Best Sales Commission Calculation Software: A Guide

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Increasing compensation structure complexities, a hyper-focus on revenue performance, and the rise of remote work trends have led to an explosion of organizations adopting sales compensation management tools. 

So much so that the worldwide sales compensation software sector is anticipated to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.9%, reaching a market value of US$ 7,413.9 million by 2033. North America is expected to remain a key market for sales compensation software, presenting over US$ 2.6 billion in absolute dollar opportunity over the next decade. (Source) 

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Choosing the right commission tracking solution in sales compensation management is paramount for driving sales performance and ensuring payout fairness. 

Competitors such as Xactly, Captivate IQ, Spiff, Commissionly, and Everstage are notable contenders among the myriad options. 

However, this blog delves into why QuotaPath is the superior choice in this landscape.

By conducting a comprehensive comparison with these competitors, we aim to highlight the unique features and strengths that set QuotaPath apart. 

Join us as we explore why our commission-tracking solution stands out.

Industry Landscape Overview

The global sales compensation software market is growing and evolving rapidly. In 2022 the industry was valued at US$2,655.4 million and is projected to reach a market value of US$ 7,413.9 million by 2033. It’s not surprising that solution providers continue to enter the market. Xactly entered the market in 2005, followed by CaptivateIQ and Spiff in 2017, QuotaPath in 2018, and Everstage in 2020, then Spiff was recently acquired by Salesforce.

Benefits of Commission Software

Implementing sales commission software offers a range of benefits, including: 

Accuracy: Sales commission software ensures accurate calculation and distribution of commissions, reducing errors and disputes. 

Efficiency: Automating commission processes saves time and resources, allowing sales teams to focus on selling. 

Transparency: Sales commission software provides visibility into commission structures and earnings, fostering trust and motivation among sales reps.

Scalability: As businesses grow, sales commission software can easily adapt to team size and structure changes. 

Compliance: Sales commission software helps ensure compliance with regulations and company policies, reducing legal risks.

Analytics: Sales commission software offers insights and analytics on sales performance, helping identify trends and opportunities for improvement. 

Motivation: Clear and timely commission payouts motivate sales reps to achieve their targets and drive revenue growth. 

Integration: Sales commission software can integrate with other systems such as CRMs and accounting software, streamlining processes and data management. 

Customization: Sales commission software allows businesses to tailor commission structures to align with their goals and strategies. 

Cost Savings: Sales commission software ultimately saves businesses time and money by automating manual processes and reducing errors. 

Comparing key features

Here’s how the key competitors stack up against each other.

XactlySpiffCaptivateIQEverstageQuotaPath
Legacy technologyHeavy set upComplex with ongoing maintenance requiredComplex integration setupsEasy to use and update
Requires heavy uplift to get startedProfessional service feesProfessional service feesProfessional service feesTransparent and low professional service fees
Difficult to maintain1x daily HubSpot refreshRequires an API to implement HubSpotPerformance lagsNative, real-time HubSpot integration
Fit for only large enterprisesNo free trialCost-prohibitiveNo free trialFree trial
Not rep-friendlyLengthy implementation and confusing for repsLong implementation period timesClick-heavy and confusing user interfaceQuick to implement
   Lack of consistent customer communicationsDedicated customer success specialist

Differences between the options

Several key elements should be considered when evaluating your sales commission calculation software options. Below, we review these elements, what they are, and why you should consider them as you make your decision.

Integration capabilities

Most commission software platforms integrate with the main CRMs, such as Salesforce and HubSpot. You’ll want to look at how easy it is to set these up, map and match fields from your data sources, and transform data so that your compensation management system creates less work for you than more.

Confirm that the cloud-based commission software you select offers native CRM integration options, like QuotaPath, with no manual refreshes or nightly updates, so data is automatically pulled. This ensures real-time analytics and accurate commission calculations.

Customization capabilities

The incentive management platform you move forward with should facilitate changes any time you need to update a team member, set payout eligibility, add a new plan, or adjust existing plans.

