After months of demos, vendor calls, and feature comparisons, you’ve finally chosen the perfect CPQ software to boost your sales performance. But selecting the right tool is only the beginning.

You’re eager to roll out your new platform, but your team is stuck, facing a steep learning curve, limited guidance, and missed opportunities.

You reach out to customer support, but they’re only available for small windows of time. You’re ready to use all of the features and integrate the software into your daily tasks, but you don’t have the training and support you need.

You’re stuck with a shiny new tool, but lack the know-how to use it.

Great software doesn’t guarantee results. Successful onboarding is what turns potential into performance.

That’s why it’s crucial to understand the type of onboarding support each vendor offers before committing.

In this article, we’ll break down what to look for in a CPQ onboarding experience and show you how our process goes beyond the basics to equip your team with the training, tools, and guidance they need to get the maximum value from our CPQ software.

What is CPQ onboarding?

CPQ onboarding is the process of training your sales team to effectively use Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) software within your existing sales workflows. The goal is to integrate the software into your sales process, enabling reps to create fast and accurate quotes to optimize your sales process and close more deals.

CPQ onboarding ensures that your team is proficient in the new software and able to use it in their daily operations.

Why CPQ onboarding matters

CPQ onboarding is essential because it equips your teams with the skills and knowledge to use your CPQ solution to its full potential.

A CPQ platform can have all the best features, but it won’t help your team or improve your sales process if your reps are unable to use it effectively.

CPQ onboarding stages

Specific CPQ onboarding stages will vary based on the software or vendor you select, but will generally include some of the following.

1. Kickoff and planning

This stage sets the foundation for a successful software rollout.

  • Define clear goals: Reduce quote time, improve pricing accuracy, or streamline workflows.
  • Identify pain points: Uncover issues like inconsistent pricing or slow approvals.
  • Gather detailed requirements: Document product structures, pricing rules, integrations, and approval needs.
  • Assemble your onboarding team: Include stakeholders from sales, IT, and potentially a CPQ consultant.

2. Discovery and setup

Tailor the CPQ platform to match your unique business needs.

  • Configure product structures: Include bundles, dependencies, and custom options.
  • Set pricing rules: Implement discount logic and pricing tiers.
  • Establish approval workflows: Automate based on rules like deal size or customizations.
  • Customize for users: Align interfaces and permissions with different roles.

3 CRM integration

Ensure clean, accurate data and seamless connections with existing systems.

  • Clean legacy data: Fix inconsistencies and duplicates before migration.
  • Migrate pricing and quote history: Maintain continuity and historical insights.
  • Integrate with CRM and ERP: Enable smooth data exchange between systems.

4. Testing and training

This step ensures the system works and users are confident.

  • Test all configurations: Check every product, rule, and workflow for accuracy.
  • Provide hands-on training: Focus on role-based tasks and user needs.
  • Create learning resources: Develop guides, videos, and FAQs for reference.

5. Go-Live and ongoing support

Support your team during launch and beyond.

  • Start with a pilot: Roll out to a small group first to catch potential issues.
  • Offer live support: Be available to troubleshoot and answer questions.
  • Gather feedback: Use it to refine workflows and drive adoption.

CPQ onboarding with PandaDoc

Beyond the stages we covered above, each company has its own onboarding process to help teams roll out a new platform.

At PandaDoc, we want to ensure your team can use all of our CPQ features, get up and running quickly, and integrate our solution into their workflow.

To do this, our Implementation team provides consulting and resource guidance for client-led implementation.

This means you get a dedicated implementation engineer to guide you through the process. Our team helps you:

  • Integrate your CRM with one of our many native CRM integrations
  • Create a solution design
  • Train you on workflow design best practices
  • Help you do a deep dive on how your guided selling is built out
  • Teach you how rules are built so you are able to maintain and expand CPQ as you grow

Essentially, we enable you to work the product and get acclimated on using it in your workflow.

“We’re there to make sure you’re going to be successful with the CPQ model,” says Asim Siddiqi, Manager, Implementations. “We give you the tools to make sure you’re quoting quickly and efficiently.”

Here’s how the PandaDoc CPQ onboarding process compares with other vendors.

