What is a product configurator?

Here's how a product configurator works.

A product configurator uses decision logic: a set of rules that determines which options can be combined. If you select a certain material, some sizes are automatically ruled out. If you choose a more powerful motor, the system requires a sturdier frame. These conditional rules prevent impossible combinations from being created. At the same time, the configurator calculates a new price for each choice in real time and compiles the corresponding bill of materials, which lists the required parts.

This system is called CPQ, short for Configure, Price, Quote: configuring, pricing, and quoting all in one step. The buyer reviews the options, immediately sees the cost of each choice, and ends up with a valid, priced configuration. No more emails to the production floor asking if something can be ordered that way. What the buyer sees on the screen is exactly what goes into production.

The difference from a quote form.

A product configurator and a quote form may look similar, but they serve fundamentally different purposes. A form collects input and forwards it to the sales department, where someone manually verifies that the request is correct and looks up a price. A configurator does that work itself. It validates the combination as you select options and calculates the price immediately.

As a result, errors are caught upfront rather than surfacing only during the review process. A buyer cannot order a window with two hardware options that are mutually exclusive, nor can they select a machine whose motor does not fit the frame. With a form, such an error usually only comes to light when someone reviews the request—or worse, not until it reaches production. A product configurator simply makes it impossible to make the wrong choice.

Types of product configurators.

There isn't just one type of product configurator. Which one is right for you depends on your product, your customers, and how visual or technical the selection process is. These are the four types you'll encounter most often.

2D and visual configurator.

For simple products, a 2D rendering is sufficient. The buyer can change colors, patterns, or parts and see the result as a flat image. This works well for printed materials, textiles, or products with simple shapes.

3D Product Configurator and AR.

For products where the three-dimensional shape matters—such as window frames, furniture, or modular machines—a 3D configurator displays the assembled product as a rotatable model in the browser. Augmented Reality takes it a step further: using a phone’s camera, the buyer can project the product into their own space as a final check before placing an order.

CPQ, oftewel Configure, Price, Quote.

CPQ is the driving force behind any serious product configurator. This layer manages which options can be combined, which are mutually exclusive, and how the price is calculated for each combination. For complex products with tiered pricing, discounts, and exceptions, this is the difference between a toy and a functional sales tool.

Guided selling and decision support.

Does your customer not know exactly what they need? In that case, a decision-making guide will help them find the right product by asking them a series of questions. This is especially useful for technical products where the customer may not be familiar with the technical jargon but does know what their problem is.

The Benefits of a Product Configurator.

The biggest advantage is speed. A quote process that used to take days is now reduced to minutes, because the buyer configures the order themselves and the quote is generated automatically. In addition, configuration errors are eliminated because the system only allows valid combinations: there is no longer any discrepancy between what was sold and what is delivered.

There’s also value in conversion. A buyer who can immediately see what something costs and what it offers is less likely to walk away than someone who has to wait for a quote. Furthermore, it reduces the pressure on sales and support, since the configurator itself answers many recurring questions about options. And finally, every configuration generates data: you can see which combinations are popular and where buyers drop off—information you can use to improve your product lineup and your sales flow.

Integrations with ERP, PIM, and CAD.

A standalone product configurator results in duplicate work. Each configuration still has to be manually entered into your order system, and every price change has to be updated in two places. A configurator that integrates with your existing systems handles this automatically.

A integration with your ERP automatically converts an approved configuration into a sales or production order, reserves inventory, and prepares the invoice. A PIM system—the central source of your product information—ensures that prices and specifications are consistent across all platforms as soon as you update them in one place. And for technical products, a configurator integrates with your CAD environment, so the drawing automatically updates based on the buyer’s selections. Cube builds these integrations with systems such as AFAS, Exact, and SAP.

Custom solution or plugin?

Not every organization needs a custom solution. An off-the-shelf plugin works just fine for a handful of variants and a linear pricing structure: choose A, add B to that, and you’re done. The limitations become apparent as soon as the logic gets more complicated.

Do you have conditional rules, mutually exclusive options, volume discounts, or deep integrations with your ERP and CAD systems? If so, a plugin will eventually hit its own limitations, or licensing costs will pile up as your needs grow. At that point, a custom product configurator becomes the logical choice: built around your product range and pricing rules, with no lock-in and no limit on the number of product lines.

When you need a product configurator.

There are a few signs that indicate you need a product configurator. Your product has so many combinations that no one can remember them all by heart anymore. Your sales team is constantly answering the same selection questions. Products are being returned because the specifications were incorrect. Or your quoting process is so manual that it’s holding back your growth.

Does that sound familiar? If so, a configurator can provide peace of mind almost immediately. The rule of thumb: it’s worth it once you have about ten realistic combinations, or as soon as errors and wait times start costing money.

A Product Configurator in Practice.

For client Direct Een Kozijn, Cube built a window frame configurator with SVG renders, linked to a Data Management Platform. Buyers can immediately see what they’re putting together, while the underlying system manages products, orders, quotes, and roles. The quotation process, which used to be done manually, now runs largely on its own. Check out the window frame configurator for Direct Een Kozijn for the full story.