Software change management (SCM) systems can be extended to uniformly handle artifacts which lack constraints typically imposed on managed items. In the solution, a data type associated with a SCM system can enable management of unmanaged artifacts. Unmanaged artifacts can include, but is not limited to, artifacts which lack can traditional change management constraints, managed artifacts not directly associated with the SCM, artifacts with different constraints than the SCM imposed constraints, and the like. In one embodiment, an unmanaged artifact can have different lifecycles, policies, and the like which can make it unsuitable for traditional management approaches by the SCM. The SCM can utilize the data type to manage unmanaged artifacts without requiring significant change in functionality of the SCM by permitting change management processes to be applied to the unmanaged artifacts.