What is CPQ and who needs it ?

Cam Spear
20th Aug 2026

July 2026  ·  3 min read

CPQ stands for Configure, Price, Quote. It’s software that helps sales teams put together accurate quotes for products that aren’t simple off-the-shelf items — think machinery with dozens of optional parts, or equipment that can be built a hundred different ways. Instead of a rep checking spec sheets and doing math in a spreadsheet, CPQ walks them through it: configure a valid product, calculate the right price with the right discounts, and generate a polished quote in minutes rather than days.

Who needs this? Mostly manufacturers, distributors, and any business selling configurable or customized products. If your sales team deals with product options, bundles, tiered pricing, or discount approvals, CPQ removes the guesswork and speeds up the sales cycle.

Where Infor CPQ fits in

Infor CPQ is built with manufacturers in mind. Its standout feature is visual, 3D configuration — reps or customers can build a product on screen and watch it change in real time as options are added, rather than reading a static spec list. That visual model feeds straight into the back office, automatically generating bills of materials, SKUs, and assembly details, so engineering doesn’t have to redo work sales already did.

It also handles guided selling (suggesting upsells and showing profit impact as a deal is built), automated pricing rules, and built-in approval workflows for discounts outside the norm. Because it connects with CRM, ERP, and eCommerce systems, a quote built in Infor CPQ can flow straight into an order without re-keying data.

Enterprise Quoting

For larger, more complex sales operations, Infor extends this with Enterprise Quoting. Where basic CPQ often focuses on configuring one product at a time, Enterprise Quoting handles multi-line, multi-product quotes across a whole catalog — useful for businesses with wide product ranges, dealer networks, or multiple sales channels that need consistent pricing and branding. It gives sales teams, dealers, and partners a shared platform to build quotes and apply the right business rules, so everyone works from the same pricing logic instead of their own version of the truth.

Together, Infor’s CPQ and Enterprise Quoting tools take a process that’s traditionally slow and error-prone — quoting complex, configurable products — and make it fast, consistent, and far less painful for sales teams and the customers waiting on a quote.

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Cam Spear

Cam Spear is the Strategic Relationship Director at EMDA and has spent more than 15 years helping organisations across Australia and New Zealand unlock greater value from their ERP and business technology investments. With extensive experience in business operations, sales leadership, customer success, and strategic planning, he works closely with manufacturers and distributors to improve performance through smarter systems and processes. Cam is passionate about helping businesses align technology with their operational goals, ensuring ERP solutions deliver tangible results, increased efficiency, and long-term growth. Through his work, he provides practical insights into ERP strategy, digital transformation, business optimisation, and customer success.
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