What progress signals can mean
An acknowledgment or routed step can mean the issue is clearer, narrower, or in a safer lane than before.
That is useful progress, but it does not automatically mean every downstream workflow state is fully mature, visible, or guaranteed.
What progress signals should not be forced to mean
Do not treat a category, acknowledgment, or partial update as a hidden SLA, a final decision, or proof that all behind-the-scenes handling is already fully normalized.
The safest interpretation is grounded progress, not imaginary certainty about everything that follows.