Product Lifecycle Management — Overview & How to Use

Module: Product Lifecycle Management v1.0.0

What is Product Lifecycle Management?

Product lifecycle stages, tracking and governance for Perfex CRM

This module installs into modules/product_lifecycle_management/ and adds its own admin menus, permissions, and database tables — without editing Perfex CRM core files.

Who should use this module?

• Admins — activate the module, configure Settings, assign roles, and manage integrations.
• Operators / day-to-day staff — create and update records (orders, attendance, shipments, messages, etc.).
• Managers / approvers — review queues, approve workflows, and monitor dashboards/KPIs.
• Finance / compliance / ops leads — run reports, exports, and audit trails when the module supports them.

What you can achieve

• Keep all related work in one place inside Perfex CRM instead of spreadsheets.
• Control who can view, create, edit, approve, or export with role permissions.
• Use dashboards and reports to see status, bottlenecks, and history.
• Connect to other CRM data (customers, invoices, items, staff) where the module integrates.

Recommended learning path

1. Read How to Install and activate the module.
2. Skim Features so you know what screens exist.
3. Complete the Quick Start checklist on this page (Settings → masters → first sample record).
4. Open each screen guide under Screen-by-screen guides when you need step-by-step help.
5. Check Version & Changelog after upgrades for new options.

Tip: Train one admin first, then create a limited role for operators so they only see the screens they need.

5-minute Quick Start

Follow this short path the first time you use Product Lifecycle Management:

1. Activate — Setup → Modules → activate Product Lifecycle Management (run Upgrade if prompted).
2. Permissions — Setup → Staff → Roles → enable view/create/edit (and approve/settings if needed) for this module.
3. Settings — Open Product Lifecycle Management → Settings and save company defaults, prefixes, and integrations.
4. Master data — Create the first required masters (products, warehouses, templates, channels, accounts, routes, etc.).
5. First transaction — Create one sample record end-to-end (save → submit/approve → complete) and confirm it appears in lists/reports.
6. Cron — If the module uses alerts, sync, queues, or AI, confirm Perfex CRM cron is scheduled on the server.

Full how-to guide (from module package)

The steps below come from the module author's printable guide — follow them in order for best results.

Module documentation index

Start here — full guides for Product Lifecycle Management:

• Overview & How to Use — what it is, who uses it, daily workflow
• Quick Start Guide — first 5 minutes + printable how-to
• How to Install — upload, activate, permissions, verify
• Features (Full Detail) — every capability explained
• FAQ & Tips — common questions and best practices
• Version & Changelog — version history

Screen-by-screen guides (each tab explained)

Click a menu item below for step-by-step instructions on that Product Lifecycle Management screen:

• PLM Dashboard
• Products
• Lifecycle Stages
• Documents
• Document Categories
• Change Orders
• Quality Gates
• Reports
• Settings

How to use in Perfex CRM (daily operations)

1. Sign in to the admin area with a role that includes Product Lifecycle Management permissions.
2. Open Product Lifecycle Management (sidebar) or search for Product Lifecycle Management in the admin menu.
3. Start on the Dashboard (if available) to see open tasks, pending approvals, and KPIs.
4. Review Settings after upgrades — new options may need defaults for your company.
5. Create or import master data first; most modules block transactions until masters exist.
6. Run the main business flow (create → submit → approve → post/complete) using the screens listed in Admin menu below.
7. Use Reports / Analytics screens to reconcile stock, finance, compliance, or SLA metrics.
8. For integrations (API, EDI, gateways, tax), confirm credentials in Settings and monitor logs or webhook delivery screens.
9. Train staff with role-based access — give approvers approve permissions only, operators create/edit on their area.
10. If something fails overnight, check Perfex CRM cron ran and open the module log / failed queue screen if present.

Admin menu — where to work

Open the Product Lifecycle Management section in the admin sidebar. Screens your staff may use (depending on role):

• Bill of Materials
• Change Orders
• Document Categories
• Documents
• Lifecycle Stages
• PLM
• PLM Dashboard
• Products
• Quality Gates
• Reports
• Settings
• Specifications

Screens map — what each menu is for

These are the admin screens registered by Product Lifecycle Management. Click a name in the Knowledge Base for a full how-to, or open the path in admin.

Detailed guide — features, workflows, API & FAQ

One-time setup (first time only)

1. Setup → Modules → activate Product Lifecycle Management.
2. Setup → Staff → Roles → assign Product Lifecycle Management permissions (view, create, edit, delete, approve, export, settings as needed).
3. Open Product Lifecycle Management → Settings and complete company defaults, prefixes, integrations, and notification options.
4. Create master data (warehouses, products, templates, accounts, routes, etc.) before processing live transactions.
5. Enable Perfex CRM cron (php /path/to/perfex/index.php cron/index) for sync, retries, alerts, and scheduled jobs.
6. Optionally enable REST API / webhooks in module settings if you integrate external systems.

Tips for success

• Always configure Settings before creating live transactions.
• Create master data (items, warehouses, templates, channels, accounts) first — most modules block incomplete records.
• Use a test/sample record before going live with real customers or production stock.
• Separate roles: operators create/edit; managers approve; finance/reporting get view/export only.
• After any module upgrade, reopen Settings and confirm new options have sensible defaults.
• If overnight jobs fail, verify Perfex CRM cron and check the module log / failed queue screen.

Common questions (FAQ)

Where do I find the module after activation?

In the admin sidebar look for Product Lifecycle Management. If missing, your role may lack view permission — fix under Setup → Staff → Roles.

Do I need to edit core Perfex CRM files?

No. Keep all custom code under modules/product_lifecycle_management/. Activate/deactivate from Setup → Modules.

What happens if I uninstall?

Deactivate keeps data. Uninstall usually removes module tables/options (see the Install article). Core customers, invoices, and items are not deleted by well-built modules.

Why can't my staff see a screen?

Almost always a permissions issue. Give the role at least view on that feature, then ask the user to log out and back in.

Reports/export buttons do nothing

Confirm the role has export (or view reports) permission, and that filters return at least one row. Try PDF/CSV from a wider date range.

FAQ from module documentation

Support

See documentation/index.html for the buyer guide.

Perfex CRM Knowledge Base — detailed usage guide generated from module README, HOW_TO_USE, and documentation.