At 9 a.m. in London, a technical designer at a womenswear brand reviews a factory photo from Porto and finds the wrong pocket on a jersey dress. The factory used an outdated specification that had changed two weeks prior, while the updated file remained in an inbox.

An Excel T&A calendar is a record of what happened. It will not tell you what is about to go wrong. That distinction is the difference between a season you managed and one that managed you.

A product lifecycle management (PLM) system is a software system that integrates data, processes, business systems and people in the design and sourcing of fashion products. It manages a central repository of product information, manufacturing details and collaboration capabilities.