A combined configuration rules-attribute configuration system uses an integrated configuration model to efficiently identify and attribute prioritize valid configuration answers. Submitting an attribute-based configuration query to the combined configuration rules-attribute configuration system allows the query to be answered in a single step. The combined configuration rules and attribute data guide product configuration processing and minimize configuration processing by, for example, calculating only the valid configuration answers that are candidates for the preferred valid answer(s). Thus, the combined configuration rules-attribute configuration system can minimize the number of valid configuration answers to be considered for presentation to a client system or other user of the combined configuration rules-attribute configuration system.