The art of quoting services is a must-have skill for visionary entrepreneurs. Choosing the right quoting solution can be a game-changer, setting your business apart from the competition. That’s where the concept of CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) implementation services comes into play.

Salesforce and Apttus are among the top providers of Salesforce CPQ implementation, both in the same league, battling it out in the market. For customers or business teams trying to figure out the best fit, it’s a matter of concern. The two are close competitors in various aspects, making it tricky to choose between them.

Consider this, the following article will guide you through the comparison of these two CPQs, where we get to the bottom of both the concepts—straight from customer reviews—of Salesforce and Apttus. We’ll explore the basic meanings, showcasing the invaluable features side by side each brings to the table for next-gen configuration, quoting, and pricing.

So, let’s get started!

What is CPQ Software?

 CPQ, or Configure-Price-Quote, is a vital concept in B2B, including tools like Apttus or Salesforce CPQ. These tools assist sellers in easily configuring products and generating accurate quotes, a critical aspect in the B2B industry. Apttus and Salesforce CPQ software tools play a pivotal role in establishing optimal product prices amidst changing variables. Essentially, CPQ serves as a tool to determine the comprehensive product price based on the final configuration selected, streamlining pricing processes in complex business scenarios.

What is Salesforce CPQ?

Salesforce CPQ, an offering from Salesforce, serves as a sales tool, ensuring precise pricing for products. It equips sales teams with user-friendly software compatible with various devices, enhancing the sales process. Operating on a cloud-based platform, it provides accessibility anywhere, anytime. Integrating seamlessly with Salesforce CRM development platforms. Salesforce CPQ delivers an enhanced lightning experience for salespeople. In comparison to Apttus, it employs more standard elements like Price Books, Orders, Order Products, and Assets. This tool efficiently maps to standard and custom fields, eliminating the need for tedious data duplication.

Its design software, known for its user-friendly interface, solidifies its position as a leader in the CRM field. Salesforce CPQ excels in managing diverse considerations such as discounts, customization, and product quantity, making it a robust solution for companies looking to streamline and optimize their sales processes.

For Salesforce CPQ, features available are offering

• Price & quotes
• Proposal producing
• Product renewals and orders bearing
• Contract management
• Configuring products
• Billings and subscription handling
• Locating revenues and guided selling features

What is Apttus CPQ?

Apttus CPQ, now known as Conga CPQ post its merger in 2020, stands as quote-to-cash software and a dynamic sales tool designed for Apttus product line sales. Functioning in real-time, it furnishes customers with accurate quotes while enabling enterprises to gather crucial information. What’s more is it empowers sales teams with cross-selling capabilities, enhancing lead generation for new sales and cross-selling opportunities. 

Operating on an AI platform, Conga CPQ boasts intelligent features in product, pricing, and quote offerings. Similar to Salesforce CPQ, it efficiently reduces cycle times for generating quotes and prices, minimizing errors in the quoting process. This innovative CPQ tool continues to evolve under the Conga CPQ umbrella, providing companies with advanced functionalities and streamlined sales processes.

For Apttus CPQ, the available features are;

• Offering guided quotations
• Providing workflow approvals
• Computing commissions
• Suggesting cross-selling and up-selling skills
• Price changing suggestions
• Discount pricing recommendations and much more

Also read: Maximizing Sales Productivity with Salesforce Automation

Comparison: Salesforce CPQ vs Apttus CPQ

1. Implementation 

Salesforce CPQ:

• Salesforce CPQ implementation is more efficient and quicker process.
• During the sales cycle, provides a clear display of product capabilities, aiding in delivering product catalog and budgets on time.
• Facilitates easier configuration, leading to more accurate forecasts and streamlined business processes.
• Encourages product partners to develop additional solutions that seamlessly integrate with their products.
• Boasts a robust support model with an extensive knowledge base and large community support.
• Organizes updates as well as releases sales cycle upgrades smoothly.

Apttus CPQ:

• Takes a longer time to implement, potentially putting professionals and admins in compromising situations.
• Can be challenging during the sales cycle, especially in delivering product catalog and budgets on time.
• Offers integrations with partner companies but on a smaller scale, and the burden often falls on Apttus or the customer for development.
• Requires users to purchase a premium support model, and the support for the complex system is available only via a basic support package.
• Users often find it difficult to manage regular release upgrades, and the upgrade cycles are less smooth.

 

2. Product Offering

Salesforce CPQ:

• Provides a range of quote-to-cash solutions.
• Offers powerful, user-friendly products.
• Integrates seamlessly with other Salesforce modules and products.
• Performs various tasks within the quote-to-cash platform, including guided selling, orders/renewals, automated and subscription billing.
• Tailored to meet the needs of diverse businesses.
• Emphasizes the importance of choosing quality products for enhanced business performance.

