Oracle CPQ Cloud: Features Unexplored
Everyone knows that Oracle CPQ Cloud offers configuration (C), pricing (P), and quotation (Q) capabilities, alongside a powerful configurator, documents engine, and quote management tool for approvals, pricing, etc., like any other CPQ tool. However, does it really have anything additional?
As a matter of fact, it does. While streamlining the 'quote management' business process is the first step in the process, there are some features that present several business benefits in the long run. Here, we take take a look at some of them:
Ecommerce registration
This feature allows resgistered as well as guest users to configure and get price for products without login. The process can be defined to either limit users to this step, or let them move ahead with a 'quick registration' option
If a user clicks 'register,' he is redirected to a 'quick registration' page where he can fill in his details, login, and then proceed with quote creation (commerce flow) from the product he configured earlier
Ecommerce registration can be enabled / disabled from the 'administration' option. The process can be set up during implementation
While large enterprises may look at integrating CPQ with their ecommerce applications, this CPQ capability (quick registration) may still suffice the needs of some. Oracle offers some standardised, basic integration with Oracle Commerce (on-premise).
2. Shopping cartsThe 'shopping cart' can be enabled by configuring the options in 'commerce process' for CPQ Cloud application.
This feature provides users the flexibility to add multiple products that can be configured and added to the cart at checkout
This may be useful for users creating quotes with multiple products, as it can reduce unnecessary navigation between configuration and commerce flow for each product added.
3. Reporting managerCPQ Cloud offers a reporting tool to enable reporting on commerce transactions (quotes) and quote line items
Reports can be arranged in folders within the 'reporting manager'
It provides an easy drag-and-drop interface to create the report, apply filters, add calculated columns, and more
Charts and graphs can be plotted dynamically
The 'reporting manager' has scheduling capability as well, in order to schedule reports on a regular basis
Reports can be sent as attachments to specified email addresses
While this has some limitations, it can serve the routine reporting requirements of sales managers.
4. Guided sellingA guided selling experice can be configured in CPQ using the 'search flow' / 'selector,' prior to even configuration flow
It can automatically select the right products based on the user's selections
This helps when the user doesn't know which product to configure and answering a few questions can direct him to the right product / model