diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 06d2283..6e6d5ff 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,7 @@
-.idea
-**/pom.xml.new-version
\ No newline at end of file
+.idea
+**/pom.xml.new-version
+.project
+.classpath
+.settings/
+target/
+**/.checkstyle
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dd4413d..ffe25a4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -67,6 +67,104 @@ Or how about a short git hash?
 mvn install -Dexternal.version-qualifier=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
 ```
 
+Configuration & parameters
+-----
+
+```xml
+
+    <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+        <artifactId>maven-external-version-plugin</artifactId>
+        <version>X.Y.Z</version>
+        <extensions>true</extensions>
+        <configuration>
+            <strategy hint="STRATEGY"/>
+            <generateTemporaryFile>true/false</generateTemporaryFile>
+            <deleteTemporaryFile>true/false</deleteTemporaryFile>
+        </configuration>
+    </plugin>
+
+```
+
+- `strategy#hint` key defining which strategy implementation will be used, one of
+  - file: read the version from the first line of a given file
+  - script: version is given by the first line of the output execution of a given command
+  - sysprop: allows to define project version & qualifier from system properties
+  
+## Strategy : file
+
+This strategy reads the first line of a given file to extract the version to use. 
+
+### Usage
+
+```xml
+
+    <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+        <artifactId>maven-external-version-plugin</artifactId>
+        <version>X.Y.Z</version>
+        <extensions>true</extensions>
+        <configuration>
+            <strategy hint="file">
+                <versionFilePath>SOME_FILE</versionFilePath>
+            </strategy>
+        </configuration>
+    </plugin>
+
+```
+
+### Parameters
+
+- `versionFilePath`: denotes the file which first line will be read to extract the version from. Can be a fully qualified path or a path relative to the project directory. The parameter is optional, it defaults to `VERSION`, meaning that if not provided, a file called `VERSION` will be read from the project root. 
+
+## Strategy : script
+
+This strategy allows to execute a given command ; the first line of stdout output will be used as version. 
+
+### Usage
+
+```xml
+
+    <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+        <artifactId>maven-external-version-plugin</artifactId>
+        <version>X.Y.Z</version>
+        <extensions>true</extensions>
+        <configuration>
+            <strategy hint="script">
+                <script>SOME_COMMAND</script>
+            </strategy>
+        </configuration>
+    </plugin>
+
+```
+
+### Parameters
+
+- `script`: a command to execute. The parameter is optional and defaults to `./version.sh`, meaning that if not provided a file called `version.sh` in the project root will be executed. 
+
+## Strategy : sysprop
+
+This strategy uses 2 system properties to define the new project version:
+
+- `external.version`: the main version to use. If omitted, then it defaults to the current `project.version`.
+- `external.version-qualifier`: an optional qualifier that will be appended to the given version
+
+### Usage
+
+``` xml
+
+    <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+        <artifactId>maven-external-version-plugin</artifactId>
+        <version>X.Y.Z</version>
+        <extensions>true</extensions>
+        <configuration>
+            <strategy hint="sysprop" />
+        </configuration>
+    </plugin>
+
+```
 
 TODO:
 -----
diff --git a/external-version-api/pom.xml b/external-version-api/pom.xml
index 3fbe4b9..cba9d36 100644
--- a/external-version-api/pom.xml
+++ b/external-version-api/pom.xml
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.version</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-external-version</artifactId>
-        <version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>external-version-api</artifactId>
-    <version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
 
     <dependencies>
 
diff --git a/external-version-strategies/pom.xml b/external-version-strategies/pom.xml
index 336e05b..10e83dd 100644
--- a/external-version-strategies/pom.xml
+++ b/external-version-strategies/pom.xml
@@ -25,18 +25,18 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.version</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-external-version</artifactId>
-        <version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>external-version-strategies</artifactId>
-    <version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
 
     <dependencies>
 
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.apache.maven.version</groupId>
             <artifactId>external-version-api</artifactId>
-            <version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+            <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
         </dependency>
 
     </dependencies>
diff --git a/maven-external-version-plugin/pom.xml b/maven-external-version-plugin/pom.xml
index 2ec648c..fcff324 100644
--- a/maven-external-version-plugin/pom.xml
+++ b/maven-external-version-plugin/pom.xml
@@ -25,12 +25,12 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.apache.maven.version</groupId>
         <artifactId>maven-external-version</artifactId>
-        <version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
     <artifactId>maven-external-version-plugin</artifactId>
-    <version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
 
     <packaging>maven-plugin</packaging>
 
@@ -61,12 +61,12 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.apache.maven.version</groupId>
             <artifactId>external-version-api</artifactId>
-            <version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+            <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.apache.maven.version</groupId>
             <artifactId>external-version-strategies</artifactId>
-            <version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+            <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
         </dependency>
 
     </dependencies>
diff --git a/maven-external-version-plugin/src/it/multi-module/pom.xml b/maven-external-version-plugin/src/it/multi-module/pom.xml
index ae37cb9..4376a41 100644
--- a/maven-external-version-plugin/src/it/multi-module/pom.xml
+++ b/maven-external-version-plugin/src/it/multi-module/pom.xml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-external-version-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+                <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
                 <extensions>true</extensions>
                 <configuration>
                     <!--<strategy hint="file">-->
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
                     <!--<script>./version.sh</script>-->
                     <!--</strategy>-->
                     <strategy hint="sysprop"/>
+                    <generateTemporaryFile>true</generateTemporaryFile>
+                    <deleteTemporaryFile>true</deleteTemporaryFile>
                 </configuration>
             </plugin>
         </plugins>
diff --git a/maven-external-version-plugin/src/it/simple-module/pom.xml b/maven-external-version-plugin/src/it/simple-module/pom.xml
index 162676c..b7d3c10 100644
--- a/maven-external-version-plugin/src/it/simple-module/pom.xml
+++ b/maven-external-version-plugin/src/it/simple-module/pom.xml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ under the License.
