Partner Management

Overview

Partner Management in SalesOS provides a complete platform for managing your indirect sales channel. From initial partner recruitment through deal registration, co-selling, and performance tracking, the system gives both your internal partner team and external partners the tools they need to collaborate effectively and drive mutual revenue.

The partner ecosystem is a critical growth lever for many organizations. SalesOS treats partners as first-class participants in the sales process, with dedicated portal access, deal visibility controls, and integrated compensation tracking that ensures partners are properly credited and motivated.

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Partner Types

SalesOS supports multiple partner categories, each with distinct capabilities, expectations, and program structures.

Custom Partner Types

Organizations can define additional partner types at Settings > Partners > Types with custom fields, workflows, and commission structures specific to each category.

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Partner Onboarding

A structured onboarding process ensures partners are properly vetted, equipped, and ready to represent your organization.

Partner Invitation

1. Navigate to Partners > Invite Partner.
2. Enter the partner company name and primary contact email.
3. Select the proposed partner type and tier.
4. Attach any relevant notes or context about the relationship.
5. Click Send Invitation.

The partner contact receives an email invitation to create their portal account and begin the onboarding workflow.

Onboarding Workflow Stages

Partner Profile

During onboarding, partners provide:

• Company information (size, revenue, locations, specializations)
• Key contacts (sales, technical, executive sponsor)
• Certifications and competencies
• Customer references
• Geographic coverage
• Industry vertical focus
• Existing technology partnerships
• Capacity and growth plans

Partner Agreement

The agreement module supports:

• Template-based agreements with configurable terms
• Digital signature integration (DocuSign, Adobe Sign)
• Version control for agreement amendments
• Automated renewal reminders
• Territory and exclusivity clauses
• Non-compete and non-solicitation terms

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Deal Registration

Deal registration allows partners to register opportunities they have identified, securing their position and commission rights on those deals.

Submitting a Deal Registration

Partners submit registrations through the partner portal:

1. Click Register a Deal in the partner portal.
2. Enter customer company name and contact information.
3. Describe the opportunity (product interest, estimated value, timeline).
4. Specify the partner's role and expected contribution.
5. Submit for review.

Registration Fields

Registration Review Process

1. Auto-screening: System checks for conflicts (existing opportunities, other registrations for the same customer).
2. Partner Manager review: Assigned partner manager evaluates the registration.
3. Approval/Rejection: Registration is approved, rejected, or returned for more information.
4. Notification: Partner is notified of the decision with explanation if rejected.

Conflict Resolution

When multiple partners register the same opportunity:

Registration Validity

• Default validity period: 90 days (configurable per partner type and tier).
• Extensions can be requested with justification.
• Expired registrations release the opportunity for other partners or direct sales.
• Automatic reminders sent at 30 days and 7 days before expiration.

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Co-Selling Workspace

For deals where both the vendor and partner collaborate actively, the co-selling workspace provides shared visibility and coordination tools.

Workspace Features

Visibility Controls

Administrators configure what partners can see:

• Full transparency: Partner sees all deal details including internal notes.
• Selective sharing: Partner sees only approved fields and documents.
• Summary only: Partner sees stage, next steps, and close date without amounts or details.

Configure default visibility at Settings > Partners > Co-Sell Visibility and override per partner type or individual deal.

Joint Account Planning

For strategic partnerships, the co-selling workspace supports formal account planning:

• Shared target account lists
• Joint value propositions per account
• Resource commitment tracking
• Quarterly business review (QBR) agenda and notes
• Mutual success metrics and KPIs

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Partner Tiers and Levels

Tiered programs incentivize partner investment and reward performance with increasing benefits.

Default Tier Structure

Tier Configuration

Customize tiers at Settings > Partners > Tier Program:

• Define tier names, requirements, and benefits.
• Set automatic promotion/demotion rules based on performance metrics.
• Configure grace periods for partners at risk of demotion.
• Set review cadence (quarterly, semi-annually, annually).

Tier Progression

SalesOS tracks each partner's progress toward the next tier:

• Revenue attainment against tier threshold
• Certification completion status
• Customer satisfaction scores
• Deal registration activity levels
• Training completion percentage

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Partner Portal Access

Partners access a dedicated portal with self-service capabilities appropriate to their role and tier.

Portal Capabilities

Portal Branding

Partners see a branded experience:

• Your company logo and colors
• Partner-specific welcome messaging
• Tier-appropriate content and navigation
• Co-branded materials with their logo where applicable

Single Sign-On

The partner portal supports SSO integration:

• SAML 2.0 for enterprise partners
• OAuth for smaller partners
• Email + password as fallback
• MFA enforcement configurable per tier

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Commission and Referral Tracking

SalesOS tracks partner compensation from deal close through payment.

