🏭 Products are the heart of Aletiq's PLM. This is where technical documentation, definition configurations (indexes, eBOM, CadBOM), manufacturing configuration and all linked objects (parts, documents, workflows, projects, manufacturing orders) converge. Mastering products means mastering the complete lifecycle of your physical objects.
What is a Product?
A Product in Aletiq centralises all technical documentation for a physical object throughout its lifecycle. There are two types of products:
📦 Item — the finished product or component that is manufactured or sold. This is the object on which technical definitions, bills of materials and manufacturing processes are built.
🔧 Tooling — an internal product used in the manufacturing process of items (jig, tool, production means...). It follows the same lifecycle as an item in Aletiq, but with strictly internal use.
💡 The Product differs from its manufactured instances: Manufacturing Orders in Aletiq.
How to create a new Product?
In Aletiq, you can create a product in 6️⃣ ways:
1️⃣ Create a blank product
Create a product without a predefined structure, then gradually add parts, documents, workflows, projects... or link existing objects.
👉 From the home page
👉 From the Products space
2️⃣ Automatically create a product from a CAD Part
From the Aletiq PDM, create a product linked to a CAD part — product properties can be filled in directly at creation time. You can also create as many products as CAD parts selected in just a few clicks.
👉 Create a product linked to a CAD part
👉 Create multiple products from selected CAD parts
💡 Each selected CAD part automatically generates its associated product in the PLM.
3️⃣ Create the complete eBOM of a product from a CAD assembly
From an assembly-type CAD part, rebuild the entire product eBOM in the PLM in just a few clicks.
💡 The eBOM is automatically rebuilt in the PLM from the assembly's CadBOM.
4️⃣ Import an eBOM from a CSV file
From Products → Import an eBOM, import a complete bill of materials in a few steps. Two formats are supported:
📐 Structured eBOM — for complex assemblies with parent-child relationships. Uses a "level" column in the CSV to reconstruct the hierarchy.
📋 Flat eBOM — for simple lists (electronic components, procurement sheets...). No hierarchy, all items at the same level.
The import flow guides you through 4 steps: format selection → CSV file upload → column mapping → actions to perform. The part class can now be included in product properties during import.
💡 CSV templates are available to download directly from the interface to help you prepare your data in the right format.
5️⃣ Duplicate an existing product
Duplication is fully customisable. You choose exactly what you want to replicate:
Root objects of the product (parts, documents, linked items)
A definition configuration (index, eBOM, CadBOM, documents)
The manufacturing configuration, to reproduce the associated industrial process
6️⃣ From an ERP interface
It is possible to automatically synchronise products by exchanging data between an ERP and Aletiq, in either direction. This must be defined and set up in collaboration with your Customer Success Manager.
How to link data to a Product?
Aletiq's PLM facilitates the rapid and reliable contextualisation of technical documentation in relation to the product, ensuring traceability and consistency throughout the lifecycle.
⚠️ Here, we will only cover the "weak" link between a document or part and its product. To learn more about the link between a document or part and a product definition, see the article Create and modify a product definition.
👉 Link a part to an existing product
👉 Link a part to a new product
💡 When you create a new product from a part's detail panel, the part is automatically linked to the product in the Parts space and in its CadBOM.
👉 Link a document to an existing product
💡 Documents can only be linked to already existing products (unlike parts). They do not automatically appear in the product's definition documents.
Product navigation and properties
🔀 Variant selector — a selector in the product navigation lets you jump quickly from one variant to another
📋 Definition selector — when a product has several definitions, you can choose which definition's properties are displayed in the product property list
📝 Definition description — add a description when creating or updating a product definition
🔗 Shareable views — the selected view is reflected in the URL, copy the link and send it directly to a colleague
💬 A question? Contact our team via the Aletiq chat.