is it normal for Avast to add exceptions by itself?

I noticed several files in my general exceptions list I do not recall adding. they were mostly temp files and at least one thing in a desktop folder I made for some pictures called ‘TIMEP1.exe’ (I have no idea what it was or why it would be in there, but the folder in question is long gone), I have 0 recollection of allowing these files through. Sadly I removed them from the list before I thought to examine them more closely or take screenshots.

should I be concerned?

Just to answer the topic title, no.

is that a ‘yes’ to the question of ‘should I be concerned’, then?

I also tried to run a boot time scan this morning but it says the scan was not complete, if that means anything?

No idea either, I never heard of such an issue.

Related to exceptions: we added reading exception from old places in the AV UI. Maybe these exceptions were there whole time, but now you can see them. Anyway if new exceptions are added without user interaction after you removed them, that will be suspicious.