CPQ examples, from simple to configured.
CPQ looks different depending on what you sell. These examples show the configure, price and quote steps for common product types, and where visual configuration helps buyers say yes.
See configuration, pricing and quoting on one of your own products.
- Configured equipment
- Building products
- Pricing rules in action
Four CPQ patterns.
| Example | Configure | Price | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air-handling unit | Size, coil, filters, controls; rules block incompatible options | List + options, quantity breaks, customer price group | Spec sheet, drawing, lead time |
| Storefront / window system | Dimensions, glass, finish, hardware | Per-unit and per-SF pricing, freight | Elevation drawing, schedule |
| Modular furniture | Workstation layout, finishes | Bundle pricing, contract discounts | Floor layout, BOM |
| Industrial equipment with services | Machine + accessories + install | Tiered services, approvals over discount limits | Proposal with terms |
Illustrative examples; RenderDraw's pricing engine page includes an interactive sample.
What we checked (November 2026)
- Interactive sample: RenderDraw's pricing engine page includes an interactive example with sample USD prices and quantity breaks. It is not RenderDraw subscription pricing, and it does not submit a quote.
- Free template: RenderDraw's CPQ template is a spreadsheet. As the FAQ notes, a spreadsheet can't enforce configuration rules, so invalid combinations are caught only by the person reviewing the quote.
- Platform context (2026):
- Salesforce CPQ is end of sale to new customers. Existing customers can renew, and new investment goes to Revenue Cloud Advanced.
- HubSpot's quotes and CPQ are sold as Revenue Hub.
Write down whether each break is volume (all units at the reached tier) or graduated (each tier priced separately). Mixing the two is a common quoting error.
More examples of CPQ rules, by type
- Required option: a door system needs exactly one hardware set. The quote can't be saved without one.
- Exclusion: an outdoor-rated finish can't be combined with an indoor-only motor.
- Dimensional limit: a panel width over 48 in forces the heavy-duty frame option.
- Derived quantity: one mounting bracket per 4 ft of track, rounded up.
- Price rule: a dealer price group gets its own price book version. A promotion applies only between its effective dates.
- Approval: a discount above a set threshold routes the quote to a manager.
When CPQ is overkill: if you sell a short catalog of fixed SKUs with list prices and few discounts, a CRM's standard quote tool with a price book may be enough. Configuration rules pay off when invalid combinations, engineering limits or many options cause rework.
Testing rules: keep a short list of known-good and known-bad configurations, and re-run them every time a rule or price book version changes, before you publish.
Questions estimators ask
What is an example of CPQ?
A rep configures an air-handling unit, the system blocks incompatible options, calculates price from the price book with quantity breaks, and generates a quote with a drawing.
What industries use CPQ?
Manufacturing, equipment, building products, software and services.
What is visual CPQ?
CPQ that shows the configured product visually as it's built.
Can I try a CPQ template first?
Yes; RenderDraw has a free CPQ Excel template, though Excel can't enforce rules.
What is the difference between volume and graduated pricing?
With volume pricing, all units are priced at the tier the order quantity reaches (7 units at the 5–9 price). With graduated (tiered) pricing, each band is priced separately (units 1–4 at one price, 5–7 at the next). HubSpot's newer quotes support stair-step, graduated and volume pricing; write down which one each price book uses.
What is a guided selling example?
A short set of questions (application, environment, size) that narrows the options before the rep configures, so only valid choices are shown.
Can CPQ rules come from engineering data?
Yes, and that is usually where configuration errors are prevented: dimensional limits, compatibility tables and derived quantities maintained by the team that owns the product.
See visual CPQ on your own products.
Book a demo to walk through configuring, pricing and quoting one of your products with rules enforced and every price explained.
- Pick one product line with real rules and pricing.
- Walk through configuration, pricing and the quote with RenderDraw.
- Decide with your own product, not a canned demo.
Sources and further reading
Vendor pages, standards and references checked for this page. Product features and prices change; confirm current details with each vendor.
- RenderDraw Pricing Engine — Interactive sample, Pricing Studio
- Salesforce: CPQ end of sale, not end of life — CPQ status and Revenue Cloud Advanced
- HubSpot: Compare legacy quotes and quotes — Tiered pricing types, price books, rules
Last reviewed November 2026.