has done the work and submitted proof.
7. verifying — the proof is being checked. High-confidence results auto-approve; the rest go to human review.
8. approved — the proof was accepted, by you or by auto-approval. Escrow is released to the Operator. Emits task.approved.
9. paid — settlement is complete and recorded on the ledger. A terminal state.

The branches

Not every task reaches paid. Three branches lead elsewhere:

From	Trigger	Outcome	Terminal state
verifying	You reject the proof with a reason	Escrow freezes, a dispute opens (dispute.opened), then resolves (dispute.resolved) — releasing or refunding	resolved
draft / screening / live / matched	You cancel before acceptance	Escrow refunds to your wallet (task.cancelled)	refunded
live and later, before settlement	The task goes unmatched or unfulfilled within its window	Escrow refunds; task closes (task.expired)	refunded

A rejected task runs through a dispute rather than settling directly. The dispute's outcome decides whether escrow releases to the Operator or refunds to you — either way the task ends resolved. See Handle proof.

Terminal states

A task ends in exactly one of:

• paid — approved and settled to the Operator.
• refunded — cancelled or expired; funds returned to your wallet.
• resolved — a dispute reached its outcome.

Once terminal, a task doesn't transition again. Corrections happen as new ledger entries, never edits to a settled task — see Escrow and the ledger.