What do the progress steps on the order page mean?
The four steps are Confirming payment (then Payment confirmed), Collecting records, Preparing report and Report ready. The page advances itself.
Check the review date and linked sources for context. Live availability, prices and record coverage can vary by VIN, source, jurisdiction and time.
The order page shows four steps and highlights the one you are on. The first reads ‘Confirming payment’ while it waits for secure server-side confirmation, then ‘Payment confirmed’ once that has arrived. Collecting records means the provider request is queued and the available history sources are being checked. Preparing report means those records are being assembled into the provider document. Report ready means the PDF can be viewed and downloaded. The page moves through them on its own.
- The steps are derived from your verified order and report status, not from a timer, so no step carries an estimated time.
- The first step is labelled 'Confirming payment' while confirmation is pending and 'Payment confirmed' once it has arrived.
- A paid pack order with no VIN assigned yet shows a credit screen instead of the four steps; while its payment is still being confirmed it shows the steps like any other order, with the credits panel underneath.
What each step is actually reporting
Three of the four steps have a fixed label and a one-line detail, and the page marks each one complete, current or upcoming. The first step changes as it resolves: it reads ‘Confirming payment / Waiting for secure server-side confirmation’ while confirmation is pending, and ‘Payment confirmed’ once it has arrived. A completed step shows a check mark; the current step is the one your order sits at right now. Nothing on the page is a countdown, and no step promises how long the next one takes.
| Step | What it means |
|---|---|
| Confirming payment → Payment confirmed | Verified securely with the payment provider |
| Collecting records | Checking the available vehicle-history sources |
| Preparing report | Assembling the provider document |
| Report ready | Available to view and download |
When the steps change shape or disappear
If you bought a pack, then once the payment is confirmed and before you assign a VIN, the steps are replaced by 'Your report credits are ready' — nothing is generated until you assign a credit to a vehicle. If the order reaches a state that needs a human (payment refunded, under review, or report preparation stopped), the steps are replaced by an update message and a support link instead.
While a step is in progress the page adds a live note. During payment confirmation it says the page updates automatically from the verified payment status; afterwards it says you can close the page, because the secure report link is emailed when the report is ready.
What this does not cover
- No step displays an estimated time, and the page will not guess one.
- If the page cannot refresh, it says so and offers a Try again button rather than inventing a status.
Sources reviewed
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
Frequently asked questions
How often does the order page refresh itself?
Every five seconds for the first minute, every fifteen seconds up to ten minutes, then once a minute. It stops polling once the report is ready or the order reaches a state that needs support.
Do I have to keep the page open until the report is ready?
No. Once payment is confirmed the page tells you that you can close it, and the secure report link is emailed when delivery completes. Your purchase also stays in My Reports.
Why does my pack order show no progress steps?
Because a pack has nothing to report on until you assign a VIN. The page shows your available credits and a VIN field instead; once you queue a VIN a single set of steps appears for the order, and the state of each individual report is listed in the credits panel.