Epicor CPQ is the product formerly sold as KBMax. If you are comparing notes against older reviews, documentation, or a G2 listing, that single fact explains most of the confusion: the two names describe the same software, and Epicor still publishes much of its CPQ documentation on kbmax.com.
It is a visual configure, price, quote platform aimed at manufacturers selling complex, engineered-to-order products, where a quote depends on rules, dimensions, and a CAD model rather than a price list. It is sold both standalone and as a module alongside Epicor Kinetic, and it is a genuinely different product from the configurator built into Kinetic itself.
This review covers what it does, what it actually costs, which CAD systems it drives, and where it does not fit.
What is Epicor CPQ?
It is a leading Configure Price Quote software solution that helps businesses streamline their sales quote. It can help businesses improve their accuracy and speed in creating quotes. It can also give them a better understanding of how pricing and product configuration decisions impact profitability.
History
Epicor CPQ does not descend from Epicor‘s own ERP configurator. Its lineage runs through KBMax, an independent CPQ vendor:
- 2009 onward, KBMax builds visual product configuration software for manufacturers selling highly configurable products. The “KB” stands for Knowledge Based.
- 27 May 2021, Epicor acquires KBMax to add 3D visualization and CAD automation to its portfolio. At acquisition KBMax reported more than 20,000 users.
- The software is rebranded Epicor CPQ and marketed as a standalone module rather than folded into the ERP.
Note: Epicor, an industry-specific enterprise software solution, acquired KBMax, a leading provider of cloud-based configure, price, quote (CPQ), and visualization solutions, on May 27, 2021, to expand its CPQ and visualization capabilities.
The acquisition strengthens Epicor’s position in the CPQ market and expands its product capabilities in product configuration, Guided Selling, quoting, and proposal generation.
Epicor CPQ vs the configurator built into Kinetic
This trips up a lot of Epicor customers, because both are described as “configurators” in Epicor material and only one of them is included with the ERP.
- Kinetic’s built-in product configurator ships with the ERP and handles rule-driven configuration of parts and BOMs inside Kinetic. It is not a visual selling tool.
- Epicor CPQ (KBMax) is a separately licensed platform built for the sales side: 2D, 3D, and augmented reality configuration a customer or dealer can drive themselves, plus automated CAD and manufacturing output. It integrates with Kinetic but is not part of it.
If your requirement is “our customers should configure the product visually and get a quote without a sales engineer,” the built-in configurator will not do it and Epicor CPQ is the product being quoted. Budget for it separately.
Important features
Visual configuration
- 3D Visualization – Businesses can easily configure products with the help of 3D visualization. It allows customers also to configure products according to their requirements based on the company’s rules.
- Good 3D experience – End-user will get a good 3D experience on-screen to purchase the product confidently.
- View of the finished product – The customer can easily view his finished product inside and outside. For example, if the car is a product, the user can open the door and look inside the car.
- No-code rules engine – Customers can configure the product and pricing without programming knowledge.
- 3D design application – Users can import their CAD files into the application and connect to the snap rules engine to make objects interactive.
- Augmented reality – Users can view their custom products in real-world settings.
Dynamic pricing
- Real-time price calculation – When customers configure the product, the price will vary automatically and accurately based on the company’s pricing rules. Hence without the sales rep’s help, customers can get an accurate and updated price in real-time.
- Multi-currency support – It supports multiple currencies, which helps businesses to generate prices in different currencies based on their geographic location.
- Easily manageable pricing rules – Even though customers’ products and pricing are complex, Epicor CPQ allows them to manage their one-time, recurring, usage, and discount pricing scenarios in a single place. In addition, users can easily connect to their data source and get pricing rules with its snap engine.
Quoting
- Easy quote process – Epicor cpq allows your sales reps, distributors, and customers to configure products and get a quote automatically.
- Unlimited power – You can create custom PDF and ms word documents for calculation. It also lets you control branding, logos, product images, pricing, terms, shipping, etc.
