CPQ (configure, price, quote)
Software that helps sales configure a product, apply the right prices and discounts, and produce a quote without errors.
CPQ fits companies with many options, rules and price lists: which parts go together, which discount needs approval, what the delivery time is. Enterprise CPQ suites are powerful and long to implement. For distributors whose pain is retyping customer inquiries into the system, the first win is usually reading the inquiry and matching lines to the price list, before full configuration rules.
Related terms
- RFQ automation (quote automation): An agent that reads requests for quotation, asks suppliers for prices and drafts a quote for a person to approve.
- EDI (electronic data interchange): Standard machine-to-machine exchange of business documents (orders, delivery notes, invoices) between trading partners.
- Payback period: How long it takes for savings or extra revenue from an investment to cover what it cost.
