Overview
In this article, "direct host member" refers to an advisor who belongs to a host agency without a sub-agency layer in between. Your host manages your membership and booking credentials, but commission tracking happens on your side in Tern.
If your host isn't reconciling commissions in Tern, you can still log payments, track your earnings, and run accurate commission reports — all from your own account.
Does this article apply to you?
This article is for advisors who have not set up their own agency in Tern. If you have created an agency in Tern — even an agency of one — your commission is recorded differently: it always flows through Back Office → Commission, and the Received Commission field on the booking will read "Payment received by [your agency] will automatically be added" instead of letting you type an amount. This is not a setting you can turn off. To record commission in that case, see How to Record Commissions in Tern and Managing Commission When Your Agency Works Under a Host Agency.
How it works
When you mark a booking through your host's credentials, Tern keeps track of it on your end. You can then log commission payments against those bookings manually, and your expected commission reports will reflect your personal split automatically.
Setting your commission split
Before logging payments, make sure your split rate is configured:
Select your profile dropdown in the top right corner, then go to Settings, then Business Settings.
Set your default commission split percentage (for example, 80%).
Note: Solo advisors (agency of one): If you are an independent contractor who keeps 100% of what your host pays you, set your Default Commission Split to 100%. Enter the full supplier commission as Expected Commission (e.g., $1,000) and the net amount your host deposits to you as Received Commission (e.g., $900 after the host's 10% cut). With your split at 100%, your advisor dashboard will correctly reflect the full received amount as your individual income.Add a new rate if your split has changed, and set an effective date so your history stays accurate.
Logging a commission payment
You can log a payment in two places:
From the booking page:
Open the trip and go to the activity or booking.
Select Create related payout (formerly 'Add Commission Payment') on the booking page.
Confirm or adjust the amount. Tern will apply your configured split by default.
From the Commission section:
Go to Commission and find the booking in your list.
Click the booking to open it, then select Add Payment.
Confirm or adjust the amount and save.
Reporting
All bookings you've submitted through your host's credentials appear in your Agency Sales and Expected Commission report. Your expected income will reflect your configured commission split, so your projections stay accurate as you log payments.