diff --git a/SeaHaven.Services/Helpers/WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.cs b/SeaHaven.Services/Helpers/WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.cs
index dde4bfb..e1cec9d 100644
--- a/SeaHaven.Services/Helpers/WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.cs
+++ b/SeaHaven.Services/Helpers/WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.cs
@@ -46,7 +46,13 @@ namespace SeaHaven.Services.Helpers
             => field.Equals(WorkOrderBoardFieldNames.LifecycleStatus, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) && isPastDue;
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// SHOC rule: Incomplete + specific scheduled date + assignee → Scheduled.
+        /// Concrete Schedule On: a calendar day is set and the row is not week-only.
+        /// </summary>
+        public static bool HasConcreteSchedule(DateTime? scheduledDate, bool? scheduleWeekOnly)
+            => scheduledDate.HasValue && scheduleWeekOnly != true;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Incomplete or Pending + concrete scheduled date → Scheduled. Assignee is not required.
         /// Week-only targets do not auto-schedule (same as <see cref="WorkOrderDerivedFields.ApplyAutoScheduleIfEligible"/>).
         /// </summary>
         public static bool ShouldAutoSchedule(
@@ -54,10 +60,27 @@ namespace SeaHaven.Services.Helpers
             DateTime? scheduledDate,
             string? assignTo,
             bool? scheduleWeekOnly = null)
-            => status == LifecycleStatus.Incomplete
-               && scheduleWeekOnly != true
-               && scheduledDate.HasValue
-               && !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(assignTo);
+        {
+            _ = assignTo;
+            return ShouldPromoteToScheduled(status, scheduledDate, scheduleWeekOnly);
+        }
+
+        public static bool ShouldPromoteToScheduled(
+            LifecycleStatus? status,
+            DateTime? scheduledDate,
+            bool? scheduleWeekOnly = null)
+            => (status == LifecycleStatus.Incomplete || status == LifecycleStatus.Pending)
+               && HasConcreteSchedule(scheduledDate, scheduleWeekOnly);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Scheduled without a concrete date (cleared or week-only) → Pending. Later statuses are ignored.
+        /// </summary>
+        public static bool ShouldDemoteFromScheduled(
+            LifecycleStatus? status,
+            DateTime? scheduledDate,
+            bool? scheduleWeekOnly = null)
+            => status == LifecycleStatus.Scheduled
+               && !HasConcreteSchedule(scheduledDate, scheduleWeekOnly);
 
         public static bool IsReschedule(DateTime? previousDate, DateTime? newDate)
             => previousDate.HasValue
diff --git a/SeaHavenIndustries.Tests/WorkOrderBoardMutationRulesTests.cs b/SeaHavenIndustries.Tests/WorkOrderBoardMutationRulesTests.cs
index 6494004..548a50f 100644
--- a/SeaHavenIndustries.Tests/WorkOrderBoardMutationRulesTests.cs
+++ b/SeaHavenIndustries.Tests/WorkOrderBoardMutationRulesTests.cs
@@ -27,12 +27,21 @@ public class WorkOrderBoardMutationRulesTests
     }
 
     [Fact]
-    public void ShouldAutoSchedule_WhenIncompleteWithDateAndAssignee()
+    public void ShouldAutoSchedule_WhenIncompleteWithDate_DoesNotRequireAssignee()
     {
         Assert.True(WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.ShouldAutoSchedule(
             LifecycleStatus.Incomplete,
             new DateTime(2026, 6, 25),
-            "dispatcher-1"));
+            assignTo: null));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ShouldAutoSchedule_WhenPendingWithConcreteDate()
+    {
+        Assert.True(WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.ShouldAutoSchedule(
+            LifecycleStatus.Pending,
+            new DateTime(2026, 6, 25),
+            assignTo: null));
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -41,7 +50,7 @@ public class WorkOrderBoardMutationRulesTests
         Assert.False(WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.ShouldAutoSchedule(
             LifecycleStatus.Scheduled,
             new DateTime(2026, 6, 25),
-            "dispatcher-1"));
+            assignTo: null));
     }
 
     [Fact]
@@ -50,10 +59,52 @@ public class WorkOrderBoardMutationRulesTests
         Assert.False(WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.ShouldAutoSchedule(
             LifecycleStatus.Incomplete,
             new DateTime(2026, 6, 25),
-            "dispatcher-1",
+            assignTo: null,
             scheduleWeekOnly: true));
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void ShouldAutoSchedule_FalseWhenInProgress()
+    {
+        Assert.False(WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.ShouldAutoSchedule(
+            LifecycleStatus.InProgress,
+            new DateTime(2026, 6, 25),
+            assignTo: null));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ShouldDemoteFromScheduled_WhenDateCleared()
+    {
+        Assert.True(WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.ShouldDemoteFromScheduled(
+            LifecycleStatus.Scheduled,
+            scheduledDate: null));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ShouldDemoteFromScheduled_WhenWeekOnly()
+    {
+        Assert.True(WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.ShouldDemoteFromScheduled(
+            LifecycleStatus.Scheduled,
+            new DateTime(2026, 6, 25),
+            scheduleWeekOnly: true));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ShouldDemoteFromScheduled_FalseWhenConcreteDateRemains()
+    {
+        Assert.False(WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.ShouldDemoteFromScheduled(
+            LifecycleStatus.Scheduled,
+            new DateTime(2026, 6, 25)));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ShouldDemoteFromScheduled_FalseWhenInProgress()
+    {
+        Assert.False(WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.ShouldDemoteFromScheduled(
+            LifecycleStatus.InProgress,
+            scheduledDate: null));
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void CanPatchBoardField_AllowsOnlyFlagColorWhenCompleted()
     {