Model N Overview

Model N is a leading provider of revenue management solutions tailored for industries such as life sciences, high-tech, and medical technology. Their software suite includes tools for managing the entire revenue lifecycle, from pricing and quoting to contract and rebate management. Model N CPQ is a Salesforce-native CPQ that’s a core component of this suite, specifically designed to optimize and streamline the sales process. Integrating seamlessly with platforms like Salesforce and SAP, it allows sales teams to generate accurate quotes rapidly, handle complex pricing structures, and enhance overall sales efficiency.

One of the standout modules within Model N’s offerings is the “Deal Management for High Tech” module, which helps sales teams manage intricate deals by providing insights and analytics that drive better decision-making. It supports companies managing global deals with price optimization and compliance. By leveraging this module, high-tech companies can enhance their deal strategies, reduce quote-to-cash cycle times, and ultimately drive higher revenue and growth. The comprehensive capabilities of Model N ensure that businesses not only streamline their sales processes but also gain a competitive edge in their respective markets.

Model N CPQ is the CPQ (configure, price, quote) software built into the Model N revenue management cloud. It allows sales teams to configure complex products, services, and bundles quickly, automate pricing calculations based on predefined rules and discounts, and generate accurate quotes with just a few clicks.

It’s a complete, end-to-end revenue management platform. And it’s built to streamline the quote-to-cash workflow, from initial configuration to order generation.

Features Include:

• Complex product configuration
• Salesforce integration
• Price Intelligence
• Contract lifecycle management
• Deal and price management
• Channel partner management
• Enterprise scalability

Complex product configuration. The Model N platform supports product configuration and pricing for even highly complex products. It uses programmable rules and constraints and AI/ML-driven product suggestions to guide sales teams through the process, ensuring they always provide customers with quotes that are (a) possible to meet and (b) profitable for the business.

Salesforce integration. Seamlessly integrates with Salesforce Sales Cloud, providing a native, intuitive UI that leverages Salesforce Lightning. Model N’s products are available on the Salesforce AppExchange and are easy to implement with Salesforce’s point-and-click tools.

Price Intelligence. This is Model N’s dynamic pricing module. It supports price waterfall, pricing trend analyses, price bands, and pricing scatter charts. It also provides pricing alerts for deviations from the norm. This feature can be especially useful in high-tech and pharma companies, where pricing is highly variable and dependent on market dynamics.

Contract lifecycle management. The platform supports a diverse library of contract types, including multi-currency and OEM contracts. You can use Model N for both your quoting and contracting processes — it facilitates a seamless deal desk handoff.

Deal and price management. Model N includes features for managing territories, securing pricing, and handling complex deals with sophisticated approval workflows. Only authorized personnel can access deal-specific pricing information, making it easy to maintain control and consistency across different regions and customer segments.

Channel partner management. The Channel Collaboration module acts as a partner portal that facilitates real-time data collection and standardization. This module helps manufacturers validate channel partner data, including inventory, POS, and end-customer price points. It also supports various incentive programs like ship & debit, rebates, and market development funds (MDFs).

Enterprise scalability. Built to handle enterprise-scale operations with global scalability, suitable for large, multinational corporations. Model N produces data-driven configurations, quotes, and contracts with an integrated flow, no matter how large or spread out the company is.

Companies using Model N CPQ and revenue management software enjoy several benefits, the most notable of which are:

• Accurate and real-time pricing data with Salesforce and SAP integration and the built-in Price Intelligence module
• Better customer experience through a system that supports intricate configurations and tailored quotes for complex products
• Consistent and efficient quoting processes for multinational corporations doing business around the world
• Higher deal sizes and win rates by providing powerful configuration tools and guided selling aids that maximize revenue potential
• Improved accuracy through end-to-end quote-to-order and quote-to-contract processes, with seamless handoffs between sales, deal desks, and fulfillment teams
• Greater sales productivity, since sales reps can focus more on selling and customer engagement than configuration and quoting
• Unrivaled pricing and quote security with robust workflows for discount, special pricing, and contract approvals and access control for sensitive deal info

1. Pharmaceuticals

Automated compliance and validation: Model N CPQ integrates compliance requirements into the quoting process, so all quotes your team produces will adhere to regulatory standards. This helps pharmaceutical companies avoid costly compliance breaches and maintain consistent documentation across global markets.

Flexible contract management system: The platform supports complex contract types such as pay-for-performance and risk-sharing agreements, which are prevalent in the pharmaceutical industry. That way, companies can create tailored agreements that meet specific market demands and regulatory requirements.

In-depth market analytics: Model N CPQ provides detailed analytics and insights into market trends, pricing strategies, and competitor activities. This data helps pharmaceutical companies make informed decisions on pricing and market entry strategies.

2. High-Tech

Advanced channel incentive management: Model N CPQ includes features for managing various channel incentives, such as MDF (Market Development Funds), co-op funds, and rebates. These tools ensure that incentives are tracked and optimized for maximum return on investment.

