Product configurator terminology, clearly defined.

Software that guides a user through permitted product choices and creates a structured configuration. It can control dimensions, components, materials and accessories. A useful configurator does more than change an image: it records what was selected and applies the rules that define a valid product.

A product configurator whose visual model updates in three dimensions as choices change. The 3D scene should represent the same dimensions, components and materials stored in the configuration record instead of acting as a disconnected animation.

An interface for changing visible or personal attributes such as colour, text, engraving, fabric or artwork. A customizer may suit independent cosmetic choices, but it does not necessarily contain dimensional, compatibility or commercial rules.

A presentation tool that lets a user rotate, zoom or inspect a prepared 3D model. A viewer may include hotspots or animation but normally does not create a new product specification when the user interacts with it.

A question-led or step-by-step journey that narrows product choices according to customer needs, use conditions or commercial policy. It can sit before or inside configuration and should explain why a recommendation or restriction appears.

A product manufactured or assembled after a customer selects its permitted dimensions, components or finishes. Made-to-order does not mean every design is possible; the offer is constrained by a defined solution space and production capability.

The practice of offering meaningful customer choice while using repeatable product structures, rules and operations. It aims to combine variety with the control normally associated with standardized products.

The complete set of product combinations a business is prepared to sell, engineer and fulfil. It includes allowed options, limits, dependencies and cases that require review rather than only the variants shown in a demonstration.

The structured representation of a configurable product: families, attributes, dimensions, components, relationships, rules and outputs. The term can also mean a 3D asset, so a scope should distinguish the commercial data model from the visual model.

A condition that controls what can be selected, calculated or produced. Rules can define limits, dependencies, exclusions, defaults, derived quantities, review conditions, prices and output mappings.

A limit that a valid configuration must satisfy, such as minimum width, maximum span, permitted increment or capacity range. A constraint can block a choice, adjust another value or route the project to review.

A relationship in which one choice requires, enables or changes another. Selecting a roof type might require a motor, alter drainage or make a compatible accessory available.

A rule that prevents two or more choices from being used together. A good experience explains the conflict and offers a recovery path instead of silently hiding an option.

A model driven by values and relationships rather than a separate fixed asset for every result. Width, height, projection, bay count or module count can change geometry while constraints preserve the intended product structure.

One identifiable version of a product created from option values such as size, colour or material. Deeply configurable products may need a configuration record because enumerating every possible combination as a fixed variant is impractical.

A stable identifier for a saved configuration. It lets the website, cart, quote, CRM, order and support process refer to the same selected product without encoding the complete design in a name or screenshot.

A traceable version of a saved design created when dimensions, components, price inputs or commercial terms change. A revision model distinguishes the product the customer approved from later edits.

A stock keeping unit: an internal identifier for a sellable or inventory-managed item. A simple configuration may resolve to one SKU; a made-to-order product can combine many component SKUs or create a configured item reference.

A structured list of assemblies, components and quantities associated with a product. A configuration-driven BOM maps permitted choices and derived quantities to operational items; it is a separate acceptance deliverable from the visual scene.

A manufacturing output describing required profiles, panels or materials and their cut dimensions. It can be derived from configuration data when the necessary product and production rules have been explicitly modelled.

Computer-aided design software used to create or edit technical geometry and drawings. CAD supports engineering freedom; a configurator guides repeatable choices within an approved product system. Some workflows connect configuration data to CAD automation.

Product information management: a system or discipline for maintaining and distributing names, descriptions, attributes, media and channel data. PIM can feed a configurator without containing the complete configuration rules or parametric geometry.

Machine-readable fields that describe products and variants consistently, such as identifiers, option values, material, price and availability. On public pages, it can also mean schema markup used by search engines to understand product information.

The authoritative system for a specific field or decision. One project can have different sources of truth for product rules, customer data, prices, inventory, orders and production items.

The continuous generation of interactive 3D frames while the user rotates the product or changes options. Real-time rendering prioritizes responsive interaction; offline rendering usually spends longer producing one high-detail image.

Rendering intended to resemble a photograph through plausible materials, lighting, reflections and shadows. Photorealism describes appearance, not product-rule or dimensional accuracy.

The surface definition applied to geometry, including colour, reflectivity, roughness, transparency and other visual properties. One commercial finish may need several settings to look consistent under different lighting.

An image or generated map used by a 3D material to represent colour, grain, relief or surface detail. Resolution, tiling and compression affect both visual quality and page performance.

A view that places a supported virtual product into a camera-based or spatially tracked representation of the user's environment. Device support, placement, scale and available options require explicit testing.

A family of web specifications for accessing virtual- and augmented-reality device capabilities. The W3C WebXR Device API describes how web applications query support and request XR sessions.

A configurator whose layout, controls and 3D viewport adapt to screen sizes and input methods. Responsive design is not proven by shrinking the desktop page; the complete task must remain usable on phone, tablet and desktop.

The ability for people with different visual, motor, auditory and cognitive needs to perceive and operate the experience. It includes controls, focus order, labels, contrast, error handling and equivalent ways to understand selections.

Configure, Price, Quote: software and workflow for selecting a permitted product or service, applying commercial rules and producing a customer-facing quote. CPQ commonly includes pricing, discount and approval logic.

A CPQ experience in which an interactive visual model helps users understand the configured product while the same selections drive price and quote data. The visual and commercial records should remain connected to one revision.

A maintained collection of sell, buy or reference prices for products, components or services. Multiple lists may exist by market, currency, account, dealer tier or effective period.

A calculation that derives price from values such as area, perimeter, length, module count, component quantity, installation conditions or service selections. A formula can combine fixed, tiered and variable elements.

Commercial values or rules determined by the authenticated customer, dealer, distributor, branch or contract. Account context can affect availability, price lists, discounts, taxes, currencies and allowed actions.

A policy controlling whether a price reduction is automatic, manually permitted or subject to approval. It may depend on role, account, product, quantity, margin, promotion or validity period.

A controlled sequence for reviewing exceptions such as unusual configurations, low margin, high discounts, technical conditions or non-standard terms before a quote or order progresses.

A new version of a proposal created after product, price, scope or terms change. Each revision should be distinguishable and traceable to the correct configuration and approval state.

Customer relationship management software storing organizations, contacts, opportunities, activities and pipeline status. A configurator integration can attach structured product interest, configuration IDs and quote context to a CRM record.

Enterprise resource planning software used for operations such as items, customers, pricing, orders, purchasing, inventory, manufacturing and finance. Its exact role differs by organization and implementation.

The transition from configuration to a commerce action such as adding a variant to cart, attaching configuration properties, requesting a quote or creating a configured order.

An application programming interface: a defined way for systems to request data or actions from one another. An API description alone does not prove an integration; authentication, payloads, limits, errors and retries must also be specified.

An event-driven HTTP notification sent when something happens, such as a configuration being submitted, a quote being accepted or an order changing status. Webhooks usually complement APIs.

A configurator presented under the buyer's approved brand and commercial identity. Scope can include domain, typography, colours, navigation, emails, documents, languages, analytics and partner presentation.

A repeatable scenario with inputs, expected behaviour and evidence determining whether a requirement is satisfied. Useful tests cover normal, boundary, invalid, revision, role, mobile and integration-failure cases.

The combined cost of acquiring, implementing, operating and changing a system over an agreed period. It can include discovery, 3D assets, rules, integrations, licences, internal time, catalogue growth and support.