Makefile.PL: ... VERSION_FROM => 'lib/My/Widget/Version.pm', ... lib/My/Widget/Version.pm: package My::Widget::Version; require Exporter; our @EXPORT_OK = '$VERSION'; *import = \&Exporter::import; our $VERSION = 1.011_021; lib/My/Widget/Flanged.pm: package My::Widget::Flanged; use My::Widget::Version '$VERSION'; ...