Apttus CPQ vs Salesforce CPQ: Find Best For Your Business

Businesses often rely on Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) solutions to streamline their operations when managing complex sales processes. 

Two prominent players in this space are Apttus CPQ and Salesforce CPQ. Both platforms offer robust features designed to enhance sales efficiency and customer satisfaction. 

However, they cater to different business needs and have distinct strengths.

By understanding these differences, businesses can decide which CPQ solution best aligns with their specific requirements and goals. 

Choosing the right CPQ tool can significantly impact your sales strategy and revenue growth, whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise.

What Is Salesforce CPQ?

The Salesforce CPQ tool is a Configure, Price, Quote software used to improve sales processes by automating product configurations, pricing, and quote generation. 

Salesforce CPQ integrates with the CRM, helping sales teams manage complex product structures and pricing rules.

Its features include:

• Guided selling
• Automated quote generation
• Streamlined approvals
• Price control

These features help reduce errors and enhance customer experiences while supporting dynamic pricing, cross-selling, and upselling opportunities

The Salesforce CPQ feature set makes it ideal for businesses with complex product offerings and large catalogs. 

 

What Is Apttus CPQ?

Apttus CPQ, now known as Conga CPQ, is a quote-to-cash solution designed to automate sales processes from product configuration to contract management. 

It offers robust features for managing complex sales scenarios and integrates with various systems like Salesforce

Its features include:

• Guided selling to help sales reps configure product combinations tailored to customer needs, promoting upselling and cross-selling opportunities.
• AI-powered guidance that offers intelligent recommendations for pricing and product configurations to enhance deal sizes and margins.
• Quote collaboration tools that allow multiple teams to work on quotes collaboratively, supporting complex sales processes.
• Subscription management that automates renewals and adjustments to boost customer lifetime value.
• Seamlessly integrates with platforms like Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics to enable end-to-end sales processes.

Apttus CPQ vs Salesforce CPQ: Product Features

We’re now at the business end of this article, comparing Apttus CPQ vs Salesforce CPQ features to find out which is the better choice for your organization:

Pricing Management

Every business needs to get product pricing right and a powerful CPQ tool automates the process. 

Here’s how their pricing management compares:

Conga CPQ: 

Conga CPQ offers advanced pricing management capabilities for discrete and range-based pricing models, cumulative range pricing, and automated adjustments for related products. 

Additionally, Conga CPQ allows for one-time and recurring pricing options, ensuring flexibility in managing diverse pricing needs.

Salesforce CPQ:

With Salesforce CPQ, you get robust pricing control through price books, allowing you to manage pricing strategies such as discounts and volume pricing. 

Salesforce CPQ integrates with Salesforce CRM to ensure consistent pricing across sales processes. 

2. Product Configuration

Stores need the right product configurations to ensure they load completely when a customer clicks on the page. 

They need to be accurate listings, connected with inventory management tools for a holistic shopping experience. 

Here’s how the two compare:

Conga CPQ: 

Conga CPQ enables complex product configurations with features like attribute-based configuration rules and nested bundles.

Conga users can configure standalone products, single-level bundles, and nested bundles with ease and not have to worry about complex hoops to jump through. 

Salesforce CPQ: 

With Salesforce CPQ, you get guided selling interfaces to manage complex product structures, ensuring compatibility and validation during configuration. 

Salesforce CPQ supports the creation of customized product bundles based on customer needs to create exactly is in demand. 

3. Quoting Process

Pricing quotes are an essential part of the sales process and require a streamlined approach that incorporates process automation for an essential but mundane task. 

Here’s how both platforms fare against each other:

Conga CPQ:

With Conga, the quoting process is automated with real-time pricing and configuration capabilities. 

Conga CPQ supports collaborative quoting, allowing multiple teams to work on quotes simultaneously for faster, leaner sales pipeline management. 

Salesforce CPQ: 

The Salesforce CPQ tools streamlines the quoting process by generating high-quality quotes quickly and consistently. 

Salesforce CPQ integrates with Salesforce CRM to provide unified customer and deal data, enhancing workflow efficiency.

4. Integration Capabilities

CPQ tools are expected to integrate with different business systems to keep records and the sales process updated. 

Here’s how both platforms integrate with other business applications:

Conga CPQ:

Conga CPQ Integrates with multiple systems, including Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics, to enable end-to-end sales processes. 

Conga CPQ also supports integration with Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) tools to improve sales contract management. 

Salesforce CPQ: 

Salesforce CPQ integrates with Salesforce CRM and other Salesforce products, such as Conga CLM for contract management, enhancing sales process efficiency.

