When does the residency officially start counting?

I had my SEF appointment on the 25th of September 2024. It was successful and I was granted a 2 year residency. However, I have still not received my residency card until this day.

Can someone please explain to me when my 2 year residency starts counting? Is it from the day of the appointment?

Due to family-related issues, I have been out of Portugal since late October, and now I am getting scared that if the residency does count from the day of the appointment, and if I am only allowed to be out of Portugal for 8 months during the 2 year stretch, this can cause me many issues. As It means I will not be able to exit Portugal and help my family, if needed.

I would really appreciate any thoughts on this.

Thank you in advance