Volunteer statuses can basically mean anything you need them to mean. An “Applicant” is typically someone who has just filled in your application form, while someone who is “In Process” may be undergoing orientation and training. If you change the status of someone to “Inactive”, it may mean that they will be temporarily unavailable (vacation, leave, etc.) to volunteer. A volunteer who has been Archived is considered to no longer be part of your organization.
Note: Changing a volunteer’s status may also affect the visibility of Activities, Documents and News for the volunteer.