Still Using Sales Cloud for Manufacturing? Here are 5 Signs It’s Time to Upgrade to Manufacturing Cloud
By Chris Cook, VP Global Sales & Manufacturing Practice at ForeFront
Sales Cloud is a powerful tool, but for most manufacturers it doesn’t go far enough.
It was built for traditional B2B sales cycles: opportunity, quote, close. Manufacturing is different. Revenue often comes from long-term relationships, volume commitments, and sales through complex partner networks. With disconnected systems and supply chain silos in the mix, Sales Cloud stops reflecting how manufacturers actually operate, and that’s when efficiency, visibility, and forecasting start to break down.
Here are five signs you’ve outgrown Sales Cloud and why it’s time to consider Manufacturing Cloud.
1. You can’t see run-rate revenue in your pipeline
Sales Cloud only shows revenue tied to open opportunities. But most manufacturers don’t create opportunities for every order, especially when revenue depends on ongoing customer demand, recurring shipments, or multi-tier supply chain commitments. That means your largest and most predictable sources of revenue never show up in the forecast. Without that visibility, you’re guessing instead of planning.
That’s why forecasting is such a pain point for so many manufacturers. Sales Cloud can only show you what’s quoted — not what’s actually happening. Manufacturing Cloud fills that gap by connecting account data, order history, and volume trends to give you a forecast you can trust. It’s something I explored more in this Q&A on solving manufacturing forecasting challenges.
2. Reps still rely on email, spreadsheets, and insider knowledge
Reps don’t avoid Salesforce because they’re resistant to change. They avoid it when it doesn’t give them what they need, like accurate pricing, agreement visibility, or a clear view of account performance.
One manufacturer we worked with had reps who rarely logged into Salesforce because the data wasn’t trustworthy. By realigning Salesforce with the way they sold, and gave them margin visibility and accurate forecasting, adoption returned. When the system works for them, reps want to use it.
3. Sales agreements still live in someone’s inbox
Reps don’t avoid Salesforce because they’re resistant to change. They avoid it when it doesn’t give them what they need, like accurate pricing, agreement visibility, or a clear view of account performance.
One manufacturer we worked with had reps who rarely logged into Salesforce because the data wasn’t trustworthy. By realigning Salesforce with the way they sold, and gave them margin visibility and accurate forecasting, adoption returned. When the system works for them, reps want to use it.
4. Your CRM isn’t connected to your ERP
Many manufacturers still manage pricing agreements and volume commitments offline. That might mean PDFs, spreadsheets, or contract folders. The result is a lack of accountability and margin leakage when customers don’t hit their targets.
At Lamons Manufacturing, quoting was built on tribal knowledge and disconnected systems. By introducing Manufacturing Cloud along with CPQ and B2B Commerce, they created a consistent process for configuring products, enforcing pricing logic, and tracking agreement performance. The result was faster quotes, fewer errors, and a better customer experience.
5. Your Salesforce investment doesn’t feel strategic
If Salesforce is only being used as a contact list or activity tracker, you’re not getting full value from your licenses. That’s the reality for many manufacturers on Sales Cloud. The system can log contacts and opportunities, but it doesn’t provide the forecasting, agreement tracking, or channel visibility leaders need.
Upgrading to Manufacturing Cloud changes the equation. It turns Salesforce into a strategic tool that reflects how manufacturers actually sell.
Forecasts become grounded in order history, agreements are enforced, and distributors can be measured against performance goals. With that structure in place, Einstein and Agentforce extend the value even further by providing predictive insights, next-best actions, and proactive service capabilities.
Manufacturing Cloud turns Salesforce into a growth engine
If Salesforce feels disconnected from how your manufacturing business operates, it probably is. Sales Cloud was built for traditional sales cycles, not the recurring orders, complex agreements, and multi-channel relationships that define manufacturing. That mismatch is why so many manufacturers see Salesforce as overhead rather than a business driver.
Manufacturing Cloud changes that. It connects revenue to agreements, ties forecasts to order history, and brings channel performance into focus. By integrating ERP data, it transforms Salesforce into a system leaders and reps can trust to reflect the reality of the business.
That trusted foundation also makes it possible to take advantage of what comes next. With Manufacturing Cloud properly implemented and integrated, Salesforce AI tools like Einstein and Agentforce can deliver meaningful insights. They can summarize account activity, highlight risk in key relationships, and recommend next steps that help teams serve customers more effectively.
Chris Cook is VP of ForeFront’s Global Sales & Manufacturing Practice. With nearly two decades of experience in manufacturing, including eight years leading Salesforce initiatives at a global manufacturer, Chris brings a hands-on understanding of the challenges manufacturers face. Want to learn more about how Chris (and ForeFront) help manufacturers modernize forecasting, quoting, and sales operations with Salesforce Manufacturing Cloud? Explore our solutions here.
