Effective CPQ engine, but output DocEngine is unstable.
October 15, 2012
Effective CPQ engine, but output DocEngine is unstable.

Software Version
11.1.7
Modules Used
- Oracle CPQ
- Product Configurator
- Commerce
- DocEngine
Overall Satisfaction with Oracle Engagement Cloud (formerly Oracle Sales Cloud)
- Ability to incorporate business logic within the configurator, i.e. if you buy “x” product, must also include “y” product
- Ability to trigger approvals based on business rules i.e. sales manager approval needed if discount exceeds 20%.
- Ability to trigger approvals based revenue recognition rules i.e. finance approval needed if one module discounted more than the others, finance approval needed in previous contract within 6 months, etc.
- Allowed us to have line-item pricing history.
- The feature that distinguishes BigMachines from its competition is also the feature that needs the most improvement- DocEngine. DocEngine is the tool that creates RTF or PDF documents based on the results of configuration and discounting/approvals. Most competitors do not have an output option, only configuration. It is supposed to be dynamic, but is very unstable and the output can break. We still have to run contracts through legal to ensure that the system has not caused any errors. Part of the issue is stability, and part is administration UI.
- Earlier versions required system administrators to understand a code called “BQL”. It was a system designed by engineers with little thought about non-technical system administrators. The latest releases of the product show much more investment and improvement in this area as they move towards clicks not code configuration.
- Custom pricing/invoicing is difficult, mostly because it’s hard to build logic around “custom” in the system.
- Better audit trail for maintaining Estimated Selling Price.
- Line item visibility on pricing/discounts.
- Faster time to create order and contract.
Our shortlist beyond Big Machines was:
1) Apptus – Their biggest downfall was their lack of responsiveness in the sales cycle. It made us very nervous about their ability to be responsive post sale.
2) Using the Salesforce.com Opportunity Products feature. Salesforce.com native functionality falls short in the following areas: a) Its ability to handle complex pricing bundles; b) no logic for workflow/approvals, e.g. defining which SKUs must go together; c )invoice structure; output to contract/proposal does not exist i.e. creation of Word or PDF file.
We picked BigMachines because of its ability to handle:
a) Integration with Salesforce.com
b) Product Configuration
c) Complex invoice structured
d) Bundled offers
e) Custom SOWs
e) Ability to use “Guided Selling”
f) Ability to generate document outputs (vs on screen pricing)
g)Ability to customize workflow/approvals
h) Mobile Approvals
i) Reporting
j) Future international capabilities
k) Potential for partners/resellers to use system
l) Potential to replace Sant/Qvidian
m) Company viability
1) Apptus – Their biggest downfall was their lack of responsiveness in the sales cycle. It made us very nervous about their ability to be responsive post sale.
2) Using the Salesforce.com Opportunity Products feature. Salesforce.com native functionality falls short in the following areas: a) Its ability to handle complex pricing bundles; b) no logic for workflow/approvals, e.g. defining which SKUs must go together; c )invoice structure; output to contract/proposal does not exist i.e. creation of Word or PDF file.
We picked BigMachines because of its ability to handle:
a) Integration with Salesforce.com
b) Product Configuration
c) Complex invoice structured
d) Bundled offers
e) Custom SOWs
e) Ability to use “Guided Selling”
f) Ability to generate document outputs (vs on screen pricing)
g)Ability to customize workflow/approvals
h) Mobile Approvals
i) Reporting
j) Future international capabilities
k) Potential for partners/resellers to use system
l) Potential to replace Sant/Qvidian
m) Company viability
Using Oracle Engagement Cloud (formerly Oracle Sales Cloud)
75 - Approximately 75 users, some of them for “Approvals” only
• Sales – Account Executives and Account Managers
• Sales Management
• Services Management
• Finance
• Legal
• Sales – Account Executives and Account Managers
• Sales Management
• Services Management
• Finance
• Legal
2 - 1.5 Business Analysts in IT department to administer tool. (which is not enough)
2-3 End user support staff (part time responsibility)
2-3 End user support staff (part time responsibility)
- Product configuration
- Quoting
- Contracts
Evaluating Oracle Engagement Cloud (formerly Oracle Sales Cloud) and Competitors
We did not have any Price Quote or contract tools (also known as CPQ: Configure-Price-Quote) other than spreadsheets.
We did and continue to use Sant/Qvidian for proposal content, but this did not include any pricing or logic around offers.
We did and continue to use Sant/Qvidian for proposal content, but this did not include any pricing or logic around offers.
Oracle Engagement Cloud (formerly Oracle Sales Cloud) Implementation
- Vendor implemented
- Professional services company
BMI did the initial implementation. We then used the Chicago based consultant EDL Consulting for future phases.
Oracle Engagement Cloud (formerly Oracle Sales Cloud) Training
- In-person training
Oracle Engagement Cloud (formerly Oracle Sales Cloud) Support
No - Administrator support is available for a fee (hands-on administration in the tool)
Oracle Engagement Cloud (formerly Oracle Sales Cloud) Reliability
Integrating Oracle Engagement Cloud (formerly Oracle Sales Cloud)
- Salesforce.com
- Echosign
Salesforce.com - Single Sign On. It works very seamlessly.
Echosign - partial integration. It is possible to set-up signature fields in Big Machines output files to be EchoSign ready.
Echosign - partial integration. It is possible to set-up signature fields in Big Machines output files to be EchoSign ready.
Relationship with Oracle
Negotiated an “out” based on proof of concept. Once implementation was complete we had the right to end contract if tool didn’t meet needs.