Guide
A clawback takes back commission already paid on a deal that was later refunded, cancelled or charged back. Done right, it is predictable. Done by hand, it is where payouts go wrong.
The most common method treats the refund as negative sales credit in the period the refund happens. The rep's plan is then applied to their net credit for that period.
| September, rep on 8% flat | Credit |
|---|---|
| New deals closed in September | $28,300 |
| Refund of an August deal (27 days after close) | −$6,000 |
| Net credit × 8% = payout | $22,300 → $1,784 |
If a refund is larger than the rep's sales for the month, the payout can go negative. Decide in your plan whether that carries forward or is written off.
Most plans only claw back refunds within a set window after the deal closed — commonly 30, 60 or 90 days, or the length of the customer's refund period. Refunds after the window don't affect the rep. A deal sold and refunded in the same month simply nets to zero.
This page explains common practice, not legal advice. Check your jurisdiction's rules on wage deductions.
Add a refund date to the deal in your CSV. The calculator checks it against each plan's window, deducts it in the right month, and lists it on the rep's statement.
The sample data includes one.
Open the calculator