“Configuration Items” is a term used for the base-level components of an organization that are tracked by systems like IT@Cornell’s TeamDynamix. They can include:

• Hardware
• Software
• Applications
• Services
• Documentation
• Phone numbers
• Accounts

IT Service Management programs oversee the life of configuration items through identification, change management, status accounting, dependency mapping, and audits. 

The definition of a configuration item isn’t based on size or whether it is the smallest component of a larger entity. Instead, it’s the level that makes the most sense for an organization to treat as a single entity. Each configuration item’s listing and definition should act as a common vocabulary across all groups connected to the product. They should be crafted in a way that all groups in the organization can agree to a common definition when they use the name of the configuration item.