The verdict in three sentences
When a complex quote takes 2 days, a manufacturer loses deals to competitors who reply within the hour. A SaaS CPQ (80 to 150 EUR per user per month) suits standard catalogues, while a custom configurator (40,000 to 90,000 EUR excluding VAT in the Amsterdam market) pays off once compatibility and pricing rules are specific to your production. Either way, the realistic target is a 30-minute quote and a win-rate increase of 15 to 25%.
SaaS CPQ or custom: the numbers
Market CPQs (Salesforce CPQ, PROS, Tacton, Experlogix) are powerful but built for catalogues that can be modelled through configuration. Window frames, kitchens, special machinery or steel structures often have dimensional rules that configuration handles poorly.
| Criterion | SaaS CPQ | Custom configurator |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 20,000 to 70,000 EUR integration | 40,000 to 90,000 EUR |
| Recurring cost | 80 to 150 EUR / user / month | 4,000 to 11,000 EUR / year (maintenance + hosting) |
| 5-year cost, 15 users | 92,000 to 205,000 EUR | 60,000 to 145,000 EUR |
| Complex dimensional rules | Limited, costly custom scripts | Native, coded from your engineering tables |
| Go-live | 3 to 6 months | 10 to 16 weeks |
| ERP integration (Exact, AFAS, SAP Business One) | Connectors often extra | Dedicated connector in the specification |
| End-customer access (B2B online) | Extra licences | Portal included, no per-user fee |
Beyond 10 sales reps and specific business rules, custom is usually cheaper over 5 years. Under 5 users with a simple catalogue, SaaS remains the sensible choice.
What a good configurator must handle
Budget depends on the number of product families and the depth of rules. Here are the building blocks and their indicative weight in a 2026 Dutch project.
| Block | Role | Share of budget | Range excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compatibility rules engine | Block impossible combinations (dimensions, glazing, hardware) | 25 to 30% | 10,000 to 27,000 EUR |
| Pricing engine | Material and labour rates, customer discounts, margin floor | 15 to 20% | 6,000 to 18,000 EUR |
| Quote PDF generation | Layout, dimensioned drawings, T&Cs, e-signature | 10 to 15% | 4,000 to 13,000 EUR |
| Bill of materials and work order | Hand-off to the shop floor without re-keying | 10 to 15% | 4,000 to 13,000 EUR |
| ERP and CRM connector | Sync customers, items, orders | 10 to 15% | 4,000 to 13,000 EUR |
| Sales interface and approvals | Screens, discount-exception workflow | 15 to 20% | 6,000 to 18,000 EUR |
The rules engine is the heart of the project: it must be editable by the product team without a developer, otherwise every new window model becomes an invoice.
KPIs to track after go-live
- Average response time to a price request (target: under 24 h, the quote itself in 30 minutes).
- Pricing error rate caught on the shop floor (target: under 1%).
- Quote-to-order conversion rate.
- Margin-floor compliance on discounts granted.
Mini case study
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Pieter, sales director of an aluminium window-frame manufacturer near Amsterdam (85 staff), runs 12 sales reps and an engineering office that prices 1,400 quotes a year. Each complex quote takes 6 hours of engineer time at a loaded 55 EUR per hour, or 462,000 EUR a year of quoting time.
With a custom configurator at 72,000 EUR and 7,500 EUR a year of maintenance, time drops to 45 minutes per quote, freeing about 400,000 EUR worth of time for higher-value engineering. Win rate rises from 22% to 26% on an average order of 9,000 EUR, adding 50,000 EUR of revenue a year. Payback comes in under 6 months.
FAQ
Can we start with a single product range?
Yes, it is actually recommended. A first phase on the best-selling range costs 40,000 to 50,000 EUR and delivers 60 to 70% of the value in 10 weeks.
Can reps use it in meetings, on a tablet?
Yes. The interface is responsive and can work offline with sync when back online, an option at 5,000 to 10,000 EUR.
Can our dealer customers configure on their own?
A B2B portal with their negotiated discounts adds 10,000 to 18,000 EUR. With SaaS you would often pay a licence per dealer.
Who updates prices and rules?
Your product team, through an admin interface. An annual price update takes 1 to 2 hours via file import.
Let's scope your project. Send us a sample quote and your price lists: we will price your configurator, indicative budget 40,000 to 90,000 EUR, go-live in 10 to 16 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.