Understanding Submissions
Track your application progress and understand submission states.
A submission is your application and work for a specific opportunity. This guide explains how submissions work and what each status means.
What Is a Submission?
When you apply to an opportunity, a submission is created. This submission tracks:
- Your application status
- Screening responses
- Completed tasks
- Review decisions
- Payout status
Think of it as a container for all your work on a specific study.
Submission Timeline
Most submissions follow this flow:
The time from application to payout varies by study. Some complete in a single session; others span multiple days.
Submission States
Your submission moves through various states as you progress.
INIT
What it means: Your application has started.
What to do: Continue with the application process. You may need to provide basic info or complete initial steps.
SCREENING
What it means: You're currently completing screening questions.
What to do: Answer all screening questions honestly. These determine if you qualify for the full study.
SCREEN_PASSED
What it means: Congratulations! You passed the screening phase.
What to do: Continue to the main tasks of the study.
SCREENED_OUT
What it means: You didn't meet the screening criteria for this study.
What to do: This isn't personal. Researchers have specific requirements. Try other opportunities that better match your background.
IN_PROGRESS
What it means: You're actively working on the study tasks.
What to do: Complete all assigned tasks before any deadlines. Check your submission for task details.
AWAITING_REVIEW
What it means: You've submitted your work and it's being reviewed.
What to do: Wait for the researcher or our quality system to review your submission. This can take a few hours to several days depending on the study. If a researcher doesn't review within 7 days, your submission is automatically approved and your earnings are released, so you're never left waiting indefinitely. See Rewards and Fair Pay for more.
APPROVED
What it means: Your work was accepted!
What to do: Your earnings have been added to your balance. You can cash out once you meet the minimum threshold.
REJECTED
What it means: Your submission wasn't accepted.
What to do: See the rejection reason if provided. Learn from the feedback and try other opportunities.
Other Statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| RESERVED | You've reserved a spot on a study but haven't started it yet |
| RETURNED | You chose to return the study before finishing (no reward, no penalty) |
| REPORTED | You reported this study for review |
| ABANDONED | You started but didn't complete the submission |
| TIMED_OUT | The submission exceeded its time limit |
| CANCELLED | The study was cancelled by the researcher |
| FAILED | A technical or processing error prevented completion |
Returning or Withdrawing a Submission
Sometimes you start a study and decide not to finish it, because the content isn't right for you, you ran out of time, or something else came up. You can return a submission you've started.
When you return a submission:
- It moves to the RETURNED status
- You forfeit the reward for that specific study, since the work wasn't completed
- There is no penalty to your account standing
Returning is the right choice when you can't or don't want to complete a study. It's better than leaving it to time out or abandoning it midway. If a technical problem stopped you from finishing work you did complete, contact support with your submission ID before returning, in case it can be recovered.
Returning is your decision. If a study's content is not right for you, see Your Wellbeing and Sensitive Content for more options.
Tracking Your Submissions
Log in
Sign in to your Terac account.
Open your dashboard
Head to your dashboard from the main navigation.
Review your applications
Click "My Submissions" or "Applications" to see every submission, its current status, and any actions you need to take.
FAQ
What's Next?
Learn about completing screeners to improve your pass rate.