diff --git a/OpenNest.Core/NestStatus.cs b/OpenNest.Core/NestStatus.cs
index 7dbde27a..c9c54f42 100644
--- a/OpenNest.Core/NestStatus.cs
+++ b/OpenNest.Core/NestStatus.cs
@@ -4,10 +4,33 @@ namespace OpenNest
     /// Shop-floor workflow state of a saved nest, persisted as a string in
     /// <c>nest.json</c> so unknown future values can fall back safely.
     /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// New values go at the end: the nest server still accepts integer statuses from
+    /// existing callers, so existing values must keep their numbers. Lists shown to the
+    /// operator use <see cref="NestStatuses.WorkflowOrder"/>, not declaration order.
+    /// </remarks>
     public enum NestStatus
     {
         Quote,
         ToBeCut,
         HasBeenCut,
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Created but not yet ready to quote or cut, such as a nest released from a
+        /// drawing set before it has been nested and checked. Comes before Quote.
+        /// </summary>
+        Draft,
+    }
+
+    public static class NestStatuses
+    {
+        /// <summary>Every status in the order a nest moves through them.</summary>
+        public static readonly NestStatus[] WorkflowOrder =
+        {
+            NestStatus.Draft,
+            NestStatus.Quote,
+            NestStatus.ToBeCut,
+            NestStatus.HasBeenCut,
+        };
     }
 }
diff --git a/OpenNest.Server.Tests/NestUploadValidationTests.cs b/OpenNest.Server.Tests/NestUploadValidationTests.cs
index 4256fe02..3667680a 100644
--- a/OpenNest.Server.Tests/NestUploadValidationTests.cs
+++ b/OpenNest.Server.Tests/NestUploadValidationTests.cs
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ public sealed class NestUploadValidationTests
     [InlineData("""{"name":"A","madeBy":null}""")]
     [InlineData("""{"name":"A","status":99}""")]
     [InlineData("""{"name":"A","status":"cancelled"}""")]
+    [InlineData("""{"name":"A","status":4}""")]
     public async Task Create_WithInvalidMetadata_Returns400AndStoresNothing(string metadata)
     {
         using var factory = new ServerFactory();
@@ -80,6 +81,8 @@ public sealed class NestUploadValidationTests
     [Theory]
     [InlineData("""{"name":"A","status":"toBeCut"}""", NestStatus.ToBeCut)]
     [InlineData("""{"name":"A","status":2}""", NestStatus.HasBeenCut)]
+    [InlineData("""{"name":"A","status":"draft"}""", NestStatus.Draft)]
+    [InlineData("""{"name":"A","status":3}""", NestStatus.Draft)]
     public async Task Create_WithDefinedStatus_StoresIt(string metadata, NestStatus expected)
     {
         using var factory = new ServerFactory();
diff --git a/OpenNest.Server/NestMetadata.cs b/OpenNest.Server/NestMetadata.cs
index 9a7d53de..751a7ff3 100644
--- a/OpenNest.Server/NestMetadata.cs
+++ b/OpenNest.Server/NestMetadata.cs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ internal static class NestMetadata
         if (record.Material is null) return "material must be a string.";
         if (record.Comments is null) return "comments must be a string.";
         if (record.MadeBy is null) return "madeBy must be a string.";
-        if (!Enum.IsDefined(record.Status)) return "status must be quote, toBeCut or hasBeenCut.";
+        if (!Enum.IsDefined(record.Status)) return "status must be draft, quote, toBeCut or hasBeenCut.";
         if (!double.IsFinite(record.Thickness)) return "thickness must be a finite number.";
         return null;
     }
diff --git a/OpenNest.Tests/IO/NestStatusSerializationTests.cs b/OpenNest.Tests/IO/NestStatusSerializationTests.cs
index a1a7a9ed..eeaadd9a 100644
--- a/OpenNest.Tests/IO/NestStatusSerializationTests.cs
+++ b/OpenNest.Tests/IO/NestStatusSerializationTests.cs
@@ -43,6 +43,41 @@ public class NestStatusSerializationTests
         Assert.Equal(NestStatus.HasBeenCut, loaded.Status);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void RoundTrip_Draft_PreservedAsName()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateMinimalNest();
+        nest.Status = NestStatus.Draft;
+
+        using var ms = new MemoryStream();
+        new NestWriter(nest).Write(ms);
+        using var doc = JsonDocument.Parse(ReadNestJson(ms));
+        ms.Position = 0;
+        var loaded = new NestReader(ms).Read();
+
+        Assert.Equal("Draft", doc.RootElement.GetProperty("status").GetString());
+        Assert.Equal(NestStatus.Draft, loaded.Status);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void WorkflowOrder_StartsWithDraftAndListsEveryStatusOnce()
+    {
+        Assert.Equal(NestStatus.Draft, NestStatuses.WorkflowOrder[0]);
+        Assert.Equal(
+            Enum.GetValues<NestStatus>().OrderBy(s => s),
+            NestStatuses.WorkflowOrder.OrderBy(s => s));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ExistingStatusNumbers_AreUnchanged()
+    {
+        // The nest server still accepts integer statuses from existing callers.
+        Assert.Equal(0, (int)NestStatus.Quote);
+        Assert.Equal(1, (int)NestStatus.ToBeCut);
+        Assert.Equal(2, (int)NestStatus.HasBeenCut);
+        Assert.Equal(3, (int)NestStatus.Draft);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void Status_SerializedAsEnumString()
     {
diff --git a/OpenNest.WinForms.Tests/Forms/EditNestInfoFormTests.cs b/OpenNest.WinForms.Tests/Forms/EditNestInfoFormTests.cs
index bfd06286..be3235e2 100644
--- a/OpenNest.WinForms.Tests/Forms/EditNestInfoFormTests.cs
+++ b/OpenNest.WinForms.Tests/Forms/EditNestInfoFormTests.cs
@@ -143,6 +143,25 @@ public class EditNestInfoFormTests
         });
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public void StatusList_FollowsWorkflowOrder_AndSavesDraft()
+    {
+        RunSta(() =>
+        {
+            var nest = AcceptanceNest();
+            using var form = new EditNestInfoForm();
+            form.LoadNestInfo(nest);
+            var statusBox = Assert.IsType<ComboBox>(form.Controls.Find("statusBox", true).Single());
+
+            Assert.Equal(NestStatuses.WorkflowOrder, statusBox.Items.Cast<NestStatus>());
+
+            form.Status = NestStatus.Draft;
+            form.SaveNestInfo(nest);
+
+            Assert.Equal(NestStatus.Draft, nest.Status);
+        });
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void BlankName_DisablesOk()
     {
diff --git a/OpenNest/Forms/EditNestInfoForm.cs b/OpenNest/Forms/EditNestInfoForm.cs
index bccc8ccd..26f450bd 100644
--- a/OpenNest/Forms/EditNestInfoForm.cs
+++ b/OpenNest/Forms/EditNestInfoForm.cs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ namespace OpenNest.Forms
             foreach (var name in PostProcessorMaterials.Names)
                 materialBox.Items.Add(name);
 
