How to Manage Affiliate Payouts and Commissions
Affiliate payouts are the amounts distributed to affiliates for each sale made through their efforts. This article will guide you through how commissions are tracked and how to manage payouts efficiently within the Affiliate Manager.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key Points to Note:
- Payout Terms
- Supported Payout Terms:
- How to Navigate the Payouts Tab
- How Are Payouts Generated?
- How Do Commissions Work?
- What's Next
Key Points to Note:
- Commission Tracking: Commissions are tracked through sales processed via Stripe. However, the system does not automatically track refunds for one-time products or subscriptions.
- Subscription Cancellations: Choose a payout term that aligns with your refund or chargeback window. Available payout terms range from NET-7 through NET-90, with commissions becoming due based on the selected number of days after the month ends.
- One-Time and Recurring Commissions: Commissions can be one-time or recurring, depending on the product sold through Stripe.
- Coupons and Discounts: If a discount is applied during checkout, the commission is calculated based on the discounted amount.
Payout Terms
Payout terms let you set a delay between when a commission is earned and when it’s paid out — ideal for businesses with refund windows. For example, if you offer 30-day refunds, you can set a NET-30 payout to ensure commissions are only paid after that period.
Supported Payout Terms:
- NET-7 – 7 days after month end
- NET-15 – 15 days after month end
- NET-30 – 30 days after month end
- NET-45 – 45 days after month end
- NET-60 – 60 days after month end
- NET-90 – 90 days after month end
You can configure payout terms in:
- Campaign > Additional Settings
- Global Settings
- Affiliates can view the payout term inside their portal.
How to Navigate the Payouts Tab
When you access the Payouts screen, you can see different tabs representing each stage of the payout lifecycle. The Processing and Failed tabs appear only when at least one payout exists in those statuses.
- Pending:
- Displays all pending payouts for each campaign, organized month-wise.
- Affiliate owners review and approve eligible affiliate payouts by clicking on the three dots to see the breakdown at the campaign and month levels.
- If a payout isn’t applicable, the owner can select Deny Payout, moving the entry to the "Denied Payout" tab.
- Displays all pending payouts for each campaign, organized month-wise.
- Approved for Payout:
- Once payouts are approved in the Pending tab, they move to Approved for Payout. From here, you can process eligible payouts using PayPal Auto Payouts or use a manual payment method such as bank transfer. After completing a manual payment, mark the payout as Paid in Chat To Clients CRM.
- You can also move a payout back to Pending if needed.
- Note: Processing a payout requires the Pay Affiliate Manager Payout permission. Users without payout permission do not see the payout action.
- Once payouts are approved in the Pending tab, they move to Approved for Payout. From here, you can process eligible payouts using PayPal Auto Payouts or use a manual payment method such as bank transfer. After completing a manual payment, mark the payout as Paid in Chat To Clients CRM.
- Processing:
- Displays PayPal payouts that have been submitted but are still being processed by the payment provider.|
- This tab appears only when at least one payout is still in progress.
- Chat To Clients CRM automatically re-checks the payout status after submission.
- Displays PayPal payouts that have been submitted but are still being processed by the payment provider.|
- Paid:
- Lists all affiliates who have received their payouts, along with the transaction date. Payouts in this tab cannot be modified—this is the final status.
- Lists all affiliates who have received their payouts, along with the transaction date. Payouts in this tab cannot be modified—this is the final status.
- Denied Payouts:
- If a payout is manually denied, it appears here. Payouts can be denied from the Pending or Approved for Payout tabs. Payouts can be denied from the Pending or Approved for Payout tabs.
- If a payout is manually denied, it appears here. Payouts can be denied from the Pending or Approved for Payout tabs. Payouts can be denied from the Pending or Approved for Payout tabs.
- Failed:
- Displays PayPal payouts that could not be completed after submission.
- The failure reason appears when available.
- This tab appears only when at least one failed payout exists.
- Use Retry Payment to return the payout to Approved for Payout, where the payment can be attempted again.
- Displays PayPal payouts that could not be completed after submission.
Note: Retry Payment does not immediately send the payout. It only moves the payout back to Approved for Payout.
How Are Payouts Generated?
Payouts are generated in the Pending tab on the 1st of every month. Each payout shows a "Due" date, reflecting when the affiliate should be paid, based on the terms set in the campaign configuration.
This system provides flexibility by allowing payouts to be approved and paid at a later date, accommodating potential issues such as refunds.
How Do Commissions Work?
Commissions are the foundation of payouts. Affiliates earn a commission whenever a sale is made through their unique link. The commission an affiliate earns depends on the commission settings configured for the campaign. Campaigns can support one-time or recurring commissions, and additional commission rules may apply based on the campaign configuration.
Understanding how commissions are tied to affiliate payouts ensures smooth payout management and transparency in affiliate marketing efforts.
With these steps, you'll be able to efficiently track, manage, and complete payouts for your affiliates while ensuring all commission terms are accurately followed.