Platform Estimated onboarding time Onboarding process Support
PandaDoc CPQ 8 to 12 weeks, thanks to no-code setup—implemented within the existing CRM. CPQ training and consultation led by an Implementation Engineer. Includes launch plan meeting, CRM integration, solution design, workflow
training, forms training, rules training.		 Support with assigned CSM, live phone/chat, screen-sharing.
Support via email/chat for all plans, priority service for paid tiers.
Salesforce CPQ Often multi-month, complex migration requiring consultants and heavy configuration. Training is via Salesforce’s Trailhead, but much of the configuration and
training depends on internal teams or paid consultants.		 Support via Salesforce Premier support (paid); community forums, consultants for CPQ-specific issues.
Oracle CPQ Typically, enterprise-grade, complex implementations.

Orchestration and integration can stretch over several months.		 Enterprise-level onboarding, specialized training, often through third-party or vendor services. Included enterprise-level, dedicated support, but often with slower SLAs and via support contracts.

Once the onboarding process is complete, PandaDoc CPQ users can expect:

Fast, error-free quote creation

  • Reps can build quotes in minutes with guided selling, pre-set pricing, and product rules.
  • No manual calculations—discounts, bundles, taxes, and approvals are automated.

CRM-native quoting

  • Everything happens inside Salesforce, HubSpot, or Pipedrive; reps never have to leave their CRM.
  • Opportunity data auto-fills quote fields (customer info, product SKUs, pricing tiers, etc.).

Dynamic document generation

  • Quotes turn into branded proposals or contracts automatically, using PandaDoc templates.
  • Smart fields auto-populate; users can add optional upsells or custom notes.

Automated approvals and workflows

  • Finance, legal, or management reviews are built into the process via rule-based approvals.
  • Helps ensure compliance and consistency without slowing down deals.

Real-time tracking

  • Reps see when a quote is opened, edited, or signed—all synced back to the CRM.
  • Enables faster follow-ups and visibility into deal progress.

Get up and running fast with CPQ onboarding from PandaDoc

The CPQ onboarding process lays the foundation, enabling your team to go live with confidence.

With CPQ onboarding:

  • Your pricing rules and product logic are dialed in, helping your teams minimize errors
  • Templates and workflows are tailored to your processes, saving reps valuable time
  • Everyone is aligned on how quotes should look, what approvals are required, and where guardrails are in place.

This leads to a smoother rollout, faster adoption, and a quoting process that just works.

Don’t just buy CPQ software, invest in a platform that offers the training and support you need to set your team up for continued success.

Ready to get started? Sign up for your 14-day trial today!

Frequently asked questions

  • CPQ implementation is the step-by-step process to integrate a CPQ solution into your sales workflow. This includes configuring your product catalog and pricing rules, and setting up platform integrations to enable your CPQ tool to work with your CRM and others apps in your tech stack.

    Learn more about CPQ implementation. 

  • CPQ software like PandaDoc helps sales teams generate error-free quotes by automating key parts of the quoting process. 

    Here’s how it ensures pricing accuracy:

    • Automated product configurations: When a rep starts building a quote, CPQ software only shows compatible options, like suggesting the right accessories for a base product or blocking choices that don’t go together.
    • Built-in pricing rules: Pricing logic—like volume discounts, regional pricing, or customer-specific rates—is built into the system. This removes guesswork and ensures consistency across all quotes.
    • Real-time updates: CPQ tools pull live data from pricing catalogs or CRMs, so reps always have the most up-to-date information. No more quoting with outdated price lists.
    • Approval workflows: If a quote falls outside of standard pricing (like offering a deep discount), the system can automatically trigger approvals. This keeps special pricing in check without slowing down the process.

    Guided selling: CPQ tools walk reps through a series of questions or selections, helping them choose the right products and pricing based on customer needs.

  • Every CPQ tool handles CRM integration a little differently. Some may require custom development, while others offer plug-and-play options. 

    With PandaDoc, integration is simple
    PandaDoc offers native integrations with popular CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, and Zoho CRM. 

    This means you can:

    • Pull contact details, deals, and product info right into your quotes
    • Auto-fill customer data into documents
    • Sync activity and updates back to your CRM
    • Create and send quotes directly from the CRM interface

    No need for complex setup or IT support; you can be up and running with just a few clicks.

Disclaimer

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