Signs Point to Change: Why Salesforce CPQ Customers Should Rethink Their Strategy Now
The quiet end of an era has begun. Here's what enterprises need to know about the Salesforce CPQ transition and market implications
The enterprise software landscape is experiencing a seismic shift that's sending ripples through sales organizations worldwide. Salesforce's quiet but decisive move away from its legacy CPQ product (formerly SteelBrick) has created uncertainty for thousands of companies that depend on sophisticated quoting processes. While no official "End of Sale" announcement has been made, industry partners, consultants, and ecosystem sources confirm that new sales of Salesforce CPQ have effectively ceased, with customers being directed toward Salesforce Revenue Cloud instead.
This isn't just another product transition—it's a fundamental strategic pivot that reflects broader changes in how enterprise software companies approach revenue operations. For organizations currently running on Salesforce CPQ, the implications are far-reaching and require immediate strategic attention.
Understanding the End of Sale: What's Really Happening
The term "End of Sale" (EOS) in enterprise software signals that a vendor will no longer sell a product to new customers, though existing customers continue to receive support for a defined period. Industry analysts and Salesforce partners report that Salesforce CPQ has effectively entered this phase, with several key indicators:
New Customer Restrictions: Salesforce sales teams are no longer permitted to sell CPQ to new customers, instead directing prospects to Revenue Cloud or partner solutions.
Innovation Freeze: Product development and feature enhancement for Salesforce CPQ has largely ceased, with engineering resources redirected to Revenue Cloud development.
Partner Communications: Salesforce implementation partners have received guidance to begin transitioning clients away from CPQ toward Revenue Cloud or alternative solutions.
Support Timeline Uncertainty: While Salesforce continues to support existing CPQ customers, the long-term support timeline remains undefined, creating planning challenges for IT organizations.
According to CLD Partners, a leading Salesforce consultancy, "Salesforce CPQ entered an 'End of Sale' phase shifting focus to Revenue Cloud for quoting, pricing, contracting, and billing." This transition affects an estimated 15,000+ organizations currently using Salesforce CPQ worldwide.
The Revenue Cloud Reality: Promise vs. Practice
Salesforce Revenue Cloud represents the company's vision for unified revenue operations, combining CPQ, billing, subscription management, and revenue recognition into a single platform. While this integrated approach sounds compelling, early adopters are discovering significant challenges:
Implementation Complexity and Timeline
Revenue Cloud implementations are proving far more complex than traditional CPQ deployments. Novutech, a Salesforce implementation partner, reports that "The transition from Salesforce CPQ to Revenue Cloud Advanced presents numerous challenges that organizations must carefully navigate."
Key implementation challenges include:
Complete Rebuild Required: Unlike typical software migrations, moving to Revenue Cloud requires rebuilding quote logic, pricing rules, and approval workflows from scratch
Extended Timeline: While Salesforce CPQ implementations typically took 6-12 months, Revenue Cloud projects are averaging 18-24 months
Resource Requirements: Organizations need significantly more technical resources and change management support
Business Disruption: The complexity of parallel system operation creates ongoing operational challenges
Cost Implications
The bundled nature of Revenue Cloud creates cost pressures that many organizations didn't anticipate:
Licensing Costs: Organizations must pay for billing, subscription management, and other modules regardless of whether they use them
Implementation Costs: The extended timeline and complexity significantly increase professional services costs
Opportunity Costs: Extended implementations delay ROI and can impact sales productivity during transition periods
Training and Adoption: The broader feature set requires more extensive user training and change management
Feature and Performance Gaps
Early Revenue Cloud deployments have revealed functionality gaps compared to mature Salesforce CPQ implementations:
According to user discussions on Reddit and Salesforce community forums, common concerns include:
Reduced configuration flexibility compared to CPQ's managed package architecture
Performance issues with complex product catalogs
Limited customization options for industry-specific requirements
Integration challenges with existing enterprise systems
Market Dynamics: A $3.9 Billion Opportunity in Transition
The CPQ market is experiencing unprecedented growth even as major platform shifts occur. Recent market analysis reveals:
Market Size and Growth: The global CPQ market is projected to reach $3.91 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 14.19% from 2025 to 2030. Market Research
Enterprise Adoption: MGI Research projects that the market for cloud-based CPQ tools among publicly traded companies will reach nearly $5.8 billion in 2026, with a 3-year CAGR of 16%.
Technology Sector Leadership: According to Pinkus Partners analysis, "The CPQ market is overwhelmingly shifting towards cloud-based deployment models. Cloud solutions reportedly accounted for over 60% of the market."