- Automatic Documents – you can automatically create accurate visuals, sales-level CAD drawings, cut sheets, and Bill of Materials for your manufacturing team. KBmax helps to move the information throughout the company.
- Powerful workflow – It provides a powerful workflow. Hence dealers and distributors can create accurate quotes and configurations before submitting them for approval and creating an order.
CAD and manufacturing automation
CAD automation is the capability that separates Epicor CPQ from general-purpose CPQ tools. When a product is configured, it can generate the engineering model and sales drawings automatically, so a quote carries a real drawing rather than a promise of one.
Supported CAD systems:
- Autodesk Inventor, using Inventor’s modeling, simulation, and rendering to drive the configured output.
- SolidWorks, generating engineering models and sales drawings as soon as the product is configured. Note the version dependency: the output builder’s integration to SolidWorks 2024 SP5 is supported through December 2026, so confirm your CAD version against the current support matrix before committing.
- AutoCAD and PTC Creo for automated file generation.
Downstream, the same configuration can emit dimensioned drawings, bills of materials, assembly instructions, and cut sheets for the manufacturing team, which is where the ETO time saving actually comes from.
Integration
Native integrations cover Epicor Kinetic, Salesforce (including Salesforce CPQ, CRM, B2B Commerce, and Communities), and MuleSoft, with REST APIs for everything else. In practice the Salesforce integrations sit in the higher-priced tier, which matters when you are pricing this out (see below).
Advanced rule engine
The software provides an advanced rule engine, Epicor CPQ snap, which helps businesses configure products and pricing based on their business rules. So Companys will get control over configuration, pricing, quoting, and manufacturing outputs.
Cloud platform administration
This software is a cloud-based platform that provides easy administration and maintenance. As a result, businesses can easily manage their products, configurations, and users without needing to depend on custom code.
CPQ analytics
It provides insightful analytics so businesses can improve their sales strategies and close more deals. With the help of data, they can also identify cross-selling and upselling opportunities.
Visual configurator
It is a 3D design application that allows businesses to create interactive visuals of their products and real-time quoting.
Manufacturing automation
It helps businesses to automate their manufacturing process by connecting people, processes, systems, and order data. For example, with the help of CAD automation, sales reps can quickly generate valid product configurations and drawings.
Benefits
- It helps customers to configure products easily.
- Improved accuracy and speed in the quoting and ordering process
- A streamlined quoting and ordering experience for sales and procurement professionals
- Provides real-time pricing and availability information
- The ability to integrate your key systems into the sales, engineering, manufacturing team, and customers
- Integration with Epicor ERP solutions for seamless quote-to-order management
- Automatic creation of CAD drawings, BOM, and cut sheets
- A robust reporting and analytics feature helps businesses track and improve their quoting and ordering processes
Limitations
- It is cloud-only, so there are no offline capabilities.
- Adding new base layers means reworking the configurator logic rather than just adding a record.
- It is priced and licensed separately from Epicor Kinetic, so ERP customers who assume configuration is included are often surprised by the quote.
- CAD automation depends on specific CAD versions, so an upgrade on either side needs checking against the support matrix.
- The value case assumes genuinely configurable products. For a fixed catalogue with simple option lists, this is more platform than the problem needs.
How does Epicor CPQ work?
- First, businesses need to set up CPQ rules for their Business process. Then, the Epicor CPQ snap engine organizes the entire sales and manufacturing process.
- Next, it allows users or sales reps to configure products visually in real time with a visual configurator. People like sales reps, distributors, or end-users can use different versions of the same visual configurator.
- Then, configured products or quotes will send to CRM for edits and approvals. Systems like ERP and PLM automate invoicing, discounts, taxes, and inventory.
Because of automated CAD drawings manufacturing team will become free, and they can concentrate more on their actual work. Only well-founded configurations will move to production with the help of rules-driven configurations.
