PLM Guides
Understanding Your PLM Platform
A complete guide to how KOBO organizes and manages your product development data — from concept through production.
Just like organizing files or a spreadsheet, KOBO uses a data model to keep everything connected and accessible. This guide helps you understand how that structure works so you can get the most out of your PLM system.
A data model is a structure that defines how information is stored and related. KOBO's model is purpose-built for fashion and apparel development, helping teams track every detail — from concept through production.
What You Can Do with KOBO
KOBO is built for fashion and apparel teams who need to manage the full product development journey. Here's everything you can do in one place:
Manage Your Products
Create and organize all your styles (products) in one central library. Filter by season, category, supplier, or status to find exactly what you need. Track each style's progress from concept through production, attach images, add custom fields, and tag products for easy searching.
Build Your Materials Library
Keep track of all your fabrics, trims, and components. Store supplier info, pricing, colours, and sustainability details. Reference materials quickly when building Bills of Materials for new styles.
Work with Suppliers
Maintain a complete supplier database with contact details, addresses, lead times, payment terms, and the categories they support. Know at a glance which suppliers are active and what they can produce.
Create Purchase Orders
Generate purchase orders for samples or production. Track order status (draft, confirmed, cancelled), expected ship dates, delivery dates, and payment status. See totals and line items at a glance.
Track Inventory
Monitor stock levels by SKU — see what's on hand, available, reserved, or incoming. Set reorder points, get low-stock alerts, and view inventory value summaries. Transfer stock between locations, reserve inventory for sales orders, and check in deliveries as they arrive.
Manage Customers & Sales
Store customer information with billing and shipping details. Create and manage sales orders from draft through to completion. Track credit limits and outstanding balances.
Track Deliveries
Monitor inbound shipments from your suppliers. Track expected vs received quantities, check-in timestamps, and delivery status. Never lose track of what's coming in.
Build BOMs & Specs
Create detailed Bills of Materials (BOM) for each style — listing all components needed for production. Define Points of Measurement (POM) with tolerances to ensure consistent sizing across factories.
Collaborate with Your Team
Assign tasks to team members with priorities and due dates. Attach notes and comments to any record — styles, components, suppliers, orders. Organize work into projects to keep everyone aligned.
Everything in KOBO is connected. A style links to its components, supplier, purchase orders, and inventory — giving you full visibility from design to delivery.
Lifecycle Status
Every style in KOBO has a Lifecycle Status that controls visibility and what actions are available. This is one of the most important fields to understand.
| Status | What It Means | Key Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | Style is being set up internally | Suppliers cannot see it. Not available for purchase orders. |
| Requested | Style has been sent to supplier | Supplier can now view and respond to the request. |
| Confirmed | Supplier has confirmed the style | Ready to proceed with sampling or production. |
| Shipped | Goods have been dispatched | Order is in transit from supplier. |
| Received | Goods have arrived | Delivery complete. Ready for inventory check-in. |
| Cancelled | Style has been cancelled | No longer active. Kept for historical reference. |
Important: A style in Draft status is invisible to your suppliers and cannot be added to purchase orders. Move it to Requested when you're ready to share it externally.
How Data is Organized
KOBO's data model is made up of four key parts: Objects, Attributes, Records, and Relationships. Think of it as a well-organized filing system designed specifically for fashion product development.
| Building Block | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Object | A category of information (like a spreadsheet tab) | Styles, Components, Suppliers |
| Attribute | A field within an object (like a column header) | Style Code, Season, Lifecycle |
| Record | A single item (like one row) | "Classic Denim Jacket" as one Style |
| Relationship | How different objects connect | A Style has many Variants and SKUs |
Think of it like this
Objects are your spreadsheet tabs. Attributes are your column headers. Records are your rows. Relationships link everything together so you can trace a product from design to delivery.
Product Development Workflow
Every product in KOBO follows a structured journey from initial concept to final delivery. Understanding this workflow helps you know where each style is in its development.
Create a Style
Enter core details (name, code, season, category). Your style starts in Draft status — only visible internally.
Add Variants
Create color/material options. Add your Bill of Materials and measurement specs.
Request Samples
Send specs to your supplier. Create sample purchase orders.
Review Samples
Log feedback and notes. Approve or request revisions.
Move to Production
Approved styles move to Production status. Place bulk orders.
Track Inventory
Receive goods, update quantities, and monitor stock by SKU.
Other Status Fields
Beyond Lifecycle Status, KOBO uses additional status fields to provide more detail about where a product is in development:
| Status Type | What It Tracks | Example Values |
|---|---|---|
| Design Status | Is the design work complete? | In Progress · Completed |
| Production Status | Is it being manufactured? | Sampling · Production |
| Supplier Stage | Communication with factory | Inquiry · Sampling · Costing · Prototyping · Production · Shipped · Delivered |
Keep your statuses updated as styles progress. This helps your whole team know exactly where each product stands without asking around.
