Salesforce has long been hailed as the gold standard for CPQ (Configure, price, quote) software. In fact, many people wonder if Salesforce invented CPQ.
For a brief history lesson, the CPQ process, or creating quotes for complex products, existed long before Salesforce introduced its CPQ solution in 2015.
The introduction of CPQ platforms made things easier for sales reps by offering features to automate and speed up the quoting process. Product catalogs, pricing rules, and guided selling make the process much faster and reduce manual errors.
And since 2015, many other CPQ platforms have emerged, including PandaDoc CPQ, Oracle, and many more.
Present day: Salesforce CPQ end of life
Ten years since Salesforce changed the quoting game, the organization has announced “end-of-sale” for its CPQ product.
This means they will no longer offer their CPQ product to new customers. But larger accounts with complex products or setups can still receive customer support.
So, why is Salesforce CPQ being sunsetted, and is Salesforce exiting stage left? Not quite.
Is Salesforce CPQ being replaced?
Salesforce CPQ is being replaced by Revenue Cloud Advanced (RCA), formerly Revenue Lifecycle Management (RLM), a more comprehensive approach to revenue management.
This new iteration includes more robust features for billing, pricing, contract management, and more.
What is Salesforce Revenue Cloud Advanced?
Revenue Cloud Advanced is Salesforce’s newest CPQ solution, integrating quoting, billing, and revenue recognition into a single platform.
RCA includes features like guided quoting, AI-assisted contracts, and contract lifecycle management.
What is the difference between Salesforce RCA and CPQ?
RCA includes more robust capabilities for billing, subscriptions, and revenue forecasting, which Salesforce CPQ lacked.
Salesforce CPQ vs RCA
So, what’s the difference between the two platforms?
Here’s a side-by-side comparison.
Product overview
- Salesforce CPQ: A core component of Revenue Cloud focused on configuring products, pricing, and generating quotes
- Revenue Cloud Advanced (RCA): A broader solution that includes CPQ plus additional tools for revenue operations, billing, subscription management, and automation
Features
Salesforce CPQ:
- Product configuration
- Pricing rules and discounting
- Quote generation and approval workflows
RCA:
- Includes all CPQ features
- Revenue Lifecycle Management (RLM)
- Automated renewals and amendments
- Usage-based billing and subscription models
- Revenue recognition and forecasting tools
Pricing
- Salesforce CPQ: Priced per user; exact pricing varies based on feature sets and customizations
- RCA: Premium offering with bundled capabilities. Pricing starts at $200 USD per user per month
Implementation
- Salesforce CPQ: Easier to implement as a standalone quote-to-cash tool
- RCA: Requires more setup and integration across finance, legal, and operations teams
Best for
- Salesforce CPQ: Companies that primarily need a sales quoting engine
- RCA: Organizations with recurring revenue models, complex billing needs, or advanced RevOps processes
Limitations
- Salesforce CPQ: Limited support for post-sale processes like renewals, billing, and revenue recognition
- RCA: Higher cost and complexity; may be more than needed for teams focused only on quoting
Salesforce CPQ end of life: Where to go from here
Whether you’re a current Salesforce CPQ user or looking for a new CPQ solution, you have options to explore based on your business needs, organization size, product catalog, budget, and goals.
Use PandaDoc CPQ for Salesforce
If your current quoting solution feels overly complex, clunky, or limited, it may be time to consider PandaDoc.
As an all-in-one document automation platform, PandaDoc is built to support fast-moving teams that need more than just a quoting tool.
Here’s why companies across industries choose PandaDoc:
Quick to implement and easy to use
PandaDoc doesn’t require months of setup or a team of consultants to get started for existing Salesforce users. With intuitive tools and guided onboarding, most teams are up and running in weeks, not months.
The drag-and-drop document editor, pre-built templates, and content libraries help you create professional documents faster and keep contracts and proposals consistent and on-brand.
PandaDoc makes it easy for anyone to create polished, professional proposals, quotes, and contracts, no technical skills required.
Popmenu needed a CPQ solution that could do more than just create quotes. They switched to PandaDoc CPQ, instead of using disparate platforms, to streamline the quote-building process and automate their approval process.
“PandaDoc is one of the most flexible tools I’ve worked with, and that’s something you can’t take for granted. With other platforms, making simple changes can be slow and frustrating, but the PandaDoc UI is quick, responsive, and reliable. Whether it’s designing templates, tweaking workflows, or handling complex CPQ processes, everything just works.”
-Lewis Kim, Sales Operations Analyst at Popmenu
Faster quoting, less complexity
Even the most powerful tool can lose its luster if teams can’t use it to its full potential. PandaDoc is a no-code solution that makes it easy to build pricing tables, apply discounts, and auto-calculate totals using product catalogs or custom variables.
Generate dynamic, data-driven quotes in just a few clicks.
Transparent pricing
PandaDoc CPQ is included in our Enterprise plans. And while we provide custom quotes based on your needs, you know exactly what you’re paying for.
Salesforce RCA starts at $200 per user per month, but that doesn’t include implementation costs, and the complex software may require a team of consultants to get up and running.
When you invest in PandaDoc CPQ, you get our robust quoting tool plus end-to-end document management and eSignatures in one platform. Plus, we help you through the onboarding process so you can be up and running in weeks, not months, like more complex solutions.
Enhanced automation and scalability
PandaDoc makes it easy to build pricing tables, apply discounts, and auto-calculate totals using product catalogs or custom variables.
