Configure, price, quote – that’s the core function of any CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) tool. But in today’s increasingly digital, connected, and customer-focused B2B environment, isolated functionality is no longer enough. B2B buyers now expect a B2C-like purchasing experience: fast, intuitive, and accessible anytime – even when configuring complex products.
Modern CPQ solutions enable exactly that through process integration: seamless sales automation from product configuration to quoting, order finalization, and beyond.
In times of skilled labor shortages, growing product complexity, and increasing cost pressure, companies need solutions that scale, simplify, and standardize. While CPQ tools are often seen as operational helpers, they offer much more: they form the backbone of an automated sales process.
For manufacturers of configurable products, this means:
A CPQ solution is not just a sales tool, but the strategic platform within the Quote-to-Cash process – ensuring that quotes convert into closed deals.
A CPQ system must meet these B2B requirements:
A successful CPQ process requires well-integrated systems in all directions. For sales to run smoothly, platforms like ERP, CRM, PLM, and PIM must work together seamlessly. Only with automated data flows can end-to-end processes be achieved without media breaks.
Quick Reference:
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning): Central system for order processing, logistics, and inventory.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Tool for managing customer relations and sales activities.
PLM (Product Lifecycle Management): Platform to manage product data and workflows across the entire lifecycle.
PIM (Product Information Management): Central hub for managing and distributing all product-related data.
Integrating CPQ into existing system landscapes is crucial – but shouldn’t stop at ERP and CRM. To make B2B sales digital and future-ready, customer behavior must be at the core. The keyword is omnichannel sales. Omnichannel in B2B means: Customers expect consistent information, pricing, and product logic – whether they configure online, speak to a sales rep, or purchase through a platform.
When data flows, so do visuals, understanding, and purchasing decisions. The full value of a complex product configuration is only realized when results are not just calculated correctly, but also visualized clearly – and made usable for subsequent steps.
Quick Reference:
BIM (Building Information Modeling) – A 3D-based planning method with structured metadata for materials, functions, and placement – essential for architects, planners, and project managers.
CAD (Computer Aided Design) – Software-based method for creating technical drawings and 3D models focused on dimensions, geometries, and manufacturing details.
What once had to be created manually can now be generated automatically – directly from the configurator. With clean data structures and rule-based logic, all outputs are created based on the configuration, without redundancy or extra effort.
The benefits extend beyond customers: Internal teams in design, project planning, and production prep gain access to consistent, valid, and instantly usable data.
The result: Fewer inquiries, shorter lead times, and significantly greater process reliability.
Typical data outputs in the sales process:
CAD Models: STEP, DWG, DXF – used for design, planning and approval processes
BIM Files: IFC, Revit, Archicad – critical for architectural planning and integration
2D/3D Technical Drawings: As visual guides in the sales process
3D Renderings: Photorealistic visuals for internal or external presentations
Preview Images & Icons: For online shops or technical catalogs
Metadata & Attributes: For filtering, classification and system integration
AR/VR Data: For trade shows, mobile apps or digital showrooms
EPLAN exports & industry-specific formats for downstream systems
Especially for customizable or technically complex products, visualization and generated data outputs create certainty – for self-service customers and for sales teams in direct conversations.
HOLGER REIMSBACH
solution manager
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