Salesforce tools are easily integrate within the Salesforce 360 ecosystem for complete interoperability across different departments and teams. 

5. Contract & Subscription Management

In business, contracts are essential at different stages because they outline deal details, limitations, and various essential pieces of information. 

The subscription business model has proven wildly successful and is the main method that most SaaS and PaaS businesses operate nowadays. 

Accurate and updated contract and subscription management is essential, here’s how both platforms perform:

Conga CPQ:

With Conga CPQ, you get comprehensive subscription management capabilities, including automated renewal management, subscription adjustments, and terminations.

Conga CPQ ensures data consistency across quotes, billing, and contracts to avoid data inconsistencies that can harm the business. 

Salesforce CPQ: 

While Salesforce CPQ does not have built-in subscription management like Conga CPQ, it can be integrated with other tools for contract and subscription management through platforms like Conga CLM

Apttus CPQ vs Salesforce CPQ: Key Capabilities

Capability	Conga CPQ (Apttus)	Salesforce CPQ
Pricing Management	Offers advanced pricing strategies, dynamic pricing, and discount management. Supports multiple pricing models.	Provides robust pricing control through price books, with features like discounts and volume pricing.
Product Configuration	Enables complex product configurations with attribute-based rules and nested bundles.	Offers guided selling interfaces for managing complex product structures, ensuring compatibility.
Quoting Process	Automates the quoting process with real-time pricing and configuration capabilities. Supports collaborative quoting.	Streamlines the quoting process with fast quote generation, benefiting from Salesforce integration.
Integration Capabilities	Integrates with multiple systems, including Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics.	Seamlessly integrates with Salesforce CRM and other Salesforce products.
Contract & Subscription Management	Provides comprehensive subscription management and contract lifecycle management capabilities.	While it doesn’t have built-in subscription management, it can integrate with other tools for contract management.
User Interface	Offers customization options but can be complex for some users.	Known for its intuitive interface, especially for existing Salesforce users.
Customer Support	Offers support through phone, chat, and video tutorials, though not as extensive as Salesforce.	Provides strong support with an extensive knowledge base and 24/7 assistance.
Target Market	Primarily serves medium and large-sized enterprises.	Supports small, medium, and large-scale businesses.

Comparison: Salesforce CPQ vs Apttus CPQ

Picking Salesforce CPQ vs Apttus CPQ is an important business decision, so making a comprehensive comparison is essential. 

Here’s Salesforce CPQ vs Apttus CPQ:

1. Implementation

• Salesforce CPQ has a structured implementation process, i.e., defining goals, choosing methodologies, and testing configurations. Salesforce CPQ implementation integrates well with existing Salesforce systems, making deployment smoother for users already on the Salesforce platform.
• Apttus CPQ (Conga CPQ is known for its various capabilities but may require more customization and integration efforts, especially for complex product configurations

2. Product Offering

• Salesforce CPQ has a comprehensive quote-to-cash solution with features like guided selling, contract management, and subscription billing that integrates with other products.
• Apttus CPQ (Conga CPQ) has advanced CPQ capabilities with AI-driven recommendations for pricing and product configurations and supports cross-selling and upselling opportunities.

3. Ease of Use

• Salesforce CPQ is considered user-friendly, especially for those familiar with Salesforce, thanks to its intuitive interface that simplifies the sales process.
• Apttus CPQ (Conga CPQ) is more complex due to its advanced features, requiring more setup and customization

4. Pricing Policy

• Salesforce CPQ supports various pricing models like list pricing, cost-plus pricing, and volume pricing and offers a price waterfall feature to manage discounts and margins.
• Apttus CPQ (Conga CPQ) has flexible pricing strategies with dynamic pricing and discount management capabilities.

5. Administration

• Salesforce CPQ uses centralized administration through Salesforce, making it easier to manage configurations and integrations.
• However, due to its complex features and customization options, Apttus CPQ (Conga CPQ) requires more administrative effort.

6. Partnership

• Salesforce CPQ integrates with other Salesforce products and third-party apps through the AppExchange.
• Apttus CPQ (Conga CPQ) integrates with multiple systems, including Salesforce, but may require more setup.

