New Features

The following features are new to CPQ in this release.

Ability to Sort Products on the Catalog Page

In this release, CPQ allows you to sort products on the Catalog page based on predefined fields in Product Sorting Fields custom setting. You can sort products in ascending or descending order of the field defined by the administrator. When you click the sort icon (), you see the options Product Name Ascending and Product Name Descending in the Sort pop-up by default.

Revalidation Callback Class

In this release, CPQ introduces a new callback class, Revalidation Callback. This callback provides you a mechanism to implement custom revalidations for products based on custom criteria. You can define custom criteria based on which the products are identified by CPQ for revalidation. The callback allows you to define a custom logic to be applied on the line item along with revalidation. You can also define a custom product version when the line item is created.

Enhancements

The following section describes existing features that are changed (or are no longer supported) in this release.

Apttus User Experience Analysis

With this release, in order to better understand and analyze feature usage and the user experience, Apttus is adding a user experience analysis component to its solution with the assistance of Pendo. The analytics component allows Apttus to tailor improvements and new features to help meet your business requirements and improve the user experience. No action is required on your part and there will be no impact to any existing product features, system functionality, or configured workflows. No personally identifiable information (PII), nor any other proprietary, confidential, or sensitive data will be collected by the analytics component.

During Apttus Base Library installation, if you see an “Approve Third-Party Access” prompt, this refers to the Apttus User Experience Analysis component. Click Continue to proceed with the installation. For more information, see "Installing the Apttus CPQ Packages" in CPQ on Salesforce Spring 2020 Administrator Guide.

Ability to Open the Cart in Read-only Mode

In this release, CPQ allows you to open your product configuration in read-only mode. In read-only mode, you can only see the line items in the cart, but you cannot edit any fields. All action buttons are disabled in a read-only cart. You can create and use filters and cart views in a read-only cart. When the pricing is pending, only the line items with complete pricing are displayed on the cart in read-only mode with a progress bar with the status of the ongoing pricing process.

Ability to Use Numeric Expressions to Create CPQ Formula Fields

CPQ allows you to create an expression using the Apttus Numeric Expressions Framework while creating CPQ formula fields so that you can use them for configuring prices and adjustments.

Ability to Define UOM in Price Rule Entry

In this release, CPQ allows you to enter the UOM for the price rule entry so that CPQ applies the UOM conversion rate if the price rule entry and the line item have different UOMs.

Ability to Select Effective Dates in Price Rule Entry

In this release, CPQ allows you to select Effective Date and Expiration Date for price rule entry.

Ability to Define Currency for Price Ruleset

In this release, CPQ allows you to define the currency for price ruleset. The value of currency in a price ruleset is inherited to price rules. 

Flow-Based Defer Pricing

In this release, CPQ allows you to selectively turn on or off Defer Pricing at a flow level. You must set the deferPricingUntilCart parameter to True in the URL that you have configured on the Configure Products field of the respective quote.

Ability to Selectively Skip Totaling on the Cart

In this release, CPQ allows you to selectively skip the totaling of pricing of products on the Cart, at a flow level. You must set the isCartTotalingDisabled parameter to True in the URL that you have configured on the Configure Products field of the respective quote.

Ability to Selectively Skip Approval of the Cart

In this release, CPQ allows you to selectively skip approval of the Cart, at a flow level. You must set the isCartApprovalDisabled parameter to True in the URL that you have configured on the Configure Products field of the respective quote.

Ability to Selectively Skip Deal Guidance

In this release, CPQ allows you to selectively skip Deal Guidance, at a flow level. You must set the isPricingGuidanceDisabled parameter to True in the URL that you have configured on the Configure Products field of the respective quote.

Improved Scalability in Deal Guidance

In this release, Deal Maximizer has made the deal guidance process a lot more scalable than it was earlier. The improvements include: 

  • Support for thousands of rules and rule entries. For example, 5000+ rules with approximately 10 rule entries in each rule can now be made available in your org.
  • A single query giving output up to 1000+ rule entries which are successfully applied into the cart.
  • Restricted limit for seamless execution of the cart page to 1000 rule entries per cart. If you have some advanced criteria and scope for the rule entries and the limit of 1000 rule entries per cart has reached, then the pricing process on the cart page fails and an error message is displayed.
  • The rules are associated with the Product Groups and the Product Families.

Editable Custom Currency Field on Cancelled Lines

In this release, CPQ allows users to edit a currency field while terminating an asset. The currency field must be a custom field and not based on a formula.

Enhanced Asset Renewal Custom Callback Class

In this release, CPQ allows you to populate a selective set of parameters with corresponding values on a renewal quote (with the same data as the original quote) during renewal automation.

Enhanced User Experience while Collecting Input for Working with Assets

Merging Assets

In this release, the default date in the Effective Date field is the farthest start date, while merging assets. If you enter a date that is lesser than the farthest start date, an error message is displayed on the Merge popup.

Swapping Assets

In this release, CPQ allows administrators to configure the logic to default a date for users while swapping assets, using the Asset Line Item Callback Class.

Terminating Assets

In this release, CPQ allows administrators to configure the logic to default a date for users while terminating assets, using the Asset Line Item Callback Class.

Hidden Fields on the Related Line Items Popup for Relationship Type Merger

In this release, the Add/Remove, Save, and Split buttons are hidden for Merger relationship type when you merge assets.

Ability to Dynamically Sort Assets with a Visual Indicator

In this release, the Installed Products page lists all assets for the account in decreasing order of the values in the Created Date column by default. You can sort assets dynamically, a single column at a time, by clicking the column header.

