like TI and their LDOs that apparently have logic so complex they need different silicon revisions because safe modes are nonfunctional, and they will happily use an "A" for both a different version and a different pinout.. TPS709A is first revision, pinout A. TPS709AB is second revision, pinout B. TPS709BA is third revision, pinout A. With also a multitude of other letters after to complete the shitshow, the wrong revision/pinout can slip
Oh that sucks but it's totally manageable, all you need to do is to stupidly treat the part number as an identifier for a part, each unique part number is an unique part, bypassing all assumptions and all generic wisdom about similar numbers. The longer the part number is the easier it gets since it overwhelms your brain and makes you not look at it, only copy-paste. When ordering though be very careful you are actually getting what you copypasted in the search box.
But ST doesn't include the silicon revision in the part number, and silicon revisions are not necessarily binary or even source level compatible, and no, this isn't due to just bugfixes but other changes too, like arbitrarily adding a fixed, unnecessary and un-bypassable /2 clock divider into the ADC. There simply
is no process to overcome this as far as I know, unless the process is:
* Every week or so, download the full st.com and all documentation, store in your archive
* Very early in design, order parts for the whole expected batch of the product
* Open the physical package
* Look at the device markings
* Now from your archive, find the documentation for that revision, since it's not publicly available anymore even though distributors sell you those parts
* Now design!
* Manufacture all units at once
... although I'm sure if you were a large enough player like a big automotive customer ST would help you in this process, I'm pretty sure.