Fixed project-status labels prevent plans and simulated results from being presented as operating performance.
PRE-PILOT is a design state
At this stage the team may define roles, seek guidance, inspect containers and map routes. No actual target material has entered the service, so collection performance cannot be claimed.
DRY-RUN tests the workflow
A dry run uses empty or substitute items to test timing, scanning, custody and exceptions. It can validate process readiness but not treatment outcomes, user behaviour or recovery rates.
OPERATING begins with controlled live material
Live operation requires the confirmed route, authorized parties and evidence controls. Reports should retain the status on every number and image so later summaries cannot detach results from their conditions.
Display rule
Put the current status and verification date in every screen and document title. When the status changes, preserve the earlier record and create a new version that links to the evidence supporting promotion. Avoid using a broad term such as demonstration model by itself because readers may interpret it as a concept, a clean simulation or a live pilot. State the material and operating condition instead.
Use a status-by-evidence matrix
For each output, mark what it can and cannot prove. A PRE-PILOT route map can prove that a route was designed, not that it is authorised or economic. A DRY-RUN scan log can prove that identifiers and timestamps were captured under simulated conditions, not that users will return items. An OPERATING treatment record can prove a documented hand-off for the recorded quantity, not an avoided-emissions result. Place the status, material used, site, date and sample size beside every chart, image and dashboard screenshot.
Promotion gate between states
Move from PRE-PILOT to DRY-RUN only when scope, exclusions, roles, route and incident owners are written. Move from DRY-RUN to OPERATING only when the dry run closes its critical exceptions and the applicable classification, permissions, contracts, insurance, containers and receiving route are confirmed for the live stream. A schedule date or positive meeting is not a promotion criterion. If a live-item decision remains unresolved, keep the project in PRE-PILOT even if the software and hardware are complete.
Dashboard control and audit trail
Store status as a required field, not as presentation text. Prevent PRE-PILOT and DRY-RUN records from populating live performance totals. When a status changes, create a new version with approver, timestamp and promotion evidence; do not relabel historical records. Add an export watermark stating the status and data cutoff. A reviewer should be able to reconstruct which records were eligible for each published metric.
Source boundary
PRE-PILOT, DRY-RUN and OPERATING are UAMKT editorial and programme-control labels, not statutory terms or a claim of regulatory approval. The FTC Green Guides are a useful primary reference for substantiating and qualifying environmental claims: https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/green-guides. The legal conditions for live collection and treatment must be confirmed under the rules applying to the material, place and operator.