A commom misconception is that you need to be physically connected to the modules in order to create a configuration utilizing that type of module.  This is not the case.

A configuration can be created without being connected to the module.  This has been the case since the introduction of the Insight and continues to the other displays.  When a configuration is created from "scratch", the module S.N. is unassigned.  The system does not "look" to see if such a module is physically present at that time.

Once an attempt is made to try to use the configuration, the system "looks" to see if appropriate module(s) are on the CAN bus.

If the proper number and kind of modules are "out there" the configuration is presented as a possible choice.  If more than one module of a given type is available (two liquids for example), the system will ask which one you want to use.  If only one module is available, the system assumes this is the one you want to use.  At that point in time, the S.N. is assigned to the configuration.

From then on, the system will be "looking" for that exact S.N. when doing anything with that configuration.  This is why if you had a bad Liquid Module for example you needed to rebuild the configuration so that the replacement Module was used.

So you would not have to be "on the farm" to do the upgrade and could do this at a bench.  I suspect you may run into some of the same problems that I mentioned in the above post.

With V 3.x, it will be possible to bring in a substitute module for the liquid example that I mention above.  With V 3.x, the system will realize that if the original module and S.N. are not available but another like module is available that you might want to use it instead.  You are now presented with a message to that effect.  The message basically says "I think you swapped out such and such a module, is that correct?"  If you agree then the S.N. of the replacement module is used.

This has been the case in swapping out a mass flow sensor on a combine and has now been expanded to other modules. This applies only to the Integra/Versa at this time.