EIA-836 facilitates the interoperability and exchange of CM data by clearly delineating CM data elements and their relationships, and by providing the information content of CM data exchanges. The level of interoperability between dissimilar systems is determined by trading partner agreement. The extensible markup language (XML) facilitates data sharing and exchange among different systems. EIA-836 provides a set of standard definitions and business objects that can be used by XML frameworks in interfacing the content elements among one or more systems or databases.

EIA-836 is designed to have wide applicability across vertical industries. The process employed to provide access, sharing or exchange, is typically accomplished using one of many available product data management tools or systems, often customized to a specific organizational environment. To be most effective, the capabilities of the process, tools or systems, should embody the CM principles in ANSI/EIA-649 "National Consensus Standard for Configuration Management;" in conjunction with the business objects and data element definitions in EIA-836.