diff --git a/app/Enums/EntryFlags.php b/app/Enums/EntryFlags.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7cb14d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Enums/EntryFlags.php
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Enums;
+
+enum EntryFlags: string
+{
+    case WILL_ADVANCE = 'will_advance';
+    case DECLINED = 'declined';
+    case NO_SHOW = 'no_show';
+    case FAILED_PRELIM = 'failed_prelim';
+}
+
diff --git a/app/Models/Audition.php b/app/Models/Audition.php
index 658fec1..21d6c78 100644
--- a/app/Models/Audition.php
+++ b/app/Models/Audition.php
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ class Audition extends Model
             $flags[] = $checkFlag->flag_name->value;
         }
 
-        // return true if any flag in $this->flags has a flag_name of declined without making another db query if flags are loaded
         return in_array($flag, $flags);
     }
 
diff --git a/app/Models/Entry.php b/app/Models/Entry.php
index 0a4c608..d49fa3d 100644
--- a/app/Models/Entry.php
+++ b/app/Models/Entry.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace App\Models;
 
+use App\Enums\EntryFlags;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
@@ -66,8 +67,12 @@ class Entry extends Model
 
     public function hasFlag($flag): bool
     {
-        // return true if any flag in $this->flags has a flag_name of declined without making another db query if flags are loaded
-        return $this->flags->contains('flag_name', $flag);
+        $flags = [];
+        foreach ($this->flags as $checkFlag) {
+            $flags[] = $checkFlag->flag_name->value;
+        }
+
+        return in_array($flag, $flags);
 
     }
 
@@ -76,7 +81,13 @@ class Entry extends Model
         if ($this->hasFlag($flag)) {
             return;
         }
-        $this->flags()->create(['flag_name' => $flag]);
+        $enum = match ($flag) {
+            'will_advance' => EntryFlags::WILL_ADVANCE,
+            'declined' => EntryFlags::DECLINED,
+            'no_show' => EntryFlags::NO_SHOW,
+            'failed_prelim' => EntryFlags::FAILED_PRELIM,
+        };
+        $this->flags()->create(['flag_name' => $enum]);
         $this->load('flags');
     }
 
@@ -118,8 +129,8 @@ class Entry extends Model
     {
         $query->whereDoesntHave('flags', function (Builder $query) {
             $query->where('flag_name', 'declined')
-                ->orWhere('flag_name', 'no-show')
-                ->orWhere('flag_name', 'failed-prelim');
+                ->orWhere('flag_name', 'no_show')
+                ->orWhere('flag_name', 'failed_prelim');
         });
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/Models/EntryFlag.php b/app/Models/EntryFlag.php
index 8bd484b..5b3cf64 100644
--- a/app/Models/EntryFlag.php
+++ b/app/Models/EntryFlag.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace App\Models;
 
+use App\Enums\EntryFlags;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Relations\BelongsTo;
 
@@ -9,8 +10,10 @@ class EntryFlag extends Model
 {
     protected $guarded = [];
 
-    //    Possible flags include
-    //    - declined: used if a doubler declines a seat in this audition. Checked by DoublerService
+    protected $casts = [
+        'flag_name' => EntryFlags::class,
+    ];
+
     public function entry(): BelongsTo
     {
         return $this->belongsTo(Entry::class);
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Models/EntryTest.php b/tests/Feature/Models/EntryTest.php
index 233e6af..d2ccaba 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/Models/EntryTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/Models/EntryTest.php
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <?php
 
+use App\Enums\EntryFlags;
 use App\Models\Audition;
 use App\Models\Ensemble;
 use App\Models\Entry;
@@ -77,11 +78,11 @@ test('has advancement votes', function () {
 it('can have flags and can check for a specific flag', function () {
     // Arrange
     $entry = Entry::factory()->create();
-    EntryFlag::create(['entry_id' => $entry->id, 'flag_name' => 'declined']);
-    EntryFlag::create(['entry_id' => $entry->id, 'flag_name' => 'no-show']);
+    EntryFlag::create(['entry_id' => $entry->id, 'flag_name' => EntryFlags::DECLINED]);
+    EntryFlag::create(['entry_id' => $entry->id, 'flag_name' => EntryFlags::NO_SHOW]);
     // Act & Assert
     expect($entry->flags->count())->toBe(2)
-        ->and($entry->flags->first()->flag_name)->toBe('declined')
+        ->and($entry->flags->first()->flag_name->value)->toBe('declined')
         ->and($entry->hasFlag('declined'))->toBeTrue()
         ->and($entry->hasFlag('random'))->toBeFalse();
 });
@@ -90,15 +91,15 @@ it('can set and remove a flag', function () {
     // Arrange
     $entry = Entry::factory()->create();
     // Act
-    $entry->addFlag('Test Flag');
-    $entry->addFlag('Second Flag');
+    $entry->addFlag('declined');
+    $entry->addFlag('will_advance');
     // Assert
-    expect($entry->hasFlag('Test Flag'))->toBeTrue()
-        ->and($entry->hasFlag('Second Flag'))->toBeTrue()
+    expect($entry->hasFlag('declined'))->toBeTrue()
+        ->and($entry->hasFlag('will_advance'))->toBeTrue()
         ->and($entry->hasFlag('random'))->toBeFalse();
-    $entry->removeFlag('Test Flag');
-    expect($entry->hasFlag('Test Flag'))->toBeFalse()
-        ->and($entry->hasFlag('Second Flag'))->toBeTrue();
+    $entry->removeFlag('declined');
+    expect($entry->hasFlag('declined'))->toBeFalse()
+        ->and($entry->hasFlag('will_advance'))->toBeTrue();
 });
 
 it('always has a score sheet count available', function () {
@@ -176,8 +177,8 @@ it('has a forAdvancement scope that only returns those entries entered for advan
 it('has an available scope that returns only auditions without a flag that would prevent seating', function () {
     Entry::factory()->count(10)->create();
     Entry::factory()->create()->addFlag('declined');
-    Entry::factory()->create()->addFlag('no-show');
-    Entry::factory()->create()->addFlag('failed-prelim');
+    Entry::factory()->create()->addFlag('no_show');
+    Entry::factory()->create()->addFlag('failed_prelim');
     // Act & Assert
     expect(Entry::all()->count())->toBe(13)
         ->and(Entry::available()->count())->toBe(10)
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Pages/JudgingEntryScoreSheetTest.php b/tests/Feature/Pages/JudgingEntryScoreSheetTest.php
index bc73c59..e8518b4 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/Pages/JudgingEntryScoreSheetTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/Pages/JudgingEntryScoreSheetTest.php
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ it('allows an assigned judge to enter scores', function () {
         $score[$subscore->id] = mt_rand(0, 100);
     }
     // Act & Assert
+    /** @noinspection PhpUnhandledExceptionInspection */
     $this->post(route('judging.saveScoreSheet', $this->entries->first()),
         ['advancement-vote' => 'yes', 'score' => $score])
         ->assertSessionHasNoErrors()