Salesforce CPQ Is Changing: Your Complete Migration Guide for Manufacturing

Salesforce has officially announced the evolution of its CPQ & Billing offerings, and if you’re a manufacturing IT director or CRM leader, you need to understand what this means for your Quote-to-Cash operations. While existing customers can continue using traditional CPQ, the future is clearly Revenue Cloud, and manufacturers who move strategically will gain significant competitive advantages.

The Salesforce CPQ Transition: What Manufacturing Leaders Need to Know

Salesforce acquired Steelbrick CPQ in 2016, promising to revolutionize the Quote-to-Cash process. Now, nearly a decade later, Salesforce is shifting its focus toward Revenue Cloud — a move that leaves many manufacturers wondering about the future of their CPQ investments..

A Salesforce spokesperson shared their official stance on the matter (Sourced from Salesforce Ben):

“Salesforce is evolving its CPQ & Billing offerings. Current Salesforce CPQ & Salesforce Billing customers will continue to receive full access – including customer support – and can renew and add additional licenses. For new customers and existing CPQ and Billing customers who are looking to update their products, we now offer Revenue Cloud Advanced and Revenue Cloud Billing. 

“Both products are built on Salesforce’s core platform, giving customers access to a host of capabilities, like a dynamic product catalog, flexible pricing engine, product configurator, contract life cycle management, and a billing engine. This agent-first revenue platform is integrated, API-first composable, and supports any channel and revenue model.”

Translation? While your current CPQ isn’t going away tomorrow, Salesforce’s innovation and development resources are focused on Revenue Cloud. Smart manufacturers are already planning their transition.

Understanding Your Migration Options

Option 1: Stay on Current CPQ (Short-Term Only)

What Salesforce Says: You can continue using your existing CPQ, receive support, and even add licenses.

Manufacturing Reality Check:

• Pros: No immediate action required, avoiding disruption to current operations
• Cons: Missing out on new features, AI capabilities, and integration improvements
• Hidden Risk: Technical debt accumulates as your CPQ ages while competitors modernize

TruSummit’s Take: This is a viable option for 12-18 months maximum. Use this time to plan your migration strategically rather than being forced into a rushed transition later.

Option 2: Migrate to Revenue Cloud Advanced (Best Choice)

Revenue Cloud is Salesforce’s next-generation Quote-to-Cash platform with enhanced capabilities including dynamic product catalog, flexible pricing engine, advanced product configurator, and contract lifecycle management.

Manufacturing Advantages:

• Centralized Product Catalogs & Bundles: Configure complex products with attributes like wood treatment, framing, and drying – all from one unified interface.
• Dynamic Pricing Engine: Real-time updates for fluctuating inputs (e.g., freight, preservatives, materials), with margin guardrails and approval workflows.
• Guided Selling: Sales reps are walked through product configuration with built-in intelligence, reducing errors and onboarding time.
• Location-Aware Quoting: Factor in inventory source, shipping yard, or plant location to ensure accurate, profitable quotes.
• Dashboards & Analytics: Track pricing performance, lost deals, order flow, and more so you can optimize and act on insights, not gut instinct.
• Excel Upload Option: For teams still transitioning, quotes can be generated via spreadsheet upload for quicker adoption.

Manufacturing Challenges:

• Migration Complexity: Significant effort to move complex product configurations
• Training Requirements: New interface and capabilities require comprehensive user training
• Cost Considerations: Potentially higher licensing costs than traditional CPQ

Best For: Manufacturers ready to modernize their entire revenue operation and leverage AI for competitive advantage.

Real Results from a Live Proof of Concept

TruSummit Solutions built a tailored RCA proof of concept showcasing the “art of the possible.” Within weeks, the client was able to:

• Replace fragmented quoting processes with a centralized, flexible configuration engine
• Automate margin calculations and reduce pricing errors
• Standardize freight and drying costs across business units
• Create guardrails to guide reps and protect profitability
• Enable quoting for multiple line items in seconds, not hours
• Provide leaders with real-time insights into sales performance and forecasting

The result? A clear path forward to pivot from product sales to solution-oriented, value-based selling with consistent pricing and higher margins.

Option 3: Explore Alternative Solutions

While Salesforce is evolving CPQ, some manufacturers might consider third-party alternatives that integrate with Salesforce or completely different platforms.

