Verdict ladder

Every assessment ends in exactly one verdict. The profile's rules decide it; nothing written by a model can move a candidate up the ladder.

Verdict	Meaning
EXACT_MATCH	an identity rule passes (same part or model number) and no hard rule fails
COMPATIBLE_LIKELY	every hard rule passes; a soft rule may differ and is reported
VISUALLY_SIMILAR	no hard rule fails, some hard rules pass, and at least one hard rule is still unknown
CONFLICT	a hard rule fails: wrong voltage, wrong polarity, a dimension outside its tolerance
INSUFFICIENT_INFO	no hard rule could be decided either way

Each rule answers pass, fail or unknown. Unknown is never a pass: a value missing on either side, a number that cannot be read, or a measurement whose uncertainty straddles the tolerance all stay unknown, and every unknown on the candidate's side becomes a question to ask.

A profile without hard rules (generic_item) reports instead of ruling: COMPATIBLE_LIKELY when every known value fits, VISUALLY_SIMILAR when one differs, INSUFFICIENT_INFO when nothing is known.

Rules are data in the category profile; the Does it fit? guide shows them at work.