Short answers to the questions customers ask most about incentive plans: where they are, what they pay on, how amounts are set and calculated, what happens at the end of a period and what can't be done. Incentive plans are also called bonus, commission or variable pay plans.

Before you start

Most answers apply to admins with the Manage incentive plans permission. Employees and managers don't see the incentive plan pages.

FAQ

Setup

1. Where are incentive plans?

In Compensation > Incentive plans. Each goal also shows its plans in its Incentive plans tab, for people with Manage incentive plans.

2. What can an incentive plan pay on?

Goals from the Goals module, including goals measured by sub-goals. A goal can be a sales, revenue or any other numeric goal, so commission-style plans are possible when sales results are tracked as goals.

3. Can a plan pay on individual goals?

Any goal whose period and frequency match the plan can be added. The goal's overall result counts for every person in the plan, so each person's individual goals can't be used to pay each person separately in one plan.

4. Can I set different bonus amounts per person?

Yes. Each person's amount comes from the Amount up to value of their own variable compensation on their contract. The plan's percentage is the same for everyone.

5. Which recurrences are available?

Monthly, Quarterly, Half-yearly and Yearly, within one calendar year.

6. Can I reuse last year's plan?

No. Create a new plan for the new year. Plans can't be duplicated.

Calculation

7. How is the payout calculated?

Variable amount × overall payout percentage. With goals Revenue (60%, 80% achieved) and Retention (40%, 50% achieved) and no payout rules, the overall payout is 68%, so Amount up to €4,000 pays €2,720.

8. Can the payout be above 100%?

Yes, when goals are over-achieved and payout rules don't cap them.

9. Can I pay nothing below a threshold?

Yes. Add a first tier from 0 to the threshold with Fixed percentage 0%.

Payroll

10. When is the bonus paid?

When an admin sends an ended period with Send to payroll cycle. The amount goes to the current month's payroll cycle.

11. Can I change an amount after sending?

Yes, in the payroll cycle. The plan itself can't be re-sent.

12. Can I export incentive payouts?

The amounts are in the payroll cycle with the rest of the payroll. Admins can also open the Incentive plans dashboard from the analytics button (Compensation analytics) in the Compensation module header. It shows amounts sent, payout percentages and each person's payout.

Access

13. Can employees see their incentive plan?

No. Only people with Manage incentive plans see the plan pages. Managers get a notification when payouts are added for their direct reports.

14. Is there a mobile app view?

No. Incentive plans are only available on the web.

15. Can One help?

Yes, for admins with Manage incentive plans only: One lists plans and people, reads payouts, creates plans, fills in goals, weights and payout rules for you to save, and fixes compensation alerts. One can't send payouts, activate or archive plans.

Rules and behavior

• If a goal is in an active incentive plan, then it can't be deleted and its period and frequency can't be changed.
• If a plan is archived, then its goals are unlocked and its variable compensations are released.
• If a period is sent to payroll, then its amounts are frozen.

Limitations

• You can't use the incentive plan for non-goal data such as attendance or sales imported directly into the plan.
• You can't reactivate an archived plan or delete an active one.
• You can't see incentive plans in the mobile app.

Troubleshooting

• Symptom: "My question isn't answered here." → Cause: It's a specific error or alert. → Fix: See Troubleshoot incentive plans.