Commission Models

Commission Tracking

For each partner-attributed deal, the system tracks:

• Commission rate and calculated amount
• Approval status (pending, approved, paid)
• Payment date and method
• Associated invoice or payment reference
• Clawback eligibility and expiration

Commission Statements

Partners access commission statements through their portal:

• Current period earnings (accrued and paid)
• Historical statements by month/quarter
• Deal-level detail for each commission entry
• Year-to-date totals and projections
• Downloadable PDF and CSV formats

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Performance Analytics

Comprehensive reporting gives both your team and partners visibility into program health and individual performance.

Partner Scorecard

Each partner has a scorecard showing:

Program Analytics

Organization-wide partner program metrics:

• Total partner-sourced revenue vs. direct
• Revenue by partner type and tier
• Registration volume and approval rates
• Partner recruitment pipeline
• Channel coverage by geography and vertical
• Partner engagement scores (portal logins, training, content consumption)

Benchmarking

Gold and Platinum partners can see anonymized benchmarks:

• Their performance vs. peer group averages
• Top quartile thresholds for each metric
• Trend lines showing improvement or decline

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Partner Communications

Effective partner communication drives engagement and performance.

Communication Channels

Automated Communications

Configure triggered messages at Settings > Partners > Communications:

• Welcome sequence for new partners
• Deal registration status updates
• Commission payment notifications
• Tier change congratulations or warnings
• Training reminders and certification expiration alerts
• Renewal reminders for agreements
• Quarterly performance summaries

Partner Newsletters

Build and send newsletters to your partner base:

• Segment by type, tier, geography, or engagement level
• Include personalized performance data
• Track open rates and engagement
• Schedule recurring sends

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Market Development Funds (MDF)

MDF tracking manages co-marketing budgets allocated to partners for demand generation activities.

MDF Allocation

MDF Request Process

1. Partner submits MDF request with activity plan (event, campaign, content).
2. Request includes budget breakdown, expected outcomes, and timeline.
3. Partner manager reviews and approves, modifies, or rejects.
4. Upon approval, funds are reserved from the partner's allocation.
5. Partner executes the activity and submits proof of performance.
6. Upon verification, payment is processed.

MDF Tracking

The system tracks:

• Total allocation per partner per period
• Funds requested, approved, utilized, and remaining
• ROI metrics (leads generated, pipeline created, revenue closed per MDF dollar)
• Proof of performance documentation
• Expiration of unused funds

Proof of Performance

Partners document MDF activity results:

• Event attendance lists and photos
• Campaign performance metrics (impressions, clicks, leads)
• Content publication links
• Invoice or receipt documentation
• Lead lists generated from the activity

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Best Practices

1. Define clear partner types and expectations upfront. Each partner type should have documented responsibilities, compensation structures, and success metrics. Ambiguity leads to channel conflict and partner frustration.

2. Automate deal registration conflict resolution. Establish clear, published rules for conflict scenarios and let the system enforce them. Manual resolution creates inconsistency and erodes partner trust.

3. Invest in onboarding quality over speed. A well-trained partner who takes 30 days to activate will outperform a poorly prepared one who starts in 7 days. Require meaningful certification before activation.

4. Use the co-selling workspace for strategic deals. Not every deal needs full co-sell collaboration. Reserve the workspace for deals above a value threshold or strategic account targets where joint engagement adds clear value.

5. Make the partner portal genuinely useful. Partners engage with portals that save them time. Ensure deal registration is fast, commission visibility is real-time, and resources are current. If the portal is cumbersome, partners will disengage.

6. Review tier thresholds annually. Market conditions change. If many partners barely miss tier advancement, your thresholds may be too aggressive. If everyone easily qualifies, they are too lenient. Adjust to maintain aspiration.

7. Track leading indicators, not just revenue. Deal registrations, training completions, and portal engagement predict future revenue. A partner with declining engagement will soon show declining revenue; intervene early.

8. Communicate proactively about program changes. Give partners at least 90 days notice before changing commission structures, tier requirements, or program terms. Surprises damage trust and drive partners to competitors.

9. Measure MDF ROI rigorously. Require proof of performance and track downstream pipeline from funded activities. Redirect funds from low-ROI activities to proven demand generation approaches.

10. Segment your partner engagement. Not all partners need the same level of attention. Focus partner manager time on high-potential and high-performing partners. Use automated communications and self-service tools for the long tail.