What is CPQ software?
CPQ software stands for Configure, Price, Quote — a category of sales technology designed for businesses that sell customisable products. Rather than generating quotes manually from a price list, CPQ software automates the three most error-prone and time-consuming steps in the sales process: configuring the right product, calculating the correct price, and generating a professional proposal.
CPQ originated in complex B2B manufacturing (industrial equipment, telecommunications infrastructure) where products had thousands of configurable variables. Over the past decade, the technology has matured and scaled down into accessible software for SME businesses — including veranda builders, outdoor living dealers and home improvement specialists.
According to Gartner's CPQ research, the global CPQ software market was valued at over $1.5 billion in 2024 and continues to grow as more businesses move from spreadsheet-based quoting to structured, automated CPQ workflows.
CPQ vs. standard quoting tools
Standard quoting tools — Word templates, Excel price lists, basic invoicing software — handle the output of the quoting process (the document) but not the input (understanding what the customer wants and what it costs). This creates friction, errors and slow turnaround.
| Capability | Standard quoting tool | CPQ software |
|---|---|---|
| Product configuration | Manual, error-prone | Guided, rule-based, visual |
| Pricing calculation | Manual lookup from price lists | Automatic, real-time, accurate |
| Quote generation | Manual document creation | One-click branded PDF |
| Customer self-service | Not possible | Via 3D configurator |
| Pricing errors | Common | Eliminated |
| Quote-to-sign workflow | Disconnected | Integrated with e-signature |
Why veranda dealers need CPQ
The outdoor living sector is an ideal use case for CPQ software because veranda and patio cover products are inherently configurable: they come in dozens of width and depth combinations, multiple roofing materials, different frame colours, optional side walls, integrated lighting, heating systems and more.
This combinatorial complexity is exactly what CPQ solves. Without it, every quote requires the dealer to manually look up the base structure price, add the material surcharges, calculate the area-based components, add the option prices, subtract any applicable discounts, and assemble the result into a document — a process that takes 20–45 minutes per quote and is prone to errors.
With CPQ, the dealer (or the customer via a 3D veranda configurator) selects the product configuration and the price is calculated instantly from your pricing rules. A professional quote PDF is generated in one click. The entire process takes under 5 minutes.
For a dealer generating 50 quotes per month, this represents a saving of 15–35 hours of quoting time every month.
Configure: building the product in 3D
The Configure stage of CPQ is where Zinevu's 3D configurator does its work. Rather than selecting products from a dropdown list, the customer or salesperson builds the structure visually — choosing dimensions, roof type, frame colour, side walls and extras while seeing a real-time 3D model and live price.
This visual configuration has two significant advantages over traditional product selection:
Accuracy. When the customer sees the structure in 3D and adjusts dimensions until it fits their space, the resulting specification is far more accurate than a verbal description or a sketch on paper. Measurement errors — which lead to expensive post-installation corrections — are dramatically reduced.
Upselling. When customers can see what a sliding glass wall or an integrated heating system looks like on their structure in 3D, they are more likely to add it. Feature additions happen naturally through the visual interface rather than requiring active salesmanship.
The configuration is stored in Zinevu's system and flows directly into the Price and Quote stages without any data re-entry.
Price: automated pricing rules
The Price stage is where CPQ earns its name in terms of time saving. In Zinevu, pricing rules are configured once in the dealer portal and applied automatically to every quote:
- Base price by structure type. Set a base price for each structure type in your catalogue.
- Area-based pricing. Set a price per m² for each roofing material. Zinevu calculates the total area from the customer's dimensions and applies the rate automatically.
- Option pricing. Each configurable option (colour surcharge, side wall type, lighting kit, etc.) has a defined price — flat amount or percentage of base price.
- Minimum order values. Define minimum total prices per structure type to protect margin on small jobs.
- Discount rules. Apply automatic discounts for specific customer groups, volume thresholds or promotional periods.
Once set, these rules run automatically. A salesperson using the Zinevu CRM and a customer using the web configurator both see the same price for the same configuration — eliminating the inconsistency that often leads to uncomfortable conversations at the quote stage.
Quote: professional proposals in minutes
The Quote stage converts a confirmed configuration and price into a professional sales document. In Zinevu, this means a branded PDF that includes:
- Your logo and company details
- The customer's information and address
- A 3D render of the configured structure
- An itemised price breakdown (structure, materials, options, VAT)
- Terms and conditions
- A digital signature block
- Validity period and payment terms
The quote is generated in one click from the confirmed configuration. It can be sent to the customer directly from Zinevu or downloaded as a PDF. The customer can sign electronically, at which point the quote status in your Zinevu quotes dashboard updates automatically.
For more on how CPQ connects to project delivery and invoicing, see our pages on Projects & Planning and Invoicing & Payments.
The ROI of CPQ for outdoor living dealers
The return on investment from CPQ software for veranda dealers comes from four sources:
- Time savings. 15–35 hours of manual quoting time recovered per month. At €60/hour, this is €900–€2 100 in recovered staff time monthly.
- Higher close rates. Faster, more professional quotes close at higher rates. Even a 5% improvement in close rate on a €50 000/month pipeline is worth €2 500 in additional monthly revenue.
- Reduced errors. Pricing errors in manual quotes cost money — either in margin loss (underpriced jobs) or customer disputes (overpriced adjustments). Automated pricing eliminates both.
- Customer self-service leads. A configurator generates leads from website visitors who would otherwise have left without making contact. Each additional lead per month from the configurator adds directly to pipeline value.
If you are curious about how CPQ software would work for your specific business, sign up for free. We will show you the full configure-price-quote flow on your own product types.