Disabled Farthest Asset End Date for Single Asset Selection

In this release, the Farther End Date option is hidden during asset renewal:

  • If the asset has only one renewable charge type
  • If the selected asset has multiple renewable lines with the same end date

Ability to Selectively View Data During Swap

In this release, CPQ allows administrators to define which fields must be displayed to users on the Intermediate page while swapping assets.

Ability to Prevent Editing End Date for Cancelled Lines (Merge Assets)

In this release, CPQ allows administrators to prevent users from accidentally editing the end date for cancelled lines while merging assets.

Renewal Processing for Merged Assets with the Same Purchase ID

In this release, when the user merges two assets with the same purchase identifier, the merged line is associated with the same renewal quote that contained the original lines.

Billing Preference Validations

In this release, the supported values in Billing Preference fields are validated. The fields are Proration Period Treatment, Billing Day of the Month, and Billing Cycle Start.

Enhanced Account Hierarchy Performance

In this release, CPQ provides an enhanced Account Hierarchy performance. The APTS_AccountHierarchyBatchSize admin property is converted to the Account Hierarchy Batch Size custom setting under Installed Product Settings.

Support for Match in Assets in Inclusion Type Client-Side Constraint Rule

In this release, CPQ supports Match in Assets Match Conditions in Constraint Rule Actions in Client-Side Constraint Rules. When you select Match in Assets, CPQ checks if the product in constraint rule action exists as an asset on installed products. Only if the asset does not exist the action is executed. Otherwise, CPQ does not take action. Match in Asset is only supported for Inclusion type Constraint Rules for action intents Auto Include and Prompt.

Enhanced Is Optional Checkbox Behavior

In this release, CPQ allows you to edit is Optional checkbox for all options and sub-bundles. Now, you can mark options or sub-bundles as optional even when they are added using rules or if they are required. Also, when you mark a bundle as optional or clear the is Optional checkbox, the action is cascaded down to all options and sub-bundles as well. That means if you select is Optional checkbox for the bundle, all the associated options and sub-bundle are also marked optional. The price of the optional line item is not included in the total price.

Support for Related Line Items for Service Bundle Options in Reconfigured Quote

In this release, CPQ displays related line items for options in a Service bundle on the Configuration page after you reconfigure saved or finalized quote. Previously, CPQ did not display related line items next to the service options added after reconfiguration. However, the related line items that are displayed next to the service bundle options reflect the related line item of the parent bundle.

Flow Specific CSS Override Availability

In this release, CPQ now supports CSS overrides for a specific flow. Now,  you can define unique CSS overrides for your flows. CPQ continues to support global CSS override if you don’t need flow specific CSS overrides. You must create a separate dataset of Config System Properties for your flow and define the CSS Override field.  Leave the CSS Override field blank in System Properties.

Disabling Product Configuration Versioning

In this release, you can disable cloning of the product configuration after you reconfigured a finalized cart. When you disable Product Configuration versioning, only one product configuration is created on the Quote Details page. If you reconfigure a cart after finalizing it, the existing product configuration is updated.

Ability to Display Refine Your Search Options in Picklist

In this release, CPQ allows you to define a limit exceeding which the options of Refine Your Search on the Catalog page are displayed in the picklist. The options are displayed as checkboxes when the number of options are less than the limit. Define Refine Search Checkbox Limit in Config System Properties.

Enhancement to CPQ Admin

The following enhancements are introduced for the CPQ Admin user interface.

Managing Option Groups

In this release, CPQ moved the Manage Option Groups button from the Catalog menu to the Products menu. You can search, open, update, and, create shared option groups on the Manage Option Group page.

Managing Rollups

In this release, CPQ introduced a dedicated page to manage rollups. The Manage Rollups page (Products menu > Manage Rollups) allows you to search, open, update, and, create rollups. 

Managing Field Expressions

In this release, CPQ introduced a dedicated page to manage field expression. The Manage Fields Expression page (Products menu > Manage Field Expression) allows you to search, open, update, and, create field expressions.

Managing Rules

In this release, CPQ introduced a dedicated page to manage rules. The Manage Rules page (Products menu > Manage Rules) allows you to search, open, update, and, create rules which includes Constraint Rules, Product Attribute Rules, Attribute Value Matrix. 

Searching Associated Products in Product Group

In this release, CPQ enables you to search for products that are associated with product groups. On the Associated Product page (Products menu > Manage Product) you can select a product group and search for a specific product using the search bar in the center pane.

Progress Bar During Mass Update

In this release, CPQ displays a progress bar on the Cart page when you apply mass updates on the line items. A message is also displayed with the progress bar with the status of the process to apply the mass update.

Progress Bar on Mini-Cart

In this release, CPQ displays a progress bar in the Mini-Cart after you add products to the cart. A message is also displayed next to all the line items in the mini-cart with the status of the process to calculate pricing. The progress bar is also displayed on the Catalog page when you click Configure.

Support for Multiple Benefit Products for Buy X Get Y Promotions

In this release, CPQ supports multiple benefits for Buy X Get Y promotions, where users can choose to provide benefits either on all listed products or only the first product on the Cart.

Deprecated Fields on Billing Preference

In this release, CPQ deprecated the following fields on the Billing Preference object:

  • Preference Level
  • Billing Interval
  • Billing Day of Month
  • Additional Invoice CC Address
  • Allow Preference Override?
  • Allow Payment Term Override?
  • Order Line Item
  • Asset Line Item
  • Cart Line Item
  • Account
  • Location
  • Order