diff --git a/SeaHaven.Services/Helpers/WorkOrderDerivedFields.cs b/SeaHaven.Services/Helpers/WorkOrderDerivedFields.cs
index c7ac473..9ef534c 100644
--- a/SeaHaven.Services/Helpers/WorkOrderDerivedFields.cs
+++ b/SeaHaven.Services/Helpers/WorkOrderDerivedFields.cs
@@ -50,25 +50,50 @@ namespace SeaHaven.Services.Helpers
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// SHOC rule: specific scheduled date + assignee + Incomplete → Scheduled.
-        /// Week-only targets do not auto-schedule.
+        /// Promote Incomplete/Pending to Scheduled, or demote Scheduled to Pending, from Schedule On.
+        /// Assignee is not required. Week-only is not a concrete date.
+        /// </summary>
+        public static List<WorkOrderBoardFieldMutations.BoardFieldChange> ApplyLifecycleFromSchedule(WorkOrder workOrder)
+        {
+            var changes = new List<WorkOrderBoardFieldMutations.BoardFieldChange>();
+            LifecycleStatus? next = null;
+            if (WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.ShouldPromoteToScheduled(
+                    workOrder.LifecycleStatus,
+                    workOrder.ScheduledDate,
+                    workOrder.ScheduleWeekOnly))
+            {
+                next = LifecycleStatus.Scheduled;
+            }
+            else if (WorkOrderBoardMutationRules.ShouldDemoteFromScheduled(
+                         workOrder.LifecycleStatus,
+                         workOrder.ScheduledDate,
+                         workOrder.ScheduleWeekOnly))
+            {
+                next = LifecycleStatus.Pending;
+            }
+
+            if (next == null || workOrder.LifecycleStatus == next)
+                return changes;
+
+            var old = workOrder.LifecycleStatus?.ToString();
+            workOrder.LifecycleStatus = next;
+            workOrder.Status = GetLifecycleStatusLabel(next);
+            changes.Add(WorkOrderBoardFieldMutations.BoardFieldChange.StatusChanged(
+                "LifecycleStatus",
+                old,
+                next.Value.ToString()));
+            return changes;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Applies schedule-driven lifecycle (promote or demote). True when the row becomes Scheduled.
         /// </summary>
         public static bool ApplyAutoScheduleIfEligible(WorkOrder workOrder)
         {
-            if (workOrder.LifecycleStatus != LifecycleStatus.Incomplete)
-                return false;
-
-            if (workOrder.ScheduleWeekOnly == true)
-                return false;
-
-            if (workOrder.ScheduledDate == null)
-                return false;
-
-            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(workOrder.AssignTo))
-                return false;
-
-            workOrder.LifecycleStatus = LifecycleStatus.Scheduled;
-            return true;
+            var before = workOrder.LifecycleStatus;
+            ApplyLifecycleFromSchedule(workOrder);
+            return before != LifecycleStatus.Scheduled
+                   && workOrder.LifecycleStatus == LifecycleStatus.Scheduled;
         }
 
         /// <summary>
diff --git a/SeaHavenIndustries.Tests/WorkOrderDerivedFieldsTests.cs b/SeaHavenIndustries.Tests/WorkOrderDerivedFieldsTests.cs
index 2dd8c6b..eadc960 100644
--- a/SeaHavenIndustries.Tests/WorkOrderDerivedFieldsTests.cs
+++ b/SeaHavenIndustries.Tests/WorkOrderDerivedFieldsTests.cs
@@ -83,19 +83,48 @@ public class WorkOrderDerivedFieldsTests
     }
 
     [Fact]
-    public void ApplyAutoSchedule_WhenDateAndAssignee_PromotesToScheduled()
+    public void ApplyAutoSchedule_WhenDateWithoutAssignee_PromotesToScheduled()
     {
         var wo = new WorkOrder
         {
             LifecycleStatus = LifecycleStatus.Incomplete,
-            ScheduledDate = new DateTime(2026, 6, 25),
-            AssignTo = "dispatcher-1"
+            ScheduledDate = new DateTime(2026, 6, 25)
         };
 
         Assert.True(WorkOrderDerivedFields.ApplyAutoScheduleIfEligible(wo));
         Assert.Equal(LifecycleStatus.Scheduled, wo.LifecycleStatus);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void ApplyLifecycleFromSchedule_PendingWithDate_PromotesToScheduled()
+    {
+        var wo = new WorkOrder
+        {
+            LifecycleStatus = LifecycleStatus.Pending,
+            ScheduledDate = new DateTime(2026, 6, 25)
+        };
+
+        var changes = WorkOrderDerivedFields.ApplyLifecycleFromSchedule(wo);
+        Assert.Equal(LifecycleStatus.Scheduled, wo.LifecycleStatus);
+        Assert.Single(changes);
+        Assert.Equal(AuditActionType.StatusChanged, changes[0].Action);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ApplyLifecycleFromSchedule_ScheduledWithoutDate_DemotesToPending()
+    {
+        var wo = new WorkOrder
+        {
+            LifecycleStatus = LifecycleStatus.Scheduled,
+            ScheduledDate = null
+        };
+
+        var changes = WorkOrderDerivedFields.ApplyLifecycleFromSchedule(wo);
+        Assert.Equal(LifecycleStatus.Pending, wo.LifecycleStatus);
+        Assert.Single(changes);
+        Assert.Equal(LifecycleStatus.Pending.ToString(), changes[0].NewValue);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void ApplyAutoSchedule_WeekOnly_DoesNotPromote()
     {
@@ -103,7 +132,6 @@ public class WorkOrderDerivedFieldsTests
         {
             LifecycleStatus = LifecycleStatus.Incomplete,
             ScheduledDate = new DateTime(2026, 6, 25),
-            AssignTo = "dispatcher-1",
             ScheduleWeekOnly = true,
             TargetWeek = new DateOnly(2026, 6, 22)
         };
@@ -112,13 +140,25 @@ public class WorkOrderDerivedFieldsTests
         Assert.Equal(LifecycleStatus.Incomplete, wo.LifecycleStatus);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void ApplyLifecycleFromSchedule_InProgress_UnchangedWhenDateCleared()
+    {
+        var wo = new WorkOrder
+        {
+            LifecycleStatus = LifecycleStatus.InProgress,
+            ScheduledDate = null
+        };
+
+        Assert.Empty(WorkOrderDerivedFields.ApplyLifecycleFromSchedule(wo));
+        Assert.Equal(LifecycleStatus.InProgress, wo.LifecycleStatus);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void SetInitialLifecycleStatus_NewWo_StartsIncompleteThenAutoSchedules()
     {
         var wo = new WorkOrder
         {
-            ScheduledDate = new DateTime(2026, 6, 25),
-            AssignTo = "dispatcher-1"
+            ScheduledDate = new DateTime(2026, 6, 25)
         };
 
         WorkOrderDerivedFields.SetInitialLifecycleStatus(wo);