Background
Sometimes more than one agent works the same booking and the commission needs to be divided between them. Tern handles this two ways: a one-off split you add while reconciling a single payment, and an ongoing split that applies automatically to every booking a mentee submits.
Before You Start
Only agency admins and owners can set up commission splits. Individual advisors cannot add or configure them.
Both split types let you choose where the added share comes from:
The booking owner's share, where the owner gives up part of their commission, or
The agency's retained amount, where the agency gives up part of its share.
Which Method to Use
Use a one-off split when two agents collaborate on a single booking, such as a group trip. You add the split manually when the supplier payment comes in.
Use an ongoing mentor split when one agent consistently shares commission with another, such as a mentor-mentee relationship. You set it up once and it applies automatically to the mentee's future bookings.
How to Add a One-off Split
Go to commission reconciliation and open the booking you're reconciling.
Review the payout details for the payment that came in from the supplier.Click Add Split.
The booking owner is already listed. Add the second agent you want to share commission with.Set the split percentage and choose where it comes from.
Enter the percentage for the added agent, then choose whether it deducts from the booking owner's share or the agency amount. The totals update as you go, so the booking owner, the added agent, and the agency retained amount always add up to the full commission.Confirm the payout.
Approve the statement for payout.
You can approve once the statement is fully reconciled.Go to the Ready to Pay tab and click Pay All.
Each agent receives their own payout statement by email showing their portion of the split.
You'll know it worked when both agents appear with their correct amounts on the Ready to Pay tab, and each receives an individual payout statement after you pay.
How to Set Up an Ongoing Mentor Split
Go to Team Management and open the mentee's profile.
This is the agent whose commission will be shared.Add the mentor and set the split.
Choose the mentor, enter their split percentage, and set the effective date. The end date is optional. Leave it blank if the arrangement is open-ended.Choose where the split comes from.
Select whether the mentor's share deducts from the advisor share or the agency share.
Once this is set, the mentor is added automatically with the correct split whenever the mentee submits a booking. You'll see it applied when you reconcile that booking.
Common Issues
The mentor wasn't added to a booking automatically.
Check that the booking falls within the mentor split's effective date and end date in the mentee's profile. A booking dated before the effective date will not include the split.
An advisor says they can't add a split.
Splits can only be added by agency admins. Confirm the person has admin access.