This CPQ update significantly streamlines the process of uploading custom attributes from RFQ/BOM files by automatically mapping line-item-level custom attributes directly into the application, eliminating manual post-upload configuration. It ensures data integrity by validating uploaded values against predefined sets and applies configured default behaviors for invalid entries, while seamlessly integrating these attributes into List View, filter functionalities, context-dependent values, and PDF exports. Additionally, the "Sales Person" field in PDF exports has been renamed to "Quote Owner" for improved consistency.
Upload Custom Attributes From RFQ
CPQ now allows users to include Custom Attribute values directly in their BOM/RFQ files and map them into the application during the quote upload process.
With this enhancement, any Custom Attribute assigned to the line item layer of CPQ is automatically surfaced as a mappable column in the Mapping step of the Create New Quote upload flow.
Once mapped, uploaded attribute values are applied directly to the corresponding Custom Attributes fields in List View, eliminating the need for post-upload manual configuration.
No additional admin configuration is required to enable this feature - it activates automatically when Custom Attributes are assigned specifically to the line item layer of CPQ. Note that CPQ will not support the ability to map in other Custom Attributes that are associated with any other layer of our solution.
Valid Values
CPQ enforces that only valid Custom Attribute values are accepted during the upload mapping process. Valid values are those explicitly defined in the Custom Attributes section of System Settings for each respective attribute.
Values not present in the defined set are treated as invalid and the configured Default Value behavior specified in Attribute Assignment section of the System Settings page is applied instead.
For the Sales Organization attribute, valid values are restricted to Sales Organization IDs (the numeric ID field) as configured in the Sales Organizations section of System Settings. Sales Organization names or other identifiers are not accepted as valid values for this attribute.
Mapping Step
During the Mapping step of the Create New Quote upload flow, CPQ now automatically adds a dedicated column for each Custom Attribute that has been assigned to the line item layer.
For example, consider this sample BOM with Custom Attributes Level and Manufacturing Site:
When this file is selected during the Create New Quote process, the Custom Attributes will appear to the left of Custom Column 1 and the column headers will match the attribute names exactly as they appear in the Attribute Assignment table in System Settings (e.g., a Custom Attribute named Level appears as Level in the Mapping step).
When a user opens the column dropdown, they can select the name of the Custom Attribute they wish to map and associate values from their uploaded file to that attribute. This follows the same interaction pattern as all other column mappings in the upload flow.
This behavior is automatic - there is no setting that administrators need to enable. As soon as Custom Attributes are associated with the line item layer in System Settings, they will appear as available columns in the Mapping step.
List View: Custom Attributes Population
Upon completing the upload, CPQ uses the mapped Custom Attribute values to populate the corresponding fields in the Custom Attributes tab of the Show Quoted Details Side Panel in List View. Users will see their uploaded attribute values reflected immediately without any manual selection required after the list loads.
If the uploaded value for a Custom Attribute is Valid - meaning it matches one of the explicitly defined values for that attribute in the Custom Attributes System Settings page - it is applied directly to the field, overriding any Default Value configured in the Attribute Assignment table.
If an uploaded Custom Attribute value is Invalid or does not exist in the defined value set, CPQ falls back to the Default Value behavior configured for that attribute in the Attribute Assignment table. For example, if an attribute is configured with a Default Value of Inherit, the inherited value will be applied. If the Default Value is set to None, the field will remain unset. No errors or validation messages are displayed in this release when invalid values are encountered during upload.
Filter Toolbar
Upon initial upload, when Custom Attribute values are loaded into a list, the Filter Toolbar counts in List View correctly reflect the uploaded attribute values.
Users can immediately filter their line items by the uploaded Custom Attribute values without needing to refresh or reload the list.
Context-Dependent Values
If Context-Dependent Values are configured for an account, Custom Attributes uploaded from an RFQ will continue to drive downstream field values as expected.
CPQ uses the uploaded Custom Attribute values to look up any associated Context-Dependent Values and populates those values in the corresponding locations in List View.
This ensures that the full downstream behavior of Custom Attributes is preserved when their values are supplied via file upload rather than manual selection or default value application.
PDF Export
Custom Attribute values uploaded via the RFQ mapping flow are fully reflected in PDF Exports. If line item level Custom Attributes are selected in the Fields configuration of a PDF quote template:
The values mapped during upload will appear correctly in both the PDF Preview and the downloaded PDF quote. This behavior is consistent with how Custom Attributes set manually in List View appear in PDF exports:
PDF Export Quote Owner
We’ve changed the name of the previous Sales Person field in the quote header section of PDF Exports to Quote Owner to more accurately reflect the information in List View page: