Product Information Management
The right accessory, the approved alternative, the true successor.
Typed relationships tell buyers and systems how products connect, and validation keeps those links trustworthy as items are introduced, substituted and discontinued.
The capability
Relationships with meaning, not just links
In industrial catalogs, the relationship between two products is often as important as the products themselves. A buyer replacing a pressure switch needs the right snubber and bracket, a branch out of stock needs an approved equivalent, and a discontinued item needs a clearly identified successor.
Autonera stores relationships as typed, directional links: accessories, substitutes, replacements, components and other types you define. Each type has its own rules. Substitutes can require engineering approval before they are shown, replacements apply only to discontinued products, and links to discontinued targets are flagged.
Because relationships are validated continuously, catalogs, ecommerce sites and quoting tools receive links they can rely on, and lifecycle changes such as a discontinuation immediately surface the relationships that need attention.
Problems it solves
Where this work usually breaks down
- 01
Cross-sell lists that point to discontinued items
Accessory links are created once and never checked again, so buyers see products that cannot be ordered.
- 02
Substitutes nobody approved
Branches substitute based on similar names, and customers receive parts with different ratings.
- 03
Discontinuations with no successor
Reorders and open quotes fail because the replacement relationship was never recorded.
- 04
Relationships trapped in one channel
Links maintained in the ecommerce platform are unavailable to quoting, ERP and print catalogs.
Functional capabilities
What Product Relationships & Substitutions includes
- Typed, directional relationships
- Accessories, substitutes, replacements, components and custom types, each with its own meaning.
- Substitution approval
- Require engineering or product management approval before an alternative is presented.
- Successor management
- Link discontinued products to replacements and detect discontinuations without one.
- Relationship validation
- Flag self-links, loops, links to discontinued targets and invalid types continuously.
- Bulk relationship maintenance
- Create and update relationships across families and ranges from rules or files.
- Channel-ready relationships
- Syndicate relationships with type and approval state so each channel presents them correctly.
How it works
Manage links for a pressure switch, then discontinue it
Select a product to see its accessories, substitutes, replacements and components. Approve a substitute, add a link and see validation respond, or discontinue the product to see what needs a successor.
ActiveReplaces PS-150
Accessories
Sold with or added to the product- Pulsation snubber, 1/4 NPT
- Mounting bracket, stainless
Substitutes
Approved alternatives when out of stock- Pressure switch, 3-150 psi, SPDT, NEMA 4X
Substitution awaits engineering approval.
Replacements
Successors for discontinued productsNone linked.
Components
Parts included in a kitNone linked.
NEW LINK
Valid. Will be added immediately.
In industrial operations
An instrumentation distributor handles a product discontinuation
A manufacturer discontinues a widely stocked pressure switch with hundreds of accessory and substitute links across the catalog.
- The product is marked discontinued and every relationship pointing to it is flagged.
- A replacement link to the successor model is created and approved.
- Accessory links that still apply are copied to the successor after review.
- Channels receive the replacement relationship so reorders are redirected.
Result: Buyers are guided to the correct successor and no channel continues to recommend an item that cannot be supplied.
Autonomous operations
How autonomous execution changes product relationships & substitutions
Agents propose relationships from specifications and sales data and watch for lifecycle events that break existing links.
Agents carry out
- Propose accessories and substitutes with matching specifications
- Detect links to discontinued products
- Suggest successors from supplier announcements
- Prepare bulk relationship updates
People decide
- Approve substitutes and successors
- Decide which accessory links carry over
- Own relationship types and rules
Evidence recorded
- Specification comparison behind each proposal
- Approval record for every substitute
- Relationship history through lifecycle changes
Related capabilities
Works alongside
Product Families & Variants
Family templates, variant axes and inherited values with SKU-level exceptions.
Feature guideProduct Data Modeling
Configurable entities, typed attributes, groups and calculated values for technical products.
Feature guideGolden Records
A trusted master record with source cross-references, provenance and field ownership.
Feature guideMulti-Catalog & Assortment Management
Brand, customer and regional catalogs built from one governed product master.
Capability areaProduct Information Management
See where Product Relationships & Substitutions fits in the wider Product Information Management capability.
Buyer FAQs
Questions evaluators ask
Can we define our own relationship types?
Yes. Beyond accessories, substitutes, replacements and components, you can configure types such as spare parts, required items or compatible consumables.
How are substitutes approved?
Substitute links can require approval from a designated role before they are published, and the approval is recorded with the link.
Are relationships one-way or two-way?
Relationships are directional. A reciprocal link can be created automatically where the type makes sense, such as mutual substitutes.
What happens when a product is discontinued?
Links to and from it are flagged, and Autonera highlights discontinued products without a replacement so a successor can be assigned.
How does this relate to bundles and kits?
Component relationships model what a kit contains. Kit-specific quantities and readiness are covered by bundles and kits capabilities.
Your next step
See Product Relationships & Substitutions on data like yours.
Bring a real file, catalog or record set. We will walk through how Autonera would handle it and where your team keeps the final say.
Book a Demo