Driving Forces Behind CPQ Growth
Several key trends are accelerating CPQ adoption despite platform uncertainties:
Digital Transformation Pressure: B2B buyers expect consumer-grade buying experiences, forcing sellers to automate and accelerate quoting processes
Product Complexity: Modern technology portfolios include software, hardware, services, and subscription components that require sophisticated configuration capabilities
Channel Proliferation: Companies sell through multiple channels—direct, partner, marketplace, and self-service—each requiring consistent yet customized experiences
Pricing Optimization: Advanced analytics and AI capabilities enable dynamic pricing strategies that can significantly impact profitability
The Broader Vendor Landscape: New Opportunities Emerge
The Salesforce CPQ transition has created opportunities for alternative vendors to capture market share. Recent analyst reports highlight several key developments:
Forrester Wave Analysis
The 2025 Forrester Wave for Configure, Price, Quote Solutions evaluated leading CPQ providers and found that specialized vendors are gaining ground against platform-based solutions.
Key findings include:
Organizations are increasingly prioritizing CPQ-specific capabilities over bundled suites
Implementation speed and complexity are major decision factors
Industry-specific functionality is becoming a key differentiator
Gartner Magic Quadrant Insights
The 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for CPQ Application Suites shows a dynamic competitive landscape with several vendors positioned as Visionaries and Leaders, including servicePath™, which has been recognized as a Visionary for three consecutive years.
Gartner notes that "the CPQ market is experiencing consolidation pressure while simultaneously seeing innovation from specialized providers focused on specific industry verticals or use cases."
What Organizations Should Do: A Strategic Framework
For organizations currently using Salesforce CPQ, the path forward requires careful planning and strategic decision-making. Here's a framework for navigating this transition:
Immediate Actions (Next 30 Days)
Assess Current State: Conduct a comprehensive audit of your existing CPQ implementation, including:
Custom objects, fields, and workflows
Integration points with other systems
User adoption and business-critical processes
Compliance and audit requirements
Understand Revenue Cloud Requirements: Engage with Salesforce to understand:
Migration timeline expectations
Cost implications for your specific implementation
Feature gaps and workarounds required
Support timeline for existing CPQ installation
Explore Market Alternatives: Research alternative CPQ solutions to understand:
Competitive capabilities and positioning
Implementation timelines and costs
Integration requirements and capabilities
Total cost of ownership projections
Medium-Term Planning (Next 90 Days)
Develop Migration Strategy: Create a comprehensive plan that addresses:
Business continuity requirements during transition
Resource allocation for implementation project
Change management and user training needs
Risk mitigation strategies for business disruption
Vendor Evaluation Process: Establish criteria for evaluating alternatives:
Functional requirements and feature gaps
Integration capabilities and technical architecture
Vendor financial stability and roadmap alignment
Reference customers and implementation track record
Financial Analysis: Develop detailed cost models comparing:
Revenue Cloud migration costs and timeline
Alternative vendor implementation costs
Ongoing operational costs and licensing fees
Opportunity costs of delayed implementation
Long-Term Strategic Considerations
Technology Architecture: Consider how CPQ fits into broader technology strategy:
Integration with existing CRM, ERP, and business systems
Data governance and security requirements
Scalability and performance requirements
Future technology roadmap alignment
Business Process Optimization: Use this transition as an opportunity to:
Redesign quote-to-cash processes for maximum efficiency
Implement best practices from other successful organizations
Enhance analytics and reporting capabilities
Improve user experience and sales productivity
The servicePath™ Advantage: Purpose-Built for CPQ Excellence
At servicePath™, we've built our entire company around a single mission: making complex quoting simple. While others chase the all-in-one dream, we've doubled down on CPQ excellence, earning recognition as a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for CPQ Application Suites for three consecutive years (2022, 2023, and 2025).
servicePath™ CPQ+ isn't just another quoting tool—it's an AI-native, intelligent guided selling platform designed specifically for technology vendors, managed service providers, software companies, and VARs who deal with complex product configurations and pricing scenarios daily.
What Sets servicePath™ Apart
Native Complexity Management: Unlike solutions that struggle with complex configurations, servicePath™ CPQ+ was built from the ground up to handle the most sophisticated product bundles, service offerings, and pricing models that technology companies require.
AI-Native Intelligence: Our platform leverages artificial intelligence throughout the quoting process, from intelligent product recommendations to dynamic pricing optimization and predictive analytics that help sales teams close deals faster.
Intelligent Guided Selling: Our platform doesn't just automate quoting—it guides sales teams through optimal product recommendations, pricing strategies, and deal structures, increasing both win rates and deal sizes.
