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AM_134285173-Newcomer
3-Newcomer
Oct 14, 2026 12:54 PM UTC
Question

Best practice for managing externally mastered Materials (and colour) used on parts and BOMs in Windchill: replicate, link, or reference by ID?

 

We’re looking at how to handle material master data that is owned outside Windchill (ERP/PIM) but is needed inside Windchill on parts and BOM structures. I’d like to hear how other organizations have approached this and what you’d do differently.

Context

  • Windchill version: 13.1.0
  • External master system:  other
  • Integration : Kafka
  • Primary use: materials on parts and BOMs (not only on Creo models)
  • Needs: where-used, change impact, release-time traceability, compliance, sharing with supplier

How to decide whether to replicate, link, or reference by ID?

Replicate : Create a physical object with in windchill

Reference : Specify ID or link  in the part attributes 

    3 replies

    Catalina
    CatalinaCommunity Manager
    Community Moderator
    Oct 20, 2026 8:42 AM UTC

    Hi ​@AM_13428517 
     
    Thank you for your question.  
     
    Your post has not yet received any response. I am replying to raise awareness. Hopefully, another community member will be able to help. 
     
    Also, feel free to add any additional information you think might be relevant. It sometimes helps to have screenshots to better understand what you are trying to do. 

    Thanks, 

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    Catalina | PTC Community Moderator
    MB_145195009-Granite
    9-Granite
    Oct 20, 2026 12:45 PM UTC

    Unfortunately, I’m unable to help, but would be interested as well in how other organizations implemented external sources.

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    joe_morton
    joe_morton19-Tanzanite
    19-Tanzanite
    Oct 29, 2026 6:21 PM UTC

    Our rule is that all Materials needed to be mastered in Windchill. From there, they would be pushed to other systems as needed. It wasn’t always this way. Previously, Configuration Management would create some Materials directly in ERP. They actually liked it when we changed, because it meant the Materials they created could go through similar controls (reviews, approvals, change management) as the Materials created by Engineering. It made the data and business processes much more consistent.

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