Introduction

StrataVAR Partner Quoting Workspace (PqW) is a quoting solution designed to help Value Added Resellers (VARs) efficiently transform vendor Bills of Materials (BoMs) into accurate, customer-ready quotes.

PqW supports VARs operating in complex multi-vendor environments, where pricing, discounts, margins, and approval workflows must be managed consistently across different suppliers and distributors.

StrataVAR PqW supports integrations with Cisco Commerce Workspace (CCW) as well as multiple other vendors and distribution partners.

The platform is designed to work for both Tier-1 VARs (who purchase directly from vendors such as Cisco) and Tier-2 VARs (who procure through distributors like Ingram, TD SYNNEX, Westcon, Arrow, and others).

PqW also supports file-based BoM imports for vendors or suppliers that do not have direct API integrations.

What PqW Helps You Do

Using PQW, sales and quoting teams can:

• Import BoMs from vendors or distributors (via API or files)
• Assemble one or more BoMs into a single container quote
• Apply pricing rules, discounts, margins, and credits
• Assign suppliers and shipping details
• Review, adjust, and validate quote calculations
• Export finalized quotes in customer-ready formats
• Import vendor sales orders after quote approval

Where does PqW fit in the workflow?

PqW is used after a sales opportunity is identified and before a customer-facing quote is finalized. It is launched from a Container Quote in Salesforce and provides the workspace where vendor and distributor BoMs are reviewed, assembled, priced, and validated before being shared with the customer or processed further.

This positions PqW as the central quoting workspace within the broader sales process, bridging vendor inputs and customer-ready outputs.

High-Level Quote to Customer Workflow

At a high level, the PQW workflow follows these steps:

1. Bills of Materials (BoM) Import
Bring vendor or distributor BoMs into PqW using API integrations (for example, Cisco CCW or distributors) or file uploads (Excel, PDF).

2. Customer Quote Creation And Assembly
Create a PqW quote linked to an Account and Opportunity, which acts as a container for all BoMs and quote items. Add complete BoMs or selected BoM items to the quote. Combine items from different sources (API, distributor, or file-based BoMs) as needed.

3. Pricing and Calculations
Review and adjust pricing, discounts, margins, credits, subscription terms, and quantities.

4. Supplier and Shipping Assignment
Assign suppliers and Ship-To details at the item level.

5. Review and Approval
Validate totals, margins, and calculations before submitting the quote for approval.

6. Quote Export
Export the finalized quote in Excel or PDF formats for customer sharing.

7. Vendor Sales Order (Optional)
After approval, import vendor sales orders if the module is enabled.

Each of these steps is explained in detail in the articles that follow.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you should understand:

• What StrataVAR PqW is and who it is designed for
• How PQW supports multi-vendor and distributor-based quoting
• Where PQW fits in the overall Quote to Customer process
• What high-level steps are involved from BoM import to quote export

You should now be ready to begin working with PQW using the step-by-step articles that follow.

Related Articles

To get started with PQW, review the following articles:

• Glossary and Key Terms – Understand commonly used PqW terminology
• How to Access and Navigate the PqW Interface – Learn how to launch PqW from Salesforce
• Understanding the PqW Dashboard – Get familiar with the main views and navigation
• Overview: PqW BoM Import Methods (API & File) – Learn how BoMs are brought into PqW