Security pricing is never simple. Seat-based + usage-based + storage + support tiers…
Maybe regionally variable. Maybe with custom terms for every enterprise logo.
And then someone says, “We need to automate quoting—let’s bring in CPQ.”
Cue the pain.
Configure Price Quote (CPQ) tools promise speed and consistency. But without a plan, they turn your already messy pricing into a black box no one trusts.
Here’s how to do it right (without breaking deals or sales reps).
Do You Have the Pricing Logic, Not the Tool?
Your CPQ vendor will ask what rules to automate. If you can’t explain how pricing actually works (edge cases, exception paths, dependencies) you’re not ready.
Before integration, document:
- How base pricing is calculated (seats, usage, modules)
- What triggers volume discounts or bundling
- Where manual overrides happen (and why)
- Which SKUs are hard, soft, or dynamic
This isn’t just IT prep. It’s how you avoid building a quoting system no one uses.
Example of a Complicated Security Pricing Model
Let’s say your product has:
- $50/user/month base platform fee
- +$0.01 per security event ingested, tiered after 1M events
- +$200/month per cloud connector (AWS, GCP, Azure)
- +$2,000/year for data residency in specific geos
- +15% surcharge for on-prem deployments
- Discounts starting at $100k ACV or multi-year contracts
And… your top 10 customers have at least one custom term each.
Try quoting that manually. Now imagine letting a junior rep handle it. That’s where CPQ earns its keep.
Decide Where Flexibility Lives
You don’t want reps changing storage pricing mid-deal. But you do want them able to flex term length or support tiers for renewals.
Your CPQ should reflect reality:
- Lock down the parts where precision matters (compliance-sensitive SKUs, MSP bundles)
- Allow guided flexibility where sales wins deals (bundles, uplift approvals, duration)
Rigid CPQ = shadow quoting in Excel. Guaranteed.
Build in Approval Layers, Not Bottlenecks
Complex pricing often means legal, finance, and product want eyes on anything that deviates. That’s fine—but it needs workflow.
Build triggers:
- Deal >$100k = legal approval
- Discount >20% = VP sign-off
- Custom module config = SE review
CPQ tools can do this. The mistake is thinking the logic ends at “quote ready.”
Sync with CRM for Pipeline Visibility
If your CPQ doesn’t push clean quote data back into the CRM, you’ll have reps tracking pricing in one system and forecasting in another. That’s how deals slip.
Ensure:
- Quotes populate CRM fields (ACV, SKU breakdown, terms)
- Amendments track changes over time
- Expired quotes get flagged—not just buried
Your forecast is only as real as your quoting data.
Train for Outcomes, Not Just Clicks
Sales needs more than a how-to video. They need to understand:
- What quoting rules exist
- Why they exist
- Where to push and where not to
The best CPQ rollouts have champions on every team who own the why, not just the how.
Takeaway: CPQ isn’t about automation—it’s about trustable, scalable pricing for people who need to close now.
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