When This Makes Sense:

• Highly specialized product configuration needs (3D visualization, CAD integration)
• Existing ERP with strong CPQ capabilities
• Budget constraints requiring lower-cost solutions

Risk Factors:

• Integration complexity
• Loss of unified platform benefits
• Potential future compatibility issues

Critical Decision Framework for Manufacturing IT Leaders

As Jordan Joltes, CEO of TruSummit Solutions, advises: “Never start with features — start with outcomes.” 

Assess Your Current State

Before making any migration decision, document:

Technical Inventory:

• Number of active price books and product families
• Complexity of pricing rules and discount schedules
• Custom Apex code and workflow automations
• Integration touchpoints with ERP and other systems
• Volume of quotes generated monthly

Business Impact Analysis:

• Average quote turnaround time
• Quote accuracy and revision rates
• Margin leakage from pricing errors
• User satisfaction scores
• Administrative overhead costs

Risk Assessment:

• Single points of failure in current configuration
• Technical debt accumulated over time
• Knowledge concentration in key personnel
• Compliance and audit requirements
• Contract renewal timelines

Evaluate Migration Readiness

Not every organization needs to migrate immediately. Consider these triggers:

Immediate Action Required If:

• Your CPQ implementation is more than 5 years old
• You’re experiencing performance degradation
• Critical features you rely on are being deprecated
• Your Salesforce contract is up for renewal within 12 months
• You’re planning major business model changes

Can Wait 6-12 Months If:

• Your current CPQ meets all business needs
• You have minimal customization
• Performance is acceptable
• No major business changes planned

The Hidden Costs of Delaying Your CPQ Migration

As emphasized in our CRM mistakes guide, standing still while technology evolves is a critical error. The cost of inaction on CPQ migration includes:

Accumulating Technical Debt: Every month you delay increases the complexity and cost of eventual migration. Legacy code becomes harder to maintain, and finding expertise for older CPQ versions becomes increasingly expensive.

Competitive Disadvantage: Competitors using modern Quote-to-Cash solutions can respond to RFQs faster, offer more flexible pricing models, and provide better customer experiences.

Lost ROI Opportunities: Modern solutions offer AI-powered pricing optimization, automated approval workflows, and real-time margin analysis that can improve profitability by 15-20%.

Talent Risk: Younger CRM professionals aren’t learning legacy CPQ. As your current team members move on, replacement becomes increasingly difficult and expensive.

Your CPQ Migration Action Checklist

Use this checklist to ensure you’re covering all critical aspects of your migration:

Immediate Actions (This Week):

• Schedule CPQ assessment with your Salesforce account team
• Document current CPQ configuration and customizations
• Identify key stakeholders and form migration committee
• Review Salesforce contract terms and renewal dates
• Assess internal team capabilities and bandwidth

Short-Term Planning (Next 30 Days):

• Complete business impact analysis
• Evaluate all three migration options
• Develop preliminary migration timeline
• Calculate migration budget requirements
• Identify potential implementation partners

Pre-Migration Preparation (Next 90 Days):

• Finalize migration strategy and platform selection
• Secure executive buy-in and budget approval
• Select implementation partner or build internal team
• Create detailed project plan with milestones
• Begin change management communications

Migration Execution (Months 4-9):

• Execute proof of concept
• Complete phased migration plan
• Conduct comprehensive testing
• Train all user groups
• Monitor and optimize post-migration

Choosing the Right Migration Partner

Not all Salesforce partners are equipped to handle complex CPQ migrations. When evaluating partners, consider:

Manufacturing Expertise: Look for partners with specific manufacturing experience who understand complex product configurations, multi-tier pricing, and channel management.

Migration Track Record: Request case studies of similar CPQ migrations, including timelines, budgets, and outcomes.

Technical Capabilities: Ensure they have certified experts in both legacy CPQ and target platforms, plus integration specialists for ERP connectivity.

Change Management Approach: The best partners focus on user adoption and business outcomes, not just technical implementation.

Post-Migration Support: Consider partners offering managed services to ensure long-term success.

Schedule Your CPQ Migration Assessment with our manufacturing Salesforce experts. We’ll evaluate your current state, recommend the optimal migration path, and provide a detailed roadmap with timeline and budget.