Apttus CPQ:

• Includes X-Author extension capability, allowing system admins to build Excel-based applications directly within the system.
• Integrates easily with other Apttus solutions like Intelligent Contract Management, X-Author, Accelerate, etc.
• Offers a comprehensive quote-to-cash tool with a focus on customization and extension capabilities.
• Designed for large-scale businesses with varied product needs.
• Stresses the significance of selecting robust products for better quotes delivery.

3. Ease-of-use

Salesforce CPQ:

• Salesforce CPQ is designed to help salespeople spend more time selling products confidently.
• Provides accurate pricing and quotes to enhance sales confidence.
• Offers various capabilities similar to Apttus CPQ, including product and pricing configuration, accurate quote cycles, mobile solutions, guided selling, and other tools for delivering quotes.

Apttus CPQ:

• Aims to empower salespeople to spend more time selling products effectively.
• Enhances confidence in selling with accurate prices and quotes.
• Shares similar capabilities with Salesforce CPQ, covering product and pricing configuration, accurate quote cycles, mobile solutions, guided selling, and additional tools for delivering quotes.

4. Pricing Policy

Salesforce CPQ:

• Offers a Plus Plan Model priced at $150/month.
• Includes advanced features such as advanced order management, 3rd party API integration, customer self-service, partner self-service, and portal integration of 3rd party.
• Salesforce CPQ provides additional CPQ plan features beyond the basic model.
• Introduces two more pricing models: CPQ & Billing Growth and CPQ & Billing Plus, allowing users to select services of their choice and pay accordingly.

Apttus CPQ:

• Features tailor-made pricing models focused on quote dealings, price quoting, and configuration services.
• Specific pricing information is not mentioned, but the basic pricing starts from $35 per month.
• Users can connect with the Apttus team for a demo, and they will provide a customized demo based on the business requirements.

5. Administration

Salesforce CPQ:

• Offers the power to admins to configure various workflows for approval.
• Facilitates the configuration of workflows based on specific discount offers at standard costs.
• Provides a faster and more straightforward way to automatically direct entities for approval.

Apttus CPQ:

• Administration is comparatively easy, especially when compared to similar products.
• Availability of products on the Force.com platform facilitates easy cross-training of Salesforce admins.
• Allows Salesforce admins to handle additional administrative tasks without significantly increasing the sales ops team size.

6. Partnership 

Salesforce CPQ:

• Provides clear documentation of features, and capabilities, and communicates the product roadmap.
• Allows informed decisions as Salesforce shares detailed information about the platform.
• Offers a more transparent partnership experience compared to Apttus, with clear guidelines and communication.

Apttus CPQ:

• Has been challenging to partner with due to strict partner requirements and Master Service Agreement (MSA).
• Support from Apttus as a System Integrator (SI) is nearly impossible without the MSA.
• Finding a partner for implementation may be challenging, and implementations may not be supported, documented, or enhanced through release cycles by Apttus.

7. Client Requirements

Salesforce CPQ:

• Support Platforms: Offers a robust web-based support platform and iPhone app support.
• Customer Support: Provides support services primarily over the phone and includes a knowledge base for finding solutions.
• Customer Types: Attracts businesses across small, medium, and large-scale enterprises.

Apttus CPQ:

• Support Platforms: Strong web-based support platform and Windows Phone app support.
• Customer Support: Offers support through multiple channels, including phone, online chat, and video tutorials.
• Customer Types: Primarily preferred by medium and large-sized businesses.

Final Words

After diving into the details of Salesforce CPQ and Apttus CPQ, it’s evident that both platforms are exceptional and excel in their specific domains.

If you’re seeking a reliable CPQ Apttus integration company for top-notch services, consider connecting with DianApps, an experienced Salesforce implementation company. Their team of skilled and certified CPQ experts is ready to provide a clear understanding of both platforms, guiding you to make the right choice for your needs.

Here’s what you can expect from DianApps:

• 30% Better lead conversion
• 28% Improved sales revenue
• 45% Enhanced customer retention
• 38% Increased productivity
• 31% Faster case resolution

Salesforce Products Implemented at DianApps: 

• Salesforce CPQ
• Sales Cloud
• Service Cloud
• Marketing Cloud
• Community Cloud
• Financial Service Cloud
• Nonprofit Cloud
• Salesforce Chatter

Lastly, both Salesforce CPQ and Apttus CPQ have their strengths, and with the assistance of experienced salesforce developers from DianApps, you can confidently rely and choose the platform that aligns perfectly with your requirements.