Keeping configuration in one place
The short answer is that it depends, but the reasons are worth going through. In practice, the details matter more than the overall plan. A simple checklist turned out to be more useful than any tool.
It is easy to underestimate how much time preparation saves later. Budget and time usually decide more than personal preference. Most of the problems were not technical at all. A simple checklist turned out to be more useful than any tool.
The first step is always to look at what already exists. Every project is different, yet the same few mistakes repeat.