Expected First Commission Date and Account Number Management
Effective revenue assurance requires accurate tracking of account numbers, identification of expected commission dates, and proactive management of order data. Without these measures, organizations risk losing commission revenue, missing commission inquiry submission deadlines, and operating inefficiently. RPM provides tools to manage commissions and orders to ensure robust revenue assurance practices. Below, we outline the recommended strategies and workflows for leveraging RPM in managing account numbers and expected first commission dates.
RPM provides tools for tracking custom data, configuring workflows, and viewing reports, to improve your revenue assurance processes. Key components include utilizing Expected First Commission Dates, Supplier/TSD Unique IDs (UIDs), and tailored views to manage orders and accounts effectively.
A critical step in this process is utilizing RPM’s Expected First Commission Date field, which allows businesses to track when commission payments are anticipated to be received. To enhance this functionality, configure workflow notifications to alert the order management or commission teams before the expected commission date (e.g., 3, 5, or 10 days). These alerts serve as actionable reminders to investigate if commissions have been received and to update the order with the appropriate account numbers. [This proactive approach minimizes delays and prevents revenue loss.]
Managing unique identifiers, such as Supplier Booking IDs and TSD Order Numbers, is another essential practice. Supplier Booking IDs should be recorded for every order to facilitate cross-referencing with supplier booking reports or commission statements. For those partnering with Technology Services Distributors (TSDs), tracking their internal order numbers is crucial for seamless commission inquiries. Additionally, capturing identifiers like Circuit IDs, which are common data to all parties, further supports accurate reconciliation.
To effectively match orders with accounts, RPM recommends using two views. A New Accounts View helps identify accounts that lack associated orders, while an Expected First Commissions View tracks orders awaiting commission payments. These views act as dynamic to-do lists, allowing teams to systematically review their data to match accounts to orders and update records once commissions are received.
For information on how to create views in RPM, please review this support article: https://support.rpmsoftware.com/support/solutions/articles/5000594786-custom-views
In Accounts create a view with the following filters:
The columns (data points) to add to this view are up to you but add the data that gives you the content you need to go and find the order that should be referenced to the new account number. The view must have an Order column so you can use the view as a to-do list, the accounts with an Order reference are done, any account without an Order reference needs one.
This view should be filtered for the status level that identifies orders that have not been commissioned yet. The status level is typically called Expected First Commissions. It should have the appropriate date fields to assist with the order timeline. And, it should have the First run column, any order without a value for the First run, needs an account reference or has not received commissions yet.
Once you've verified your data using the two views and confirmed that an order is past the expected commission date without receiving payment, it's time to initiate a commission inquiry with the supplier or Technology Services Distributor.
Use RPM to manage the Commission Inquiry process and enable teams to document details, track progress, and keep stakeholders informed. Have supplier booking IDs and internal order numbers ready for reference.
Maintaining data integrity is foundational to successful revenue assurance. Regularly review and reconcile data to ensure all orders have account numbers and are accurately tracked. Leveraging RPM’s tools can help identify discrepancies and prevent data quality issues that could compromise revenue tracking.
Collaboration with suppliers and TSDs further supports revenue assurance efforts. Request Supplier Booking Reports from suppliers or through TSDs to verify order details and attribute orders with important UIDs. While it may be ideal for TSDs to proactively manage commission inquiries on behalf of their business partners, the responsibility ultimately lies with your organization to protect its revenue streams.
For organizations using external CRM systems like Salesforce, integrating these platforms with RPM can maximize efficiency. If this is not desired, your CRM should be set up to track and manage the same data points and workflows described above to ensure revenue assurance.
Looking ahead, RPM is exploring automation to simplify the order and account matching process. Potential features include using imported commission data—such as Monthly Recurring Charges (MRC), customer names, and dates—to suggest matches with existing orders. These advancements aim to reduce manual effort and enhance accuracy.
By implementing these best practices, your organization can enhance its revenue assurance processes, minimize missed commissions, and improve financial performance. If you have ideas for improving RPM or questions about setting up workflows, the RPM team welcomes your input.
We’d also like your input: Share your best practices for how you set Expected First Commission Dates. Is it:
We’re looking forward to hearing from you.