The Application Overlap Report is an advanced export tool in PDM that helps identify overlapping applications within any product. Overlaps can result in catalog confusion and a bad shopper experience.
What Is an Overlap?
An overlap occurs when two or more part numbers are assigned to the same vehicle application (i.e., same year/make/model and subconfiguration) but lack meaningful differentiation at the application level.
Examples:
Two brake rotors assigned to all subconfigurations of a 2003 BMW M3 with no differences in attributes or notes.
One application record is mapped to a submodel of a vehicle (e.g., “CX”), while another is mapped to all submodels of the same vehicle (i.e., no submodel defined). In this case, the first application record is unneeded.
How to Run the Brand Overlap Report
Note: The Brand Overlap Report must be enabled for your account by PDM Customer Success. If you’d like access, please reach out to your CSM or contact support.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Go to Import/Export
Navigate to the Import/Export section of your PDM account.
Export Your Data
Click Export
Select All Parts or apply a filter for a smaller sample set (recommended for large catalogs)
Choose Excel Full as the export type
Under Segments, select Applications. (Do not use the “Flat Applications” export — it is not compatible with the Overlap Report.)
Add Validation
Scroll to the bottom of the export screen
Click Add Validation and Export
Select Brand Overlapping Application / Fitment Data
If you don’t see this option, contact support to have it enabled.
Download the Report
Once generated, the report will appear in your Export Reports tab
Open the Excel file to begin reviewing issues
Understanding the Report Output
The Overlap Report is modeled after the Applications export template, but includes an additional "analysis" column that indicates the presence of an overlap.
Key Indicators
Gray highlighted row show application records where an overlap occurs.
Orange highlighted cells show the source of overlaps across application rows within the same product. It is common for resolution to involve a change in one of these orange cells, or in some cases, the removal of that application record completely.
How to Resolve Overlaps
Sub-Configuration Mismatches
If one part specifies a submodel (e.g., “EX”) and another does not, either add the submodel to both or remove it from both, depending on intent.
Notes and Qualifiers
Inconsistent use of notes like “Excludes WRX” vs "NULL" creates overlaps. Standardize or remove unnecessary notes.
Part Type Issues
Sometimes the part type itself is too broad. Consider assigning a more specific part type to avoid false groupings.
Inherited Applications
If overlaps stem from inherited applications, you’ll need to update the parent part number (these rows cannot be edited directly).
Import Fixes via Template
You can update the data directly in the Brand Overlap Excel report.
Remove the extra "Analysis" column, make changes to the data, and re-upload the cleaned data.
Tips for Efficient Review
Filter the report on the Analysis column to review relevant issues.
Pivot the data to visualize overlap clusters and common causes.
Use App Defaults Import to apply shared notes or configurations to all applications of a part at once.
Need Help?
This tool is more technical than most validations. If you need support:
Reach out via chat
Reference this article or send us your report.