If the server-side preference to create as-stored configurations is not set to true (default) for your authoring application, then auto-associate creates content (formerly, passive) links for drawings of that authoring application. Owner (formerly, active) links are used for the association between a CAD model and a part.

If the server-side preference to create as-stored configurations is set for a particular authoring application, then auto-associate does not create content (formerly, passive) links for drawings of that authoring application.

Auto-association never creates an owner (formerly, active) association between a drawing CAD document and a Windchill part.

The Associate user interface does not prevent the manual creation of a content association between a CAD document drawing and a Windchill part; but if the server-side preference to create as-stored configurations is set, you will receive an overridable conflict because this passive link is unnecessary (it will not be used to trace dependencies).