05 Feb 10 Common Mistakes in Salesforce CPQ Implementations
With the buzz around Revenue Cloud Advanced, many businesses are still actively implementing Salesforce CPQ. Ignoring CPQ at this stage is not a good idea, as it remains a crucial part of the quote-to-cash process.
Our team of CPQ experts at GV has compiled a list of common CPQ design and implementation mistakes that may occur in various client projects. These issues can arise during the design and discovery phase or during actual implementation. Avoiding them can help you deliver projects on time and improve overall quality.
1. Ignoring Legacy Data and Contracts
Many teams fail to discuss how to bring legacy contracts into Salesforce. This issue is often left for later stages when it’s too late.
- This impacts the sales lifecycle of legacy contracts vs. new sales.
- A CPQ project should address how the full process works for both legacy contracts and new deals.
2. Lack of Proper Validations in CPQ
CPQ does not restrict invalid data entry out of the box. Implementations must ensure users cannot perform incorrect actions.
Few examples of required validations are Quote terms and dates must be entered if required, Quotes cannot be changed after order activation, Opportunities should be locked after closure.
3. Incorrect Bulk Product Data Uploads
Many teams upload product data in bulk without verifying CPQ picklist values.
- CPQ does not stop invalid picklist values from being uploaded.
- Example: “Percent of Total” might be incorrectly loaded as “Percentage of Total”, causing automation failures.
4. Only Testing New Sales and Ignoring Renewals & Amendments
Developers often test new product configurations but ignore renewal and amendment scenarios.
Subscription-based products require thorough testing of – Upgrades, downgrades, and decommission, Renewals with uplifts and impact of price indices.
5. Not Keeping User References Updated
CPQ has crucial user reference fields (e.g., Amendment Owner, Renewal Owner on Contracts).When users leave the organization and their accounts are deactivated, renewal processes may fail.
A system must be in place to update contract ownership automatically.
6. Lack of Reporting and Monitoring
Teams assume everything is fine until it’s too late.
Regularly track health check reports to identify issues like:
- Orders being contracted without contract creation.
- Assets not getting generated for one-time products.
7. Poor Persona-Based Access Control
Permissions and layouts must be designed to prevent unauthorized data access.
- Avoid giving CRUD access to fields that users should not modify.
- Remove unnecessary fields from layouts.
- Sometimes it is assumed that CPQ objects are visible to users without CPQ license.
8. Hardcoding Product Specifications in Automations
Automations should reference fields dynamically instead of hardcoding product codes or IDs.
- Example: A Price Rule for one product should be scalable to multiple products without modifying the rule.
9. Ignoring Price Changes Over Time
Pricing structures change over time, and implementations should account for this. One-time products may not be heavily impacted, but subscription and usage-based products require careful planning. Considerations should include:
- Handling mid-contract price changes.
- Managing renewals with price uplifts.
- Deciding between single and multiple pricebooks.
10. Poor Deployment Strategy for CPQ Data
CPQ implementation involves extensive data handling, yet data deployment is often overlooked.
- Investing in a data deployment tool ensures project success and prevents delays.
- A proper strategy should cover metadata and data migration across environments.
Final Thoughts
CPQ implementations come with technical and business challenges. Avoiding these common mistakes can enhance implementation success, ensure scalability, and optimize the quote-to-cash process.
If your team is working on a Salesforce CPQ project, make sure these areas are covered to deliver a high-quality and efficient solution.
Need expert guidance? Our team at GV specializes in Salesforce CPQ implementations. Contact us today to get your CPQ right the first time!