Configuration Management
Configuration Management is the PLM discipline that answers the question: 'which version of the product did we ship to which customer, and what is in it?' It governs variants (different flavors of the same product line), options (customer-selectable features), and effectivity (the date or serial number at which a change applies). Configuration management ensures the as-shipped configuration of a specific unit — including the precise revision of every component — is recoverable years later for service, recall, audit, or regulatory inquiry.
Why it matters
For complex products sold into many markets — a tractor, a vehicle, an aircraft, a medical device — configuration management is the difference between being able to service what you sold and not. It is also where most regulatory exposure lives: a product configuration that was legal in 2024 may be non-compliant under the 2026 regulatory regime, and only configuration management makes the answer auditable. As the EU Digital Product Passport rolls out across batteries, textiles, electronics, and construction products, configuration management becomes a regulatory artifact rather than an internal one.
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Cite this definition
Finocchiaro, Michael. “Configuration Management.” DemystifyingPLM PLM Glossary, 2026, https://www.demystifyingplm.com/glossary/configuration-management