             <plugin>
                 <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
                 <artifactId>maven-external-version-plugin</artifactId>
-                <version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+                <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
                 <extensions>true</extensions>
                 <configuration>
                     <!--<strategy hint="file">-->
diff --git a/maven-external-version-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/version/ExternalVersionExtension.java b/maven-external-version-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/version/ExternalVersionExtension.java
index 6e28cd8..f528342 100644
--- a/maven-external-version-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/version/ExternalVersionExtension.java
+++ b/maven-external-version-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/version/ExternalVersionExtension.java
@@ -214,13 +214,17 @@ private void createNewVersionPom( MavenProject mavenProject, Map<String, String>
                     model.getParent().setVersion( newVersionForParent );
                 }
             }
-
-            File newPom = new File( mavenProject.getBasedir(), "pom.xml.new-version" );
+            
+            Plugin plugin = mavenProject.getPlugin( "org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-external-version-plugin" );
+            // now we are going to wedge in the config
+            Xpp3Dom pluginConfiguration = (Xpp3Dom) plugin.getConfiguration();
+            
+            File newPom = createFileFromConfiguration( mavenProject, pluginConfiguration ); 
+            logger.debug( ExternalVersionExtension.class.getSimpleName() + ": using new pom file => " + newPom );
             fileWriter = new FileWriter( newPom );
             new MavenXpp3Writer().write( fileWriter, model );
 
             mavenProject.setFile( newPom );
-
         }
         finally
         {
@@ -231,6 +235,50 @@ private void createNewVersionPom( MavenProject mavenProject, Map<String, String>
 
     }
 
+    private File createFileFromConfiguration( MavenProject mavenProject, Xpp3Dom pluginConfig ) throws IOException
+    {
+        boolean deleteTemporaryFile = shouldDeleteTemporaryFile( pluginConfig ); 
+        boolean generateTemporaryFile = shouldGenerateTemporaryFile( pluginConfig ); 
+
+        // let's keep the default file as a default
+        File f = new File( mavenProject.getBasedir(), "pom.xml.new-version" );
+        
+        if ( generateTemporaryFile ) 
+        {
+            f = File.createTempFile( "pom", ".maven-external-version" );
+        }
+        
+        if ( deleteTemporaryFile ) 
+        {
+            f.deleteOnExit();
+        }
+        return f;
+    }
+
+    /*
+     * Looks for generateTemporaryFile child configuration node.
+     * If not present then no deletion occurs, otherwise return true if value is true, false otherwise
+     */
+    private boolean shouldGenerateTemporaryFile( Xpp3Dom pluginConfiguration ) 
+    {
+        return evaluateBooleanNodeInConfiguration( pluginConfiguration, "generateTemporaryFile" );
+    }
+
+    /*
+     * Looks for deleteTemporaryFile child configuration node.
+     * If not present then no deletion occurs, otherwise return true if value is true, false otherwise
+     */
+    private boolean shouldDeleteTemporaryFile( Xpp3Dom pluginConfiguration ) 
+    {
+        return evaluateBooleanNodeInConfiguration( pluginConfiguration, "deleteTemporaryFile" );
+    }
+
+    private boolean evaluateBooleanNodeInConfiguration( Xpp3Dom pluginConfiguration, String nodeName )
+    {
+        Xpp3Dom n = pluginConfiguration.getChild( nodeName );
+        return n != null && Boolean.parseBoolean( n.getValue() );
+    }
+
     private String getNewVersion( ExternalVersionStrategy strategy, MavenProject mavenProject )
         throws ExternalVersionException
     {
diff --git a/maven-external-version-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/version/ExternalVersionMojo.java b/maven-external-version-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/version/ExternalVersionMojo.java
index 07bfc66..d2faad9 100644
--- a/maven-external-version-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/version/ExternalVersionMojo.java
+++ b/maven-external-version-plugin/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/version/ExternalVersionMojo.java
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ public class ExternalVersionMojo
 
     @Parameter( property = "strategy", required = true )
     private String strategy;
+    
+    @Parameter( property = "external-version.deleteTemporaryFile" , defaultValue = "false" )
+    private Boolean deleteTemporaryFile;
+    
+    @Parameter( property = "external-version.generateTemporaryFile" , defaultValue = "false" )
+    private Boolean generateTemporaryFile;
 
     @Override
     public void execute()
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 471c3d0..fa1d1dc 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 
     <groupId>org.apache.maven.version</groupId>
     <artifactId>maven-external-version</artifactId>
-    <version>0.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.1.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
 
     <packaging>pom</packaging>
 
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
                             </goals>
                             <configuration>
                                 <excludes>
+                                    <exclude>.checkstyle</exclude>
                                     <exclude>DEPENDENCIES</exclude>
                                     <exclude>**/src/it/**</exclude>
                                     <exclude>README.md</exclude>