PDM records each step of the creation of data, providing an audit trail crucial for tracking design intent, and reversing design changes. Configuration management, product structure management, and engineering change. Traditionally, engineering changes and BOMs were considered external to the product development environment. But products change over time, and manufacturing, which typically builds the product version delivered to it, cannot rely on MRP II once engineering is done with product development because MRP II does not perform configuration management. A key element in both process and configuration management, workflow processes automatically parcel the results of tasks to the next set of tasks in a series, and can alert the associated individuals that work is waiting or being accomplished.
Repetitive processes are ideal for workflow operations.
When given a graphical interface, workflow lets users see where resources and deliverables sit in the overall engineering process. The first category may be misleading. Huge differences exist in these two types of companies and their PDM systems. Similar issues exist for workgroup-level PDM systems. The trick becomes how to tie these people together, such as the engineering workgroup operating in Detroit during the day and the manufacturing workgroup operating in Singapore at night.