Commissions
Commissions represent payment structures that organizations establish for partners who successfully refer deals or generate revenue within the Journeybee platform.
What You'll Learn
How to create and configure commission structures
Understanding commission types (One-Off, Recurring, Split)
Setting up multi-stage payment entries for complex commission scenarios
Configuring payment triggers based on deal stages and custom fields
Managing partner-specific commission filters
Prerequisites
Admin access to your Journeybee organization
At least one partner type enabled (Referral, Reseller, or Distributor)
Deal stages configured for your partner types
Commission Types
Journeybee supports three main commission calculation types:
Fixed Amount
A flat rate paid regardless of deal size. This is useful for standardized referral fees where you want to pay a consistent amount per closed deal.
Example: $500 per closed deal, regardless of the deal value.
Percentage
Commissions calculated as a percentage of the deal value. The commission scales automatically based on the transaction size.
Example: 10% of a $10,000 deal yields $1,000 in commission.
Scaling
Scaling commissions allow you to set different commission rates based on a custom field value. This approach works well for:
Product tiers
Deal size categories
Partner performance levels
Each tier can be configured as either fixed or percentage-based.
Important: Custom Select fields are required for scaling commissions. You must first create a select-type custom field before configuring scaling tiers.
Commission Structures
Different partner types typically use different commission structures:
Referral Partners: Typically 5-15% for introductions
Reseller Partners: Higher rates with tiered options by deal size
Recurring Commissions: Lower percentages for ongoing subscription cycles
Creating a Commission
Navigate to Settings > Commissions
Click Add Commission and select the partner type
Configure the commission details:
Label: A descriptive name for the commission
Currency: The currency for commission payments
Filters: Optionally restrict to specific categories, tiers, or partners
Multi-Stage Payment Entries
One of the most powerful features in Journeybee's commission system is the ability to create multiple payment entries within a single commission. This allows you to split payments across different stages of the deal lifecycle.
What are Payment Entries?
A payment entry defines when and how a commission payment is triggered. Each entry consists of:
Payment Stage: The deal stage that triggers this payment
Payment Custom Field (optional): An additional boolean field that must be true for the payment to trigger
Payment Type: One-Off, Recurring, or Split calculation
Rate/Amount: The commission value (fixed amount, percentage, or scaling configuration)
Adding Multiple Payment Entries
To create a multi-stage commission:
Open the commission editor sidebar
In the Calculation section, click Add payment entry
Configure each entry:
Select the Payment Stage that triggers this entry
Optionally select a Payment Custom Field for additional validation
Choose the Payment Type (One-Off, Recurring, or Split)
Set the rate or amount for this entry
Tip: You can add as many payment entries as needed. Each entry will be tracked separately with its own payment records.
Example: Two-Stage Commission
A common use case is paying an initial commission when a deal is won, then paying a follow-up commission after successful implementation:
Entry 1 - Initial Payment
Payment Stage: "Closed Won"
Payment Type: One-Off
Rate: 5% of deal value
Entry 2 - Implementation Bonus
Payment Stage: "Implemented"
Payment Type: One-Off
Rate: 5% of deal value
This structure ensures partners receive 5% when the deal closes and an additional 5% once the customer is successfully onboarded.
Using Custom Fields as Payment Triggers
For more control over when payments are triggered, you can require a boolean custom field to be set to true in addition to reaching the payment stage:
Create a boolean custom field (e.g., "Invoice Paid" or "Contract Signed")
In the payment entry, select this field under Payment Custom Field
The payment will only be created when both:
The deal reaches the specified stage
The custom field is set to true
This is useful for scenarios where you need additional verification before releasing commission payments.
Payment Types Explained
One-Off Payments
A single payment triggered when conditions are met.
Options:
Fixed: A specific amount (e.g., $500)
Percentage: A percentage of the deal value (e.g., 10%)
Scaling: Variable amount based on a custom field selection
Recurring Payments
Multiple payments spread over time after the trigger conditions are met.
Configuration:
Rate: Fixed amount or percentage per occurrence
Recurring Period: Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, or Yearly
Number of Occurrences: How many payments to create
Example: A 12-month recurring commission at 2% monthly would create 12 scheduled payments, each worth 2% of the deal value.
Split Payments
A combination of one-off and recurring payments in a single entry.
Configuration:
One-Off Component: Initial payment settings
Recurring Component: Ongoing payment settings
Example: Pay 10% upfront as a one-off, then 1% monthly for 12 months as recurring revenue share.
Reseller-Specific Options
When configuring commissions for reseller partners, additional options are available:
Payment Direction
Choose whether commissions are paid:
To Company: Your organization pays the reseller (vendor pays reseller model)
To Partner: The reseller pays your organization (reseller margin model)
Expiration Days
Set the number of days before a deal expires. This is useful for time-limited reseller opportunities where deals must close within a specific window.
Commission Filters
You can restrict which partners receive a specific commission by applying filters:
Categories
Select one or more partner categories. Only partners in these categories will be eligible for this commission.
Tiers
If you've selected categories, you can further filter by partner tiers within those categories.
Specific Partners
Alternatively, select specific partner companies. You can:
Choose individual partners
Use "Select All" to apply to all partners of this type
Mix and match as needed
Note: If no filters are applied, the commission applies to all partners of the selected partner type.
Viewing Commission Details on Deals
When viewing a deal, the Commission tab displays:
All configured payment entries
The payment stage and custom field triggers for each entry
The calculated commission value for each entry
The total commission value across all entries
Partners and admins can edit commission entries directly on deals if they have the appropriate permissions.
Common Issues
Commission not calculating
Problem: The total commission value shows as zero or doesn't update.
Solution:
Ensure the deal has a value set
Verify at least one payment entry is configured
Check that the commission type and rate are properly set
For scaling commissions, ensure the associated custom field has a value selected
Payments not being created
Problem: The deal reached the payment stage but no payment record was created.
Solution:
Verify the correct payment stage is selected in the entry
If a payment custom field is configured, ensure it's set to true
Check that the deal value is greater than zero
Confirm the commission applies to this partner (check filters)
Multiple entries showing the same payment stage
Problem: You have multiple entries triggering on the same stage.
Solution: This is valid and supported. Each entry will create separate payment records when the stage is reached. Ensure this is your intended behavior.
Best Practices
Name commissions clearly: Use descriptive labels that indicate the partner type, rate, and conditions
Start simple: Begin with single-entry commissions before implementing complex multi-stage structures
Document your stages: Ensure your sales team understands which deal stages trigger commission payments
Use custom fields strategically: Boolean custom fields provide excellent control for conditional payments
Review regularly: Periodically audit commission structures to ensure they align with your partnership agreements
Test with a sample deal: Before rolling out a new commission structure, test it with a sample deal to verify calculations
Critical Notes
Only admin users can create and modify commission structures
Changes to commissions do not retroactively affect existing deals
Commission calculations trigger automatically when deals reach payment stages
Custom Select fields are required for scaling commissions