Functional Integration with CRM & ERP
A Configuration, Pricing, Quoting tool sits right between a CRM tool (e.g. Salesforce.com) and an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool (e.g. SAP, Oracle). Therefore it is important for most customers to ensure their CPQ tool integrates well with their CRM and ERP systems:
- Forecasting/Pipeline data is not used in the CPQ tool but is in a CRM tool
- Quotes created in a CPQ tool are assigned to an opportunity in a CRM tool
- Manufacturing applications are very likely in an ERP system
- The availability of products is mastered in the ERP system or a Product Life Cycle Management (PLM) System
- The pricing of products and bundles comes from the ERP system or outside application(s)
- Engineering changes have significant impact on what products and options will be available in the configurator. These changes are not mastered in the CPQ tool
- Your CPQ tool will need to get data (e.g. Customer Master, Product Master, Pricing, and Marketing Collateral) from somewhere. And once you have your quote ready you want to ensure in whatever system the order is created that system shows the same products, prices etc as your quote.
Because of these dependencies you want to make sure you have a clear strategy for how your CPQ tool will integrate with your existing systems. We believe that our experience with CRM, CPQ and ERP tools will help you to avoid many pitfalls and help optimize your use of your CPQ tool.