-            foreach (var status in Enum.GetValues<NestStatus>())
+            foreach (var status in NestStatuses.WorkflowOrder)
                 statusBox.Items.Add(status);
             statusBox.SelectedItem = NestStatus.Quote;
 
diff --git a/OpenNest/Forms/SavedNestsForm.cs b/OpenNest/Forms/SavedNestsForm.cs
index 09a353de..d7b6907e 100644
--- a/OpenNest/Forms/SavedNestsForm.cs
+++ b/OpenNest/Forms/SavedNestsForm.cs
@@ -542,6 +542,7 @@ public sealed class SavedNestsForm : Form
 
     private static string FormatStatus(NestStatus status) => status switch
     {
+        NestStatus.Draft => "Draft",
         NestStatus.Quote => "Quote",
         NestStatus.ToBeCut => "To Be Cut",
         NestStatus.HasBeenCut => "Has Been Cut",
diff --git a/docs/nest-file-format.md b/docs/nest-file-format.md
index 2b44ab32..77ee1011 100644
--- a/docs/nest-file-format.md
+++ b/docs/nest-file-format.md
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ opening and saving with an older application loses that state.
 
 `nest.json` carries the workflow fields shown in the nest info dialog:
 `name`, `customer`, `dateCreated`, `dateLastModified`, `notes`, `material`,
-`thickness`, plus `status` (`"Quote"`, `"ToBeCut"`, `"HasBeenCut"`) and `madeBy`.
+`thickness`, plus `status` (`"Draft"`, `"Quote"`, `"ToBeCut"`, `"HasBeenCut"`) and `madeBy`.
 Status and made-by are additive: files written before them load as Quote with an
-empty maker, and an unrecognized status value likewise falls back to Quote.
+empty maker, and an unrecognized status value likewise falls back to Quote. Builds
+before `Draft` therefore open a Draft nest as Quote, and saving it there keeps Quote.
 
 ## Programs and placements
 
diff --git a/docs/nest-storage.md b/docs/nest-storage.md
index b746f836..d56e34c7 100644
--- a/docs/nest-storage.md
+++ b/docs/nest-storage.md
@@ -67,7 +67,9 @@ with enums serialized as strings (`JsonSerializerDefaults.Web` +
 `JsonStringEnumConverter(JsonNamingPolicy.CamelCase)`), matching the rest of
 `OpenNest.Data`'s local JSON stores. Uploaded metadata (POST and both PUTs) must
 carry string text fields (`null` is 400) and a defined `status`: a name, or for
-existing callers its integer value 0–2; an undefined value is 400 and stores nothing.
+existing callers its integer value (0 quote, 1 toBeCut, 2 hasBeenCut, 3 draft); an
+undefined value is 400 and stores nothing. A server older than `draft` refuses it,
+so upgrade the server before desktops that can set it.
 
 | Field | Type | Notes |
 |---|---|---|
@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@ existing callers its integer value 0–2; an undefined value is 400 and stores n
 | `dateCreated` / `dateModified` | datetime | Set by the client from the nest's own metadata. |
 | `material` | string | |
 | `thickness` | number | |
-| `status` | `"quote"` \| `"toBeCut"` \| `"hasBeenCut"` | Default `quote`. |
+| `status` | `"draft"` \| `"quote"` \| `"toBeCut"` \| `"hasBeenCut"` | Default `quote`. |
 | `plateCount` / `partCount` | integer | Computed client-side at save time (non-cutoff parts only). |
 | `comments` | string | |
 | `madeBy` | string | |