Background
Supplier Payout Rules let you define when commission becomes eligible for payout and when commission is expected, set per supplier category and overridable per supplier.
They give your agency two controls for every supplier category: a ready to pay date that decides when commission can actually be paid out, and an expected commission date that auto-fills on bookings so agents don't have to. You set defaults by category, then override them for specific suppliers that behave differently.
Before we jump in
There are two separate dates, and they resolve independently.
Ready to pay date. This controls when commission becomes eligible for payout. Even if a statement is marked approved for payout, the payout stays on hold until this date is reached. On that date, it moves to ready automatically.
Resolution order: a supplier-level override takes priority, otherwise the supplier category rule applies.
Expected commission date. This auto-fills on agent bookings so agents don't enter it manually. When a rule is set, agents can't change it.
Resolution order: a supplier-level override takes priority, then the category rule. If neither is set, the field is left open for the agent to enter manually.
Before you start
You must be an agency owner or admin.
Your supplier list must be set up first. Manage it under Back Office → Suppliers (or the existing Library → Agency Suppliers). New suppliers are added from Back Office when it's enabled for your agency.
Set how agent fees are collected (if enabled)
If fee collection is turned on for your agency, a Fee collection control appears at the top of the Payout rules page. Choose one:
- Bill agents separately
- Deduct from commission owed when available
Your choice saves automatically. (If you don't see this option, it isn't enabled for your agency.)
How to set category-level rules
Go to Back Office → Settings → Payout rules. Under Payout dates by supplier type, each supplier category is listed with its current defaults. You'll see the "Payout dates by supplier type" table listing every supplier category: Activities, Air Travel, Cruises, Dining & Drinks, DMC, Land, Lodging, Other, Packaged Travel, Transportation, and Trip Protection.
Click a category to open its settings.
Set the Default ready to pay date.
Choose Event to pay on a fixed milestone, or Relative date to pay a set number of days after a milestone. The options are Date marked as booked, Travel start date, Travel end date, and Commission received date.Set the Default expected commission date (optional).
Enter the number of days and pick the milestone. The options are Date marked as booked, Travel start date, and Travel end date. Leave this blank if you want agents to enter the expected commission date themselves on each booking.Save.
Note: Editing a category default only affects suppliers that use the category defaults. Suppliers with custom rules are not changed.
How to override rules for a specific supplier
If specific suppliers operate a little bit differently, you can override these rules per supplier.
Go to Back Office → Suppliers → open the supplier you want to change and click Edit Supplier
In the Payout rules section of the supplier's page, click the Set Custom Rules button and set a custom ready to pay date and/or expected commission date.
Click Save. This override takes precedence over the category default; categories you don't override keep using the category-level rule.
Expected Commission Date: what your agents see
When an agent books with a supplier that has an expected commission date rule, the date auto-fills and the agent can't change it. If no rule is set for that supplier or its category, the field stays open for the agent to fill in.
Eligible for Payout Date: what you see
You'll see the correct eligible for payout date (+ the logic) when reconciling commission.
Common issues
I changed a category default but one supplier didn't update.
That supplier has a custom rule, so category changes don't apply to it. Open the supplier in your agency supplier list and edit it directly.
An agent can't edit the expected commission date on a booking.
A rule is set for that supplier or its category, so the date is locked. To let agents enter it manually, clear the expected commission date rule for that supplier or category.
A payout is on hold after I approved the statement.
This is expected. The payout stays on hold until the supplier's ready to pay date, then releases automatically.