As Salesforce CPQ enters its End-of-Sale phase announced in March 2025, businesses find themselves at a strategic crossroads regarding their quoting and pricing software strategy. While Salesforce is redirecting its focus toward Revenue Cloud, this transition period presents an opportunity for organizations to thoroughly evaluate their CPQ needs and consider next-generation alternatives that might better align with evolving business requirements.

Understanding the Salesforce CPQ Situation

Salesforce's March 2025 announcement that CPQ has entered End-of-Sale marks a significant shift in the CPQ landscape. For existing Salesforce CPQ customers, this means Salesforce will no longer sell the product to new customers, though current users will continue receiving support and license renewals. Perhaps most notably, feature development for CPQ has ceased, with all enhancements now directed toward Revenue Cloud products.

Industry analysts view this as the beginning of a gradual phase-out for Salesforce CPQ. While there is no immediate end-of-support date announced, the pattern follows typical enterprise software lifecycle management. This timeline gives organizations an opportunity to carefully evaluate their options rather than rushing a migration when eventually required.

The Case for Proactive Evaluation

Although there's no immediate requirement to transition away from Salesforce CPQ, a forward-thinking approach offers several advantages. Working with increasingly outdated technology may introduce challenges over time, including potential integration issues with newer Salesforce offerings. Furthermore, delaying evaluation until an end-of-support announcement could force a rushed decision under time pressure.

Organizations that begin planning now can conduct a thorough needs assessment, evaluate multiple alternatives, and implement a solution that truly optimizes their quote-to-cash processes. This measured approach allows for strategic decision-making rather than reactive migration.

Evaluating Modern CPQ Alternatives

When considering alternatives to Salesforce CPQ, organizations should examine both Salesforce's Revenue Cloud and independent solutions like Broadn. Each option presents different strengths that may align with specific business priorities.

Salesforce Revenue Cloud offers continuity within the Salesforce ecosystem and promises eventual integration of CPQ capabilities. However, as a relatively new offering, it remains in development and may not yet deliver the full functionality that mature businesses require.

In contrast, AI-native platforms like Broadn represent a different approach to CPQ challenges. Broadn has developed a specialized solution designed specifically to address limitations in traditional quoting systems through artificial intelligence.

How AI-Native CPQ Transforms Quoting Processes

Modern AI-driven platforms like Broadn approach quoting from a fundamentally different perspective. Rather than simply digitizing manual processes, these systems can interpret complex inquiries, automatically match products from extensive catalogs, and generate accurate quotes in significantly less time than traditional methods.

For example, Broadn's system can create quotes from detailed inquiries in approximately 60 seconds, even when working with catalogs containing thousands of SKUs. This efficiency comes from intelligent automation that extracts critical information like product names and quantities directly from customer communications across various channels.

The technology also eliminates common sources of error by standardizing pricing, applying approved discounts, and ensuring product compatibility. This consistency across quotes helps organizations maintain pricing integrity while accelerating response times.

Integration Considerations

When evaluating any CPQ alternative, system integration capabilities should feature prominently in the decision-making process. Broadn, for instance, connects with major ERP systems including Salesforce, SAP, Microsoft, QuickBooks, and Shopify. This interoperability helps preserve existing data and workflows while enhancing the quoting process.

Organizations should assess how potential solutions will interact with their entire technology ecosystem, from CRM to accounting systems. The ideal solution should enhance rather than disrupt established processes while adding new capabilities that drive efficiency.

Industry-Specific Considerations

Different industries have unique CPQ requirements that should inform solution selection. Manufacturing companies typically need precise configuration capabilities for custom products. Wholesale distributors often manage large catalogs with variable pricing structures. Materials suppliers must quickly generate quotes for anything from single items to comprehensive material lists.

Broadn has developed specialized capabilities for these sectors, particularly those with complex product catalogs and configuration requirements. When evaluating alternatives to Salesforce CPQ, organizations should prioritize solutions that understand their industry's specific challenges.

Measuring Business Impact

The most compelling reason to consider modern CPQ alternatives comes from their potential business impact. Organizations implementing AI-driven CPQ solutions report significant improvements in key performance metrics.

Companies using Broadn have experienced dramatic reductions in quote creation time, with standard inquiries converted to signed purchase orders within 24 hours in many cases. The elimination of manual data entry not only improves efficiency but also substantially reduces pricing errors and inconsistencies.

As John Hewitt, a Group VP of Customer Excellence at a crane manufacturing business, notes: "AI-powered automation has significantly changed our workflows, delivering immediate improvements in efficiency and accuracy while paving the way for standardized processes across regions. The clarity of its impact makes optimization efforts visible and actionable."

Similarly, Michael Wade, a Head of Operations, reports: "By automating customer inquiries, we've reduced response times and seen sales rise. At the same time, our internal teams benefit from a lighter workload, boosting overall productivity and making us more competitive."

These experiences suggest that the right CPQ solution can transform quoting from a bottleneck into a competitive advantage.

Strategic Decision-Making Framework

As organizations evaluate their post-Salesforce CPQ strategy, the following framework may help guide the decision-making process:

First, conduct a comprehensive assessment of current pain points and inefficiencies in your quoting process. Identify where delays occur, how errors enter the system, and which manual tasks consume disproportionate resources.

Second, clarify your multi-channel requirements. Modern businesses receive inquiries through diverse channels including email, messaging platforms, and web forms. Your CPQ solution should support seamless quote generation regardless of how customers prefer to communicate.

Third, consider your complete order-to-cash process rather than quoting in isolation. The most effective solutions extend beyond quote creation to support negotiation, approval workflows, payment collection, and order fulfillment tracking.

Finally, develop a realistic transition timeline that minimizes disruption while capturing early wins. The right implementation partner should offer a phased approach that delivers incremental value at each stage.

Beyond Traditional CPQ: Embracing Revenue Transformation

The end of Salesforce CPQ represents more than a forced technology change—it offers an opportunity to reimagine how your organization manages the entire revenue lifecycle. While Salesforce positions Revenue Cloud as its strategic direction, innovative alternatives like Broadn provide capabilities that extend beyond traditional CPQ functionality.

Intelligent quote creation automates product matching against complex inventories and applies accurate pricing in seconds. Streamlined negotiation and approval processes track changes through multiple revisions while maintaining version control. Integrated payment and fulfillment management provides visibility throughout the entire order lifecycle.

Thoughtful Transition Planning

The End-of-Sale announcement for Salesforce CPQ provides a valuable opportunity to reassess your revenue technology strategy without immediate time pressure. Rather than defaulting to Salesforce's recommended path or maintaining the status quo until forced to change, forward-thinking organizations are conducting thorough evaluations of innovative alternatives.

Solutions like Broadn offer a different approach to the CPQ challenge—one based on artificial intelligence and designed specifically for today's complex selling environments. As you navigate this transition period, consider how such capabilities align with your strategic priorities and competitive positioning.

The end of Salesforce CPQ doesn't have to be disruptive. With thoughtful planning and careful solution selection, it can become a catalyst for meaningful revenue transformation that positions your organization for future success.