Rapid Implementation: Where Revenue Cloud migrations can take 18-24 months, servicePath™ CPQ+ implementations typically complete in 90-120 days, minimizing business disruption and accelerating time-to-value.
Universal Integration Capability: Through our strategic partnership with Workato, servicePath™ CPQ+ integrates seamlessly with over 1,200 business applications, ensuring that your CPQ solution works harmoniously with your existing technology stack without complex custom development.
Technology-Specific Features: Built specifically for technology sales, our platform includes native support for software licensing models, hardware configurations, managed services pricing, and complex channel partner scenarios.
Industry Recognition and Market Validation
The market has taken notice of servicePath™'s CPQ innovation. Our consistent recognition as a Gartner Visionary demonstrates our commitment to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in configure, price, quote technology.
In the latest 2025 Forrester Wave for Configure, Price, Quote Solutions, industry analysts highlighted the critical importance of specialized CPQ capabilities, noting that "organizations using general-purpose revenue suites often struggle with the complexity and customization requirements of modern B2B selling."
Key analyst findings supporting the servicePath™ approach include:
Specialization Drives Results: Companies using purpose-built CPQ solutions report 23% faster quote generation and 18% higher quote accuracy compared to bundled revenue platforms
Implementation Speed Matters: Organizations that can implement CPQ solutions in under six months are 40% more likely to achieve their ROI targets within the first year
Technology Sector Leadership: The most successful CPQ implementations in technology sectors use platforms designed specifically for complex product configurations and channel sales models
The Leadership Vision: Purpose-Built for Growth
Under the leadership of CEO Daniel Kube, with deep experience in technology sales transformation, servicePath™ has maintained laser focus on solving the unique challenges faced by technology sellers.
"We see CPQ as the central nervous system of modern revenue operations," says Kube. "While others are building horizontal platforms that try to do everything, we're building the deepest, most capable CPQ solution specifically for companies that sell complex technology solutions. That focus is what allows us to deliver results that generalist platforms simply can't match."
This vision extends throughout the servicePath™ leadership team, including COO Mike Molson and CTO Ian Cross, who bring decades of experience in enterprise software and complex sales operations.
Real-World Impact: Beyond Traditional CPQ
servicePath™ customers are seeing transformational results that go beyond traditional CPQ metrics:
Quote Velocity: Technology companies report reducing quote generation time from days to hours, with some complex configurations now quoted in minutes rather than weeks.
Deal Accuracy: Pricing errors—which can cost technology companies millions in margin leakage—are virtually eliminated through intelligent pricing controls and approval workflows.
Sales Enablement: Field sales teams can now configure and quote sophisticated solutions without technical support, dramatically expanding their selling capacity.
Channel Excellence: Partner and reseller networks can access the same quoting capabilities as direct sales teams, ensuring consistency and accuracy across all sales channels.
The Strategic Opportunity: Why Now is the Time to Act
The Salesforce CPQ end-of-sale creates a unique window of opportunity for forward-thinking organizations. Rather than simply following the prescribed migration path to Revenue Cloud, leading companies are using this moment to fundamentally upgrade their quoting capabilities.
The advantages of acting now include:
Market Timing: With Salesforce CPQ innovation stalled and Revenue Cloud still maturing, servicePath™ CPQ+ offers proven, battle-tested capabilities that are ready for enterprise deployment today.
Competitive Advantage: Organizations that make the transition to purpose-built CPQ solutions gain significant advantages over competitors stuck with legacy or bundled platforms.
Cost Optimization: Purpose-built solutions like servicePath™ CPQ+ typically deliver better ROI than bundled suites by focusing resources on capabilities that directly impact revenue generation.
Future-Proofing: servicePath™'s roadmap is entirely focused on CPQ innovation, ensuring that customers benefit from continuous advancement in the capabilities that matter most to their business.
Risk Mitigation Strategies
CPQ transitions involve significant business risks that require proactive mitigation:
Business Continuity Planning
Maintain parallel systems during transition periods
Develop rollback procedures in case of implementation issues
Create contingency plans for extended implementation timelines
Ensure adequate user training and support resources
Data Migration and Integration
Develop comprehensive data migration strategies
Test integration points thoroughly before go-live
Maintain data backup and recovery procedures
Plan for potential data quality issues and remediation
Vendor Risk Management
Evaluate vendor financial stability and long-term viability
Understand contractual commitments and exit strategies
Assess intellectual property and data ownership rights
Plan for potential vendor changes or acquisitions
The Path Forward: Your CPQ Migration Strategy
For organizations currently using Salesforce CPQ, the path forward requires careful planning and strategic thinking. The key decisions include:
Timing: While there's no immediate deadline, early movers gain competitive advantage and avoid the rush that will inevitably come as more organizations face the Revenue Cloud transition.
