Configuration management (CM)
Configuration management is knowing, and being able to prove, exactly which version of every part, document and software item makes up each product, and controlling how that changes over time.
In regulated industries, configuration management is a requirement, not a preference. AS9100 and defense contracts expect you to show the configuration of a delivered unit and every change made to it.
PLM holds the as-designed configuration. The gap most companies have is what happens after delivery, when the product is maintained in the field.
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Last reviewed November 2026 by Element Consulting
