CPQ Setup and Admin Topics

Mobileforce CPQ is expressed using a CPQ Specification. Each CPQ instance is specified via a CPQ Specification

CPQ Specification

A CPQ Specification consists of

Product: A single product specification. A product is anything that can show up as a line item in the quote. Products can have attributes (form inputs) and groups (sets of nested configured products).
Product Category: A grouping of product specifications. Categories are hierarchical. That is, categories can contain sub-categories.
Product Group: A grouping of configured products. A group can belong to either a product or a quote. Products or quotes can have multiple groups.
Product Rules: Rules that ensure valid product configurations.
Price Book: A mapping of products to prices.
Pricing Rules: Rules that automatically apply pricing discounts.
Quote: The specification of a quote. Products can have attributes (form inputs) and groups (sets of nested configured products).
Layout: A Form Configurator XML layout the specifies the UI for a quote or a configurable product.

Common CPQ Fields

Most CPQ objects stored in the CPQ database share a common set of fields:

id: Internal unique numerical ID for the object. This id is automatically generated when the object is created. This id is not editable.
name: User-friendly name of the object.
description: User-friendly description of the object.
active: Boolean specifying whether this object is currently active or not. Inactive objects are not visible nor usable by the user.
effectiveDate: Start date at which this object is active.
expirationDate: End date at which this product is no longer active.
acl: Access control list of MobileForce user roles that are allowed to use this object when creating a quote.
createdTime: Date and time this object was created.
createdById: Id of user that created the product.
createdByEmail: Email address of user that created the product.
modifiedTime: Date and tine this product was last modified.
modifiedById: Id of user that last modified the product.
modifiedByEmail: Email address of user that last modified the product.

CPQ Setup

When configuring a Mobileforce CPQ instance, you may find it difficult to determine where to start.

Create Price Book(s)

Determine the number of price books for your organization. You will want to create a price book each geography/currency where you sell your products. Pay attention to the currency, selling channels, and uplifts in pricing when organizing your price books.

For more information, see Creating Price Books.

Create Product Categories

Optionally, you can create categories to better organize the products and services you sell.

Mobileforce includes some sample product categories that are already populated when you first launch Mobileforce CPQ. These categories can be used, renamed, or deleted to suit your business needs.

For more information, see Managing Products with Product Categories

Add Products

In Mobileforce CPQ, the term Products describes any itemized product or service that your organization sells or provides to customers. Typically, a product has a unique code or SKU number as well as other unique attributes.

For more information, see Adding Products to Mobileforce CPQ.

Other than the general information or attributes for the product, you must provide the following information:

Pricing Information

Pricing information is listed in specific pricing entries are the listing of a specific price (in a specific currency) for a product or service in a price book.

For more information, see Adding Product Price Book Entries

Product Rules

Define the rules for individual products that are launched when the product in a proposal/quote is triggered by an event (for example, validating the proposal)

Define the rules for a specific product that are invoked when the specified product is added to the proposal/quote and are then triggered by a specific event (for example, validating the proposal). Once triggered, Mobileforce executes the specified action (such as adding another product or service to the quote).

For more information, see Adding Product Rules

Approval Rules

Defiine the rules for approving a proposal/quote when the prodct is added. For example, if selling a specific product required managerial approval.

For more information, see Adding Approval Rules

Create Quote UI Layout

These layouts are the user interface components that are designed to guide the end-user (sellers) through the Proposal/Quote creation workflow as quickly and efficiently as possible. Allowing you to optimize their sessions with Mobileforce CPQ with a workflow that fits the needs of your organization.

Mobileforce provides a basic layout that sellers can use when Mobileforce is installed. Admins can edit this layout to suit their needs or create their own layouts from scratch.

For more information, see Add Quote UI Layouts.

Upload Output Template Files

The CPQ system generates a proposal documentation in PDF format using one or more source template documents – typically Microsoft Word or Excel documents. Proposal documentation is generated from the selected template, which reference the files that have been uploaded to the Mobileforce CPQ application.

These source template documents typically contain a proposal boilerplate, marketing information, customer testimonials and legal terms and conditions

For more information, see Uploading Files.

Create Document Template

When a proposal is complete, sellers create proposal documents to be sent to the customer. Mobileforce CPQ creates proposal documentation based on the selected document templates. Admins create these templates based on existing output files.

For more information, see Adding or Editing Document Templates.

Configure Quote Templates

A quote template is used by Mobileforce CPQ to render the User Interface experience for the seller, and specifying what products and services the seller can add to the proposal/quote as well as the product, pricing and approval rules are to be enforced. Mobileforce inludes a sample template that admins can use, copy, and adapt to your organization needs.

For more information, see Adding or Editing Quote Templates

Other than the general information or attributes for the template, you must provide the following information:

Specify Product Rules

Define the rules for all products launched when any product in a proposal/quote is triggered by the specified event (for example, validating the proposal)

Specify Pricing Rules

Specify the rules that govern what pricing changes must be made for the products and service items added to the quote.

For more information, see Adding Pricing Rules.

Specify Approval Rules

Define the rules for approving a proposal/quote when any prodct is added to it. For example, a rule that requires executive approval when the Adjusted Total exceeds $500,000.

Conclusion

Once these rules are configured, and you have confirmed that the changes are accurate and are processed correctly, your sellers can begin creating proposals/quotes in Mobileforce CPQ.

Of course, you can always modify these settings to reflect the needs of your sellers and the ever-changing needs of yoru organization.