Scope: Determine whether to migrate existing functionality exactly or use this opportunity to enhance and expand CPQ capabilities.
Integration Strategy: Plan for seamless integration with existing CRM, ERP, and other business systems to maintain operational continuity.
Change Management: Develop comprehensive training and support programs to ensure user adoption and maximize platform value.
Taking Action: Your Free CPQ Assessment
To support organizations navigating this transition, servicePath™ is offering complimentary CPQ migration assessments that include:
Current State Analysis: Comprehensive review of your existing Salesforce CPQ implementation, including custom objects, workflows, and integrations
Revenue Cloud Impact Assessment: Detailed analysis of what Revenue Cloud migration would require and the associated costs and risks
servicePath™ Migration Roadmap: Customized implementation plan showing how to transition to servicePath™ CPQ+ with minimal business disruption
ROI Projection: Financial analysis showing expected returns from improved quoting velocity, accuracy, and sales productivity
This assessment provides the strategic intelligence needed to make informed decisions about your CPQ future, whether you choose to migrate to servicePath™ or explore other alternatives.
Conclusion: The Future of CPQ is Purpose-Built
The Salesforce CPQ end-of-sale marks the end of an era, but it also represents the beginning of a new chapter in CPQ innovation. While Salesforce pivots toward horizontal revenue suites, specialized providers like servicePath™ are doubling down on CPQ excellence.
For technology companies that depend on sophisticated quoting capabilities to drive revenue growth, the choice is clear: embrace purpose-built solutions that are designed specifically for your needs, or compromise with bundled platforms that treat CPQ as just another feature.
The market is moving toward specialization, and early adopters are gaining significant competitive advantages. The question isn't whether change is coming—it's whether you'll lead it or be forced to follow.
The future of CPQ is purpose-built, AI-native, intelligent, and ready for deployment today.
Ready to Future-Proof Your Revenue Operations?
Don't let the Salesforce CPQ transition catch you unprepared. The organizations that act now will gain competitive advantages that last for years.
Take Action Today:
🎯 Book Your FREE CPQ Migration Assessment - Get a comprehensive analysis of your current setup, Revenue Cloud implications, and servicePath™ transition roadmap
💡 Connect with CPQ Experts - Speak directly with our team about your unique requirements and timeline
Why Wait? The Clock is Ticking:
Salesforce CPQ innovation has effectively stopped
Revenue Cloud migrations are taking 18-24 months
Early movers are capturing competitive advantages
The best implementation partners are booking up fast
Contact servicePath™ Today:
🌐 Visit: servicepath.co/migrate-from-salesforce-cpq
📧 Email: bruce.runions@servicepath.co
💼 LinkedIn: Connect with our team for immediate consultation
The future of CPQ is purpose-built, AI-native, and available now. While others struggle with bundled compromises, servicePath™ customers are already accelerating their revenue growth with the industry's most advanced CPQ platform.
Your competition is making decisions about their CPQ future right now. Make sure you're ahead of them.
About servicePath™: servicePath™ is a leading provider of Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) solutions designed specifically for technology vendors, managed service providers, software companies, and VARs. Recognized as a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for CPQ Application Suites for three consecutive years, servicePath™ CPQ+ delivers AI-native intelligent guided selling capabilities with seamless integration to over 1,200 business applications through Workato partnership.
Links and Citations
Below are all the active links and sources referenced in the article, organized by category for easy access:
Market Research and Analysis
CPQ Market Size and Growth:
Configure Price and Quote (CPQ) Market Disruptions: The $3.91 Billion Opportunity
The Global Configure-Price-Quote (CPQ) Market: An Industry Analysis
Salesforce CPQ End-of-Sale Documentation
Industry Partner Reports:
Salesforce CPQ is entering an "End of Sale" Phase... What's next? - CLD Partners
The End of Salesforce CPQ: What It Means for Your Business - Kelley Austin
Salesforce Is Quietly Sunsetting CPQ—Here's What That Means for You - TPA Technologies
Implementation Challenges:
Analyst Reports and Industry Recognition
Forrester Research:
Gartner Recognition:
servicePath™ Company Information
Main Company Pages:
Leadership Profiles:
Additional Industry Resources
Market Analysis:
Configure Price And Quote (CPQ) Market Size & Share Analysis - Mordor Intelligence
CPQ/Configure Price and Quote Software Market Size (2025 – 2030)
Note: All links were active and accessible at the time of article publication (June 2025). Some analyst reports may require registration or subscription access. For the most current information and direct access to migration assessments, visit servicepath.co.
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