When you start filling out a checklist and the work order is not already set to "in progress" the work order or work order line should automatically change status. There is no conceivable reason to start doing the checklists if you are not also starting the work order.
This could also start the relevant timer and when all checklist actions are finished you could be asked if you also wish to set status to finished and also stop the timer and add the hours before sending the status change to D365.
The same action should happend if you add causes, remedies, items and hours. But how would this behave if a planner adds any of theese in D365?