The thawed food has a new preparation and use stage with its own guidance. Recording the timing helps prevent it being treated as though it were still safely frozen indefinitely.
What the observation tells you
A container moved to the fridge may take a different time to thaw depending on size and composition. Its outside becoming soft does not always mean the centre is ready for cooking. Conversely, once thawed, the freezer date alone no longer describes the relevant handling period.
A useful next step
Follow the label and official thawing advice, keep the food appropriately chilled and record the change. Avoid guessing from a forgotten container days later.
Manuals and supporting guidance
Model-specific instructions take priority. These references support the practical principles discussed here; they do not diagnose your appliance.