When I was doing BCs (not in Hawaii and, as usual, acknowleging every place follows different regs), "accepted" is when the document arrived/accepted into the office. "Filed" is when the document is given a number and filed/recorded in the record book. Think of the process as chain of custody going from A to B to C where everyone has to sign off on it.
Did you have to check for completeness or to see whether standards were met, or is that done only at the state registrar’s office? Or were you at state registrars’ offices?