How to Choose the Best Product Configurator for Salesforce

For years, Salesforce CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) has been the standard for handling product rules, discounts, bundles, and generating quotes. It helps sales teams prevent errors, enforce pricing policies, and close deals faster.

Now, Salesforce has evolved CPQ into Revenue Cloud, which unifies quoting, contracts, orders, billing, and revenue recognition on a single, native Salesforce platform.

• Revenue Cloud Advanced (RCA) is the future — API-first, scalable, and built directly into Salesforce.
• Legacy CPQ still exists, but Salesforce is guiding new customers toward Revenue Cloud.
• Commerce Cloud brings the same power to digital storefronts, letting customers configure and purchase directly online.

This means your product data, rules, and pricing logic are already living inside Salesforce. What’s missing? A visual layer that makes all of that configuration clear, interactive, and confidence-building.

Traditional CPQ tools stop at rules and pricing. They’ll tell you what’s allowed and what it costs — but they don’t show you what the configured product looks like.

That’s where a visual configurator makes all the difference within your SalesForce powered experience:

• Photorealistic 3D visuals let buyers and reps see the exact configuration they’re choosing.
• AR views allow customers to place products in their real environment for context.
• Error prevention becomes visual — invalid combinations are instantly flagged.

imagine.io brings this visual layer directly into Salesforce’s ecosystem, connecting to CPQ, Revenue Cloud, or Commerce Cloud to turn product data into interactive visuals that drive faster, more confident decisions.

If you’re evaluating configurators, here are the factors that matter most — and where visualization fits in.

1. Seamless Salesforce Integration

The configurator should feel like part of Salesforce, not a clunky add-on.

• Native or API-based integration with Revenue Cloud, CPQ, and Commerce Cloud.
• Real-time sync of product data, rules, and pricing.
• Salesforce Lightning-ready interface for smooth adoption.

Why it matters: You’ve invested in Salesforce as your single source of truth. A configurator that doesn’t align with it just creates silos.

2. Rule-Based Product Logic

Most products have rules: some features require upgrades, others aren’t compatible.

• Configurators should enforce rules stored in Salesforce (no “illegal” combinations).
• Support for guided selling to help reps or buyers choose correctly.
• Ability to scale as rules evolve with your catalog.

Why it matters: Rule enforcement ensures accuracy, prevents costly errors, and keeps sales aligned with engineering and manufacturing.

3. Visualization Capabilities

This is the differentiator. Without visuals, buyers are left to guess.

• Basic: text or static images.
• Advanced: interactive 3D visuals that update instantly as options change.
• Best-in-class: AR that lets buyers view the product in their own environment.

Why it matters: Visuals build trust, shorten decision cycles, and reduce miscommunication. For configurable products, they’re no longer “nice to have” — they’re essential.

4. Performance and Scalability

A configurator must keep up with the size and speed of your business.

• Fast load times, even with thousands of SKUs.
• Smooth operation across devices (desktop, mobile, tablet).
• Support for multiple currencies, languages, and region-specific pricing.

Why it matters: In live sales calls or customer self-service, a laggy tool can kill momentum. Performance ensures confidence.

5. Real-Time Pricing Accuracy

Pricing should always match the configuration.

• Instant updates as options change.
• Automatic application of promotions, bundles, and discounts.
• Direct sync to Salesforce quotes — no manual adjustments.

Why it matters: Accurate, transparent pricing reduces back-and-forth and keeps deals moving.

6. Ease of Use

If it’s not easy, people won’t use it.

• For sales reps: guided flows, clear error prevention, minimal training.
• For customers: intuitive interface, instant feedback, and a consumer-grade experience.

Why it matters: High adoption means higher ROI. A configurator should make life easier, not harder.

7. Future-Proof Features

A configurator is a long-term investment — it needs to evolve with your tech stack.

• AI-driven recommendations (upsell/cross-sell).
• Automated image generation for marketing assets.
• Cloud-based updates to stay aligned with Salesforce’s roadmap.

Why it matters: The best configurators grow with your business, instead of holding it back.

Salesforce already manages your product data, pricing, and rules. Imagine.io adds the visual experience that transforms configuration into a buying experience.

• Works with Revenue Cloud, CPQ, or Commerce Cloud.
• Turns Salesforce product data into real-time 3D and AR visuals.
• Helps sales teams close faster and customers buy with confidence.
• Reduces costs by eliminating the need for photoshoots — images come straight from configurations.

It’s the missing visual layer that makes Salesforce configurations not just accurate — but engaging, memorable, and revenue-driving.

A Salesforce configurator isn’t just a box to check. It’s a strategic tool that determines how fast you sell, how accurate your quotes are, and how confident your customers feel.

By combining Salesforce’s data-driven backbone (Revenue Cloud, CPQ, Commerce Cloud) with imagine.io’s visual configurator, businesses get the best of both worlds: flawless rules and pricing plus engaging, interactive visuals.

Activate your free demo today to see how imagine.io can bring your Salesforce configurations to life.