Deal Management for High Tech: The platform includes advanced deal management capabilities specifically tailored for the high-tech industry. Businesses selling advanced technology products can easily use Model N to manage complex deals, track deal performance, and optimize their profit margins.

Real-time inventory and supply chain integration: Integration with real-time inventory and supply chain data ensures that quotes are accurate and reflect current stock levels and supply chain constraints. This helps avoid over-promising and ensures timely delivery to buyers.

3. Medical Devices

Salesforce integration for field sales: Model N CPQ integrates seamlessly with Salesforce, providing medical device sales teams with mobile access to quoting tools. Field sales representatives can use the platform to generate accurate quotes on the go, enabling them to close deals without being at their office.

Localized pricing and compliance: The platform supports localized pricing strategies and compliance requirements, helping medical device companies navigate the diverse regulatory landscapes across different regions. This ensures every quote meets local pricing regulations and standards.

Comprehensive service agreements: Model N CPQ enables the creation and management of service agreements and warranties, which are critical in the medical device industry. This way, companies can always provide clear and detailed service terms, improving customer trust and satisfaction.

Model N offers hundreds of different features for different business types, sizes, and industries. Due to the intricate and customizable nature of the platform, the only way to know what it would cost for your business would be to request a quote from the sales team.

While Model N is certainly one of the most comprehensive and feature-rich CPQ solutions on the market, it’s best for large enterprises in the high-tech or medical device industries. For smaller businesses or companies in different industries, the functionality Model N offers will be misaligned with their everyday workflows.

Here’s a look at three different alternatives to Model N CPQ, each with its own unique features and advantages:

Top 3 Model N CPQ Alternatives

DealHub CPQ

DealHub is an all-encompassing quote-to-revenue platform that offers a suite of tools designed to streamline the sales process from quote to revenue. It integrates CPQ, CLM (contract lifecycle management), DealRoom (digital sales room), and billing functionalities into one unified platform. It’s designed for mid-sized to large businesses across various industries, with a particular focus on high-tech, SaaS, computer and security, and manufacturing companies.

Choose DealHub if you need an all-in-one platform that handles the entire quote-to-revenue process, including billing. Also pick DealHub if your team needs a no-code, easy-to-use solution that allows for quick implementation and minimal IT intervention. And, if you’re a SaaS company, DealHub’s quoting and subscription management tools suit you perfectly.

Oracle CPQ

Like Model N, Oracle CPQ is a comprehensive cloud-based solution that handles product selection, configuration, pricing, quoting, ordering, and approval workflows within a single platform. It’s best for mid-sized to large enterprises across various industries, particularly those with complex product offerings and sales processes. It is widely used in manufacturing, IT services, and telecom. Unlike Model N, Oracle CPQ offers deep integration with a wide range of ERP systems, including Oracle E-Business Suite, JD Edwards, SAP, Infor LN, and Microsoft. It also supports subscription-based and usage-based pricing.

If your business requires extensive integration with multiple ERP systems and needs to ensure seamless data flow between sales, finance, and production, Oracle CPQ is the stronger choice compared to Model N.

SAP CPQ

SAP CPQ is a comprehensive CPQ solution that integrates seamlessly with SAP’s ecosystem — SAP S/4HANA, SAP Sales Cloud, SAP Commerce Cloud, and other ERP and CRM systems. It’s primarily built for manufacturing, IT services, and telecommunications companies. And it caters to businesses that require complex product configurations, dynamic pricing models, and extensive integration capabilities. The platform offers advanced configuration options that support complex product setups and variant configurations. It uses pre-defined rules to ensure valid configurations, reducing errors and improving quote accuracy.

If your organization is already heavily invested in SAP solutions, choosing SAP CPQ will provide a more seamless integration experience. And, if you use subscriptions and usage-based pricing, SAP CPQ’s robust pricing engine and integration with billing systems will significantly enhance your quoting process.

Out of 9 reviews, Model N CPQ has a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars on Gartner Peer Insights. In their reviews, users note good support during implementation but that the solution is lacking flexibility and some critical functionality for the quote-to-order process.

The reviewers and customer demographics are as follows:

Reviewer’s Company Size

• <50M: 33%
• $50M-$1B: 11%
• $1B-$10B: 22%
• Over $10B: 33%

Reviewer’s Industry

• Hardware: 33%
• IT Services: 22%
• Manufacturing: 22%
• Insurance (except health): 11%
• Other: 11%

Reviewer’s Deployment Region

• North America: 29%
• Asia/Pacific: 29%
• Europe, Middle East, and Africa: 24%
• Latin America: 18%

Gartner Peer Insights affirms that Model N CPQ provides support during implementation but may require coding for customizations.

Andrew Parker

Andrew is a professional copywriter with expertise in creating content focused on business-to-business (B2B) software. He conducts research and produces articles that provide valuable insights and information to his readers.

Model N Overview

• 1Why this product is good
• 2Product Details
• 3What are the advantages of using CPQ?
• 4What industries are CPQ solutions best suited for?
• 5Prices
• 6Is there anyone else out there?
• 7Valuable Insight From Real Customers
• 8FAQs