HubSpot CPQ Quotes: Can You Really Customize Them?
Customizing HubSpot CPQ Quotes: A Community Deep Dive
Ever tried wrestling HubSpot's CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) quote templates to perfectly match your brand? You're not alone! A recent discussion in the HubSpot Community highlights the challenges of applying custom CSS styling to CPQ quotes, and it's a topic that resonates with many HubSpot users.
The Question: Custom CSS and CPQ Quotes – A Mismatch?
Technix, the original poster, wanted to migrate a custom-branded quote template from Legacy Quotes to CPQ Quotes. They had a slick setup in Legacy Quotes with custom fonts, brand colors, a gradient header, custom object integration for shipping addresses, and even auto MOQ notes for specific SKUs. The goal? Replicate that branding within CPQ Quotes.
They tried a couple of approaches, hitting some roadblocks along the way:
Attempt 1: Custom HubL Template
- Created a custom coded template similar to their legacy version.
- Result: CPQ quotes didn't render it, showing either a blank template or the default HubSpot styling.
Attempt 2: Hybrid Approach
This involved extracting CSS to a child.css file and wrapping CPQ modules with custom classes, like so:
{% module "quote_header" path="@hubspot/quote_header" %}
{% module "quote_line_items" path="@hubspot/quote_line_items" %}
Result: Modules still rendered with default HubSpot styling; the custom CSS didn't apply.
Technix then posed some key questions:
- Is it possible to apply custom CSS to CPQ quote templates?
- Can we use custom HubL code in CPQ templates?
- Is the hybrid approach valid?
- What's the recommended path for custom-branded quotes + CPQ functionality?
The Answer: Limitations of CPQ Customization
BérangèreL from the HubSpot Community team confirmed the unfortunate reality: CPQ quotes don't allow for direct code-level changes. They are built on a standardized template system.
Specifically:
- Custom CSS in CPQ templates: Not supported.
- Custom HubL in CPQ templates: Not supported; CPQ uses a visual builder and UI-based approach only.
- Hybrid solutions: Wrapping CPQ modules in custom CSS won't work.
The available options for custom-branded quotes with CPQ functionality are limited to the UI-based customization settings within HubSpot.
So, if you need advanced custom branding or custom object logic, Legacy Quotes remains the better choice for now.
In summary:
| Custom HubL templates | ✅ Yes | ❌ No? |
| Custom CSS styling | ✅ Yes | ❓ Unclear |
| Quote Approvals | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
ESHOPMAN Team Comment
This HubSpot Community thread highlights a common frustration: the desire for more control over branding in CPQ quotes. While HubSpot's visual builder offers some customization, it's not enough for businesses with highly specific branding requirements. For those users, sticking with Legacy Quotes or exploring third-party apps that offer deeper customization might be the best solution. We believe HubSpot should prioritize enhancing the design flexibility of CPQ quotes in future updates.
So, while you can't go wild with custom CSS in CPQ quotes, don't despair! Explore the UI-based options, and if those don't cut it, consider Legacy Quotes or third-party solutions to achieve your desired level of branding. And keep an eye on HubSpot's updates—hopefully, more customization options are on the horizon!