PLM product lifecycle (or life cycle) management (PLM)

Both an umbrella concept and a software solution. As a concept, PLM encompasses all aspects of a product from early requirements, through design, into production and service, and finally recovery and disposal. Practically speaking, the software serves as a central hub for product data, with associated software systems (CAD, ERP, CRM, SCM) obtaining their product-related information from the PLM system and, in some cases such as CAD, creating information for management within the PLM file repository.