Epicor salesforce integration
Epicor CPQ is a comprehensive and easy-to-use configure, price, and quote software solution that can help businesses streamline sales.
It integrates with Salesforce, making it easy for sales reps to create quotes and orders while keeping customer information up to date.
In addition, CPQ integrated with salesforce enhances the conversation rate by permitting end-users or sales reps to configure products visually in 3D or 2D in real time. So, businesses can improve accuracy and efficiency by providing a better experience for their customers.
Pricing
Epicor does not publish a full price list, but the entry tier is public:
| Tier | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $150 per user per month, billed annually | 2D and 3D visualization, dynamic quoting, document generation, workflow, cloud platform administration |
| Plus | Quoted on request | Everything in Standard plus the Salesforce integrations (CPQ, CRM, B2B Commerce, Communities) and MuleSoft |
Two practical notes. There is no free trial and no free tier, so evaluation runs through a vendor demo. And because the Salesforce connectors sit in Plus rather than Standard, a Salesforce shop should assume it is buying the quoted tier, not the $150 one.
Other details
| Intended Users | Manufacturers selling configurable or engineered-to-order products: industrial machinery, fabricated metals, medical devices, automotive, electronics, building supply |
| Platforms | Web |
| Supports | Email, phone, helpdesk, 24/7 (Live rep), chat |
| Training | Online, videos, documentation, In-person |
| Deployment | Cloud, Saas, Web-based |
FAQs
Is Epicor CPQ the same as KBMax?
Yes. KBMax was an independent CPQ vendor that Epicor acquired on 27 May 2021, and the product was rebranded Epicor CPQ. Much of the product documentation still lives on kbmax.com, and review sites list it under both names, so you may be reading about the same software twice under different labels.
How much does Epicor CPQ cost?
The Standard tier is $150 per user per month billed annually, covering 2D and 3D visualization, dynamic quoting, document generation, workflow, and cloud administration. The Plus tier, which adds the Salesforce and MuleSoft integrations, is quoted on request. There is no free trial or free version.
Is Epicor CPQ included with Epicor Kinetic?
No. Kinetic includes its own rule-based product configurator for parts and BOMs inside the ERP, but Epicor CPQ is a separately licensed platform for visual, customer-facing configuration and CAD automation. It integrates with Kinetic rather than shipping as part of it.
Which CAD systems does Epicor CPQ work with?
Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, and PTC Creo. Configuring a product can automatically produce the engineering model, dimensioned sales drawings, bills of materials, and assembly instructions. CAD support is version-specific, so check the current support matrix against your CAD release before buying.
Does Epicor CPQ require coding?
Not for rule building. Configuration logic is built in Snap, a visual logic engine intended for product engineers and administrators rather than developers. Deeper integrations beyond the native Kinetic, Salesforce, and MuleSoft connectors do use REST APIs.
Who is Epicor CPQ actually for?
Manufacturers whose products are configured rather than picked from a catalogue, typically industrial machinery, fabricated metals, medical devices, automotive, electronics, and building supply. If your quotes depend on dimensions, rules, and a CAD model, it fits. For a fixed catalogue with simple options, it is more platform than the problem requires.
Conclusion
Epicor CPQ earns its place when the product is genuinely configurable and the quote depends on engineering. The combination of customer-facing 3D configuration and automated CAD output is the reason to buy it, and it is a capability most CPQ tools do not have at all.
It is not, despite how these products are usually described, a fit for every business. It is cloud-only, licensed separately from Kinetic, tied to specific CAD versions, and priced from $150 per user per month before the Salesforce tier. For a company selling a fixed catalogue, that is a lot of platform aimed at a problem it does not have.
If you are evaluating it, settle two things first: whether you need visual configuration or just the rule-based configurator already inside Kinetic, and whether your CAD version is on the supported matrix. Those two answers determine most of the cost.
Reference