7. Client Requirements

• Salesforce CPQ is ideal for businesses that need seamless integration with Salesforce CRM and other Salesforce tools.
• Apttus CPQ (Conga CPQ) is ideal for enterprises requiring advanced CPQ features and customization options

8. Customer Size

• Salesforce CPQ supports small, medium, and large businesses with a significant presence in the market.
• Apttus CPQ (Conga CPQ) primarily serves medium and large-sized enterprises

9. Customer Support

• Salesforce CPQ has extensive support through phone, online resources, and a large community.
• Apttus CPQ (Conga CPQ) provides support via phone, chat, and video tutorials, though not as extensive as Salesforce.

10. Customer Experience

• Salesforce CPQ is known for its user-friendly interface and seamless integration, enhancing customer experience through streamlined sales processes.
• Apttus CPQ (Conga CPQ) uses advanced features that can enhance customer experience by providing accurate and personalized quotes, though they may require more setup.

Pros & Cons of Apttus CPQ and Salesforce CPQ

The pros and cons of Apttus CPQ vs Salesforce CPQ further simplify the decision making process for businesses that want to pick between the two. Understanding the benefits of Salesforce CPQ helps companies make a more informed choice.

Here are the pros and cons of Apttus CPQ and Salesforce CPQ:

Conga (Apttus) CPQ

Feature	Pros	Cons
Complexity Handling	Handles complex pricing rules, tiered pricing, and user-based discounts with ease.	Updates require significant testing, especially for highly customized instances.
Integration	Native integration with Salesforce and other systems, flexible for advanced use cases.	Customization can make releases challenging to maintain.
Ease of Use	Allows efficient administration and cross-training for Salesforce admins.	Complex to set up and manage due to advanced features.
Quoting Process	Simplifies quoting with real-time pricing updates and accurate quote generation.	Slower application performance in specific scenarios compared to competitors.
Customer Support	Provides good support through phone, chat, and training resources.	Customer support may not be as extensive as Salesforce’s offerings.
Flexibility	Highly flexible for modeling complex rules and adapting to unique business needs.	Complexity may lead to longer implementation times for advanced use cases.
Customer Experience	Improves quote accuracy and compliance, enhances overall sales efficiency with advanced features.	Requires additional effort to achieve optimal user experience due to setup and maintenance complexity.

Salesforce CPQ

Feature	Salesforce CPQ – Pros	Salesforce CPQ – Cons
Complexity Handling	Automates configuration, pricing, and quoting processes for simpler sales cycles.	Struggles with complex product configurations compared to competitors.
Integration	Seamlessly integrates with Salesforce CRM and other Salesforce tools, ensuring a unified platform.	Limited customization options for highly complex configurations.
Ease of Use	User-friendly interface, especially for existing Salesforce users.	Requires familiarity with Salesforce to maximize usability.
Quoting Process	Enables fast and accurate quote generation, reducing manual errors and sales cycle time.	May face performance issues when handling a high volume of quotes or transactions.
Customer Support	Extensive customer support via phone, online resources, and a large community base.	None significant noted.
Flexibility	Offers guided selling tools and automated workflows that simplify sales processes.	Limited flexibility in adapting to specific industries or product complexities without additional customizations.
Customer Experience	Reduces errors, accelerates approvals, and enhances customer satisfaction with faster processes.	May not meet expectations for businesses requiring ultra-complex configurations or integrations beyond its scope.

Conclusion

Choosing between Salesforce CPQ and Apttus (Conga) CPQ depends on your business’s unique needs, scale, and complexity. 

Salesforce CPQ excels in user-friendliness, seamless integration with the Salesforce ecosystem, and streamlined quoting processes, making it ideal for businesses seeking simplicity and speed. 

On the other hand, Apttus CPQ offers unmatched flexibility and advanced features for handling complex pricing models and configurations, catering to enterprises with intricate sales operations.

Both platforms deliver significant value but serve different priorities. 

Salesforce CPQ is a strong choice if your organization values ease of use, faster implementation, and a robust support community. 

However, if you need a highly customizable solution for complex workflows and pricing strategies, Apttus CPQ is worth considering. 

Assess your business requirements carefully to determine the best fit for your sales process.

FAQs

Is Apttus Part of Salesforce?

No, Apttus (now Conga) is not part of Salesforce.

Apttus is built on the Salesforce platform and uses its infrastructure for advanced CPQ and contract management solutions.

Which Salesforce Cloud Is CPQ Part Of?

Salesforce CPQ is part of the Sales Cloud platform, integrating directly with Salesforce CRM to streamline sales processes.

Is Salesforce CPQ in Demand?

Yes, Salesforce CPQ is in high demand because it helps report faster sales cycles, increased quote accuracy, and higher revenue contributions, making it a valuable tool for modern sales teams.