An incomplete dependent object is a type of CAD document created in your workspace to represent references to model files that cannot be found – that is, the CAD application cannot find a model file. For example, you may save an assembly file to the workspace containing references to a file that cannot be retrieved by the CAD application – either the file is missing, or is corrupt so cannot be retrieved. This often occurs where a component has been suppressed in the assembly file then deleted from the operating system. The issue is that, as far as Windchill is concerned, the required information to make the object complete is absent.

Because good PDM practice does not allow checking incomplete data sets into the database, the Windchill Workgroup Manager provides several strategies for helping you to identify and resolve incomplete objects, including: