Creating a Deal Bonus Incentive

1. Details

Set up the basic configuration of the incentive.

• Name – Choose a clear, descriptive name (e.g., Q4 New Logo Bonus, Enterprise Upsell Bonus).

• Schedule – Define when the incentive is active (monthly, quarterly, annually, or custom).

• Start & End Dates – Control the timeframe. Use Recurring if this bonus repeats automatically.

• Credit – Assign credit type to determine who benefits. Options often include:

  • Individual (deal owner gets bonus)

  • Leadership credit (team leads or managers receive bonus)

  • Team credit (split across contributors)

💡 Best practice: Align bonus schedules with business cycles (e.g., quarterly bonuses tied to revenue goals).

2. Beneficiaries

Select the individuals or groups who will be eligible for this incentive.

• Choose beneficiaries directly from your user list.

• Bonuses can be configured for:

  • Individual reps

  • Teams

  • Managers (using leadership credit)

💡 Tip: Use Deal Bonuses for targeted groups to motivate specific outcomes (e.g., SDRs for pipeline creation).

3. Reference

Define which deals qualify for the bonus.

• Pipeline Stage or Date Field – Choose how deals are referenced. For example:

  • Bonus applies when a deal reaches Closed Won.

  • Bonus applies to deals as soon as a Billing Date is entered.

• Advanced Settings for Zoho CRM – Option to include deals outside of a pipeline.

• Owner Field – Decide whose ownership field determines credit

4. Earnings

Define how much the bonus pays.

• Base Commission – Enter the flat bonus amount per qualifying deal (e.g., €500 per deal).

💡 Variation: If your company prefers variable bonuses, you can combine this with Adjustments (next step).

5. Adjustments

Adjust the bonus based on deal properties or target performance.

• Deal Field Rules – Create conditions (e.g., if Deal Value > €100k, then bonus = +20%).

• Target Attainment Rules – Tie bonuses to quota achievement (e.g., if Rep reaches 120% of quota, apply multiplier to bonus).

💡 Best practice: Use adjustments to encourage selling high-value deals, new product lines, or strategic segments.

6. Payout

Define when and how bonuses are paid.

• Payout Schedule – Choose payout frequency (monthly, quarterly, annually).

• Rules – Add payout rules (e.g., “pay only if deal enters Billing Date” to prevent clawback issues).

When to Use Deal Bonuses

• Launching a new product and want to incentivize early adoption.

• Rewarding overperformance (e.g., exceeding quota by 120%).

• Encouraging strategic deal types (enterprise, multi-year, or cross-sell deals).

• Boosting team morale with spot or seasonal bonuses.