Active vs Inactive Styles
A style is Active when it's part of your current work — being developed, sampled, or in production. Inactive styles are archived, cancelled, or discontinued. They stay in the system for reference but don't clutter your daily workspace.
Active Styles
In Development · Sampling · In Production · Selling
Inactive Styles
Archived · Discontinued · Cancelled · Past Seasons
Variant vs Color
These two terms are often confused, but they serve different purposes:
- Color is a reusable library entry (e.g., "Navy Blue #1A2B3C") that you define once
- Variant is a specific color/material applied to a style (e.g., "Classic Tee — Navy Blue")
One Color entry can be used across multiple Variants and Styles. This keeps your color library consistent and easy to manage.
Version vs Variant
Another common point of confusion — here's the difference:
| Concept | What It Tracks | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Version | Sample stage in development | 1st Proto · Salesman Sample · Pre-Production Sample |
| Variant | Colourways or different fabrications | Indigo Denim · Black Denim · Light Wash |
Simple way to remember
Versions track sample stages (proto, salesman, pre-production). Variants track colourways and fabrications (different colours or materials of the same design).
Points of Measurement (POM)
POMs standardize how garments are measured. By defining exactly where and how to measure, every factory produces consistent results.
| Measurement | How to Measure | Tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| Chest Width | Measured 1" below armhole | ±0.5cm |
| Body Length | Measured from HPS to hem | ±0.5cm |
| Sleeve Length | Shoulder seam to cuff | ±0.3cm |
Good POMs reduce fit issues and costly sample revisions. Define them clearly upfront to save time later.
SKUs
A SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) identifies a specific size-color combination. They're used for barcodes, inventory tracking, and warehouse operations.
SKU Examples
Classic Denim Jacket · Indigo Wash · Small
GJK-001-INDIGO-M
Classic Denim Jacket · Indigo Wash · Medium
GJK-001-BLACK-S
Classic Denim Jacket · Black Wash · Small
Compliance Fields
These fields are required for shipping and customs. Keep them updated to avoid delays at the border.
| Field | What It Is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| COO | Country of Origin — where it's made | Made in Vietnam |
| HS Code | Customs classification code | 6203.42.40 (Men's Cotton Jacket) |
| MID Code | Factory identifier | VN-001 |
Styles
Styles are the heart of your PLM. Each style represents one product design moving through development.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Style Code | Unique identifier (e.g., GJK-001) |
| Style Name | Descriptive product name |
| Season | Collection or release (e.g., Spring 2025) |
| Category | Product type (outerwear, tops, etc.) |
| Lifecycle Status | Draft · Requested · Confirmed · Shipped · Received · Cancelled |
| Supplier | Assigned manufacturer |
Variants
A Variant is a color or material version of a style. One style can have multiple variants, each with its own Bill of Materials, color specs, and SKUs.
Example: One Style, Three Variants
Uses Indigo Blue 12oz Denim
Classic Denim Jacket — Black Wash
Uses Jet Black 12oz Denim
Classic Denim Jacket — Light Blue
Uses Sky Blue 10oz Denim
Components
Components are your building blocks — fabrics, trims, labels, zippers, buttons, and more. Build a library of components to reuse across styles.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Reference | Component identifier |
| Color | Color option (e.g., Navy #001) |
| Supplier | Where you source it from |
| Category | Type (fabric, trim, label, etc.) |
| Unit Cost | Cost per unit |
Purchase Orders
Purchase Orders (POs) track orders placed with your suppliers — for samples or production.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| PO Number | Unique identifier (e.g., PO-045) |
| Supplier | Factory or partner |
| Status | Draft, Confirmed, or Cancelled |
| Payment Status | Unpaid, Partially Paid, Paid |
| Delivery Date | Expected arrival |
| Line Items | Styles and quantities ordered |
Best Practices
- Use consistent naming conventions (e.g., GJK-001, Spring 2025)
- Keep statuses updated as styles progress
- Link related data — Styles to BOMs, POs, and Suppliers
- Use Tags to organize campaigns or product groups
- Document feedback and notes for future reference
- Set up your component library before creating styles
Good data habits from the start make KOBO more powerful. Clear naming, consistent statuses, and detailed notes save hours of confusion later.
Quick Reference
| Category | Common Values |
|---|---|
| Lifecycle Status | Draft · Requested · Confirmed · Shipped · Received · Cancelled |
| Design Status | In Progress · Completed |
| Production Status | Sampling · Production |
| Supplier Stage | Inquiry · Sampling · Costing · Patternmaking · Prototyping · Production · Shipped · Delivered |
| Purchase Order Status | Draft · Confirmed · Cancelled |
| Payment Status | Unpaid · Partially Paid · Paid |
Glossary
Getting Help
Need more guidance? Here's how to get support:
- Visit the Help Center for detailed guides
- Contact Support for technical questions
- Use the Search feature to find styles, components, or orders quickly