You can generate dynamic, data-driven quotes in a few clicks—no code, no clunky setup, and no delays.
Native CRM Integrations for smoother sales processes
PandaDoc connects directly with leading CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive, allowing you to create, send, and track proposals and contracts right from your CRM. No more copy-pasting data or switching between tabs, everything stays in sync automatically.
All-in-one platform for the entire document lifecycle
While many tools do one or two things very well, PandaDoc excels in multiple areas and brings everything together in one convenient platform.
Create, send, track, approve, and eSign documents, from proposals to contracts to onboarding forms, without switching between tools or losing context.
Strategic insights for better business outcomes
PandaDoc offers tracking and analytics and automated audit trails to give you insights into how your documents and proposals are performing.
Understand how customers interact with your contracts and use data-driven insights to build better proposals, improve document workflows, and close deals faster.
Flexible enough to grow with you
Whether you sell simple products or complex services, PandaDoc adapts to your needs.
PandaDoc delivers powerful features, like real-time notifications, approval workflows, payment collection, and CRM integrations. It’s ideal for growing teams wanting to close deals faster, reduce manual work, and deliver a better experience for employees and customers.
Plus, PandaDoc CPQ offers a Salesforce integration, so you don’t have to start all over. PandaDoc CPQ for Salesforce works with your existing setup.
See how PandaDoc CPQ compares with Salesforce.
| Feature | PandaDoc CPQ | Salesforce CPQ |
| Ease of use | Built for speed. No coding or complex setup needed. | Requires admin setup and custom configuration. |
| Pricing configuration | Supports dynamic pricing, discounts, and bundles. | Advanced pricing is possible, but needs rules and custom configuration. |
| Quote customization | Drag-and-drop editor with customizable templates. | Requires template setup in Salesforce. |
| CRM integration | 2-way integration with HubSpot and Salesforce. Also offers integrations with Pipedrive and Xoho. | Native to Salesforce only. |
| Contract + eSign | Create quotes and contracts and collect signatures in one platform. | Requires add-ons or integrations for full contract workflows. |
| Implementation time | Quick setup. Be up and running in weeks, not months. | Longer onboarding due to complexity. |
| User interface | Designed for sales teams. Intuitive with minimal training needed. | Built for admins. Less intuitive for non-technical users. |
| Cost transparency | Simple pricing, fewer add-ons. | Add-ons like billing and CLM can increase total cost. |
Moving from Salesforce to RCA is a multi-month, complex migration process. Why not make things easier for your teams and your customers?
PandaDoc CPQ is the faster, easier, and more cost-effective solution.
Salesforce CPQ is going away, but PandaDoc CPQ for Salesforce has you covered
We’re coming to the end of an era for Salesforce CPQ, but you can make the switch to an easy-to-use all-in-one platform that combines CPQ capabilities plus so much more.
We’ve covered a number of options and criteria to help you make the best decision for your business.
Ready to give PandaDoc CPQ a try? Contact us for a personalized demo.
Frequently asked questions
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If you’re currently using Salesforce CPQ, don’t panic. Salesforce has said it will offer some support for larger accounts with complex products or setups.
But with the push to RCA, the future is a little unclear. You may want to contact a Salesforce rep to learn more about your options or the possibility of switching to another platform like PandaDoc CPQ.
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Yes, it’s possible to migrate from Salesforce CPQ to Revenue Cloud Advanced. This process can be complex depending on your needs and current setup.
Salesforce offers migration resources, tutorials, tools, and professional services to assist with migration.
If you’re considering a migration, assessing your current CPQ configuration, customizations, and business processes is important to ensure alignment with RCA’s capabilities.
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Yes, there are several options for CPQ tools that integrate with CRM systems. PandaDoc CPQ offers two-way integration with HubSpot and Salesforce to allow you to sync data between platforms. And PandaDoc CPQ for Pipedrive lets you create fast, accurate quotes without ever leaving your CRM.
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PandaDoc CPQ and Salesforce RCA support sales processes like quoting and contract generation; they are designed for different use cases.
PandaDoc
Beyond CPQ capabilities, PandaDoc is an all-in-one document automation platform designed to help businesses create, send, track, and eSign quotes, proposals, contracts, and forms. It’s built to simplify and speed up document workflows across sales, marketing, and operations teams.
Features and benefits:
- Fast to implement—typically days or weeks
- No-code interface with drag-and-drop document builder
- Integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, and more
- Built-in content library, variables, pricing tables
- Tiered pricing options for teams of all sizes
PandaDoc is best for SMBs and mid-market teams looking for a fast, easy way to manage sales documents, quotes, and eSignatures in one place.
RCA
Salesforce RCA is a comprehensive quote-to-revenue solution that combines CPQ, billing, renewals, and revenue recognition into one system. RCA is designed for enterprises with complex sales processes, pricing models, and compliance needs.
Features and benefits:
- Structured quote generation within Salesforce UI
- More focused on back-end logic, approvals, and compliance than document design
- Built for quotes, billing, renewals, and revenue recognition
- Suited for organizations already deep in the Salesforce ecosystem
- Custom pricing based on user count, features, and implementation
Revenue Cloud Advanced is best for enterprises with complex quote-to-cash needs, subscription billing, and RevOps teams managing end-to-end revenue processes.
Disclaimer
PandaDoc is not a law firm, or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. This page is not intended to and does not provide legal advice. Should you have legal questions on the validity of e-signatures or digital signatures and the enforceability thereof, please consult with an attorney or law firm. Use of PandaDoc services are governed by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