Select scalable solutions enabling compensation plan modeling to test new plans before implementation, as QuotaPath does.

Make sure your chosen platform allows you to create custom commission plans, including elements like tiered commission structures and various performance incentives, such as bonuses.

Pricing visibility

It should be easy to ascertain the cost of your commission automation software by visiting the supplier’s website. Simple and transparent subscription-based pricing should be easily accessible. Only QuotaPath has pricing visible on our website. You should not need to request pricing through a form, email, or phone call or be subjected to a demo.

Implementation periods

Consider the length of your chosen platform’s implementation period. Look for an easy-to-understand solution with a user-friendly interface so new users can use the application without training. How long it will take to train your team and use the system to run commissions determines your time-to-value.

Look for an efficient, quality-focused onboarding process that quickly gets you up to speed. We are known and recognized for fast implementation periods of 2 months or less. We’ve seen some sales come through because “it’s been seven months, and we’re still not up and running.”

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Success Stories with Commission Software

Sales commission calculation software is effective. Here are several examples of organizations that have benefited from automated commission tracking.

runZero

runZero, a rapidly scaling company, started to outgrow commission spreadsheets. They integrated QuotaPath with HubSpot to automate commission calculations, boost earnings transparency, and eliminate errors. They started their implementation within four days of signing with QuotaPath and were fully onboarding and automating commissions in less than two months. 

Sales compensation errors are no longer an issue.

EverView

EverView had 35 incentive plans, with some consisting of up to 12 components, for a sales team of 80. They were tracking commissions manually at that time. Their reps spent 2 hours each week calculating commissions. Fifty percent said they didn’t understand their comp plan and had no idea how much they would get paid until they received their paycheck.

After QuotePath was implemented, EverView reduced their plans from 35 to eight and then to 1 in QuotaPath, allowing sellers to track attainment and earnings anytime. 

The comp plan transformation, seller visibility into earnings projections, and a new focused sales structure gave EverView its highest sales year. Seventy percent of reps met quota, and 20 percent met 90 percent.

Blackthorn

Blackthorn relied on Salesforce formulas to calculate commissions. 

As the sales organization expanded to include sales development, customer success, and partnership teams, the commission structures became too complex for Salesforce formula capabilities.

Blackthorn was fully onboarded with QuotaPath in less than two weeks. They reduced new quota implementation time by  5 to 10 fewer hours and recorded three months of record-breaking sales following implementation.

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International Support

Wazoku streamlines international commissions and measures team attainment for revenue teams across continents with QuotaPath.

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How to Choose the Right Commission Software for Your Business

The global sales compensation software sector is expected to triple its 2022 value by 2033. 

Despite the growing number of competitors in the marketplace, selecting the best commission software for your business doesn’t need to be overwhelming if you know what to consider during the selection process.

Here’s what to focus on as you choose the best commission software for your organization.

Sales commission reporting

Your solution should generate executive- and rep-level revenue forecasting and quota attainment reports. Select a platform that automatically creates accurate estimates based on CRM data so leadership can see their sales team’s projections.

Compensation plan modeling

When it’s time to adjust your existing plans or create a new one, your platform should allow you to outline a plan proposal and test it with prior sales data. 

Plan effectiveness tracking

Adjusting incentive plans in response to their effectiveness and market conditions is common. To gauge a compensation plan’s success, select a tool that facilitates compensation plan performance monitoring. Such a platform shows you how well your team is doing and displays sales performance metrics like total earnings, average effective rate, and plan attainment by rep.

ASC-606 compliant

Your chosen incentive management platform should allow your accounting team to track audit trails and recognize commission expenses to simplify compliance with the new ASC 606 regulations.

Easy support access

Partner with a vendor that is easy to contact after you sign up. 

Look for a short response time and continual customer support services for adding and designing new plans, adjusting comp plans, or running payouts.

Rep motivation

Find a solution that Finance, RevOps, and your Reps will enjoy using. The platform you select should have a user-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate. It needs to enable reps to understand their comp plans with reporting and dashboards that allow them to view goals, accelerators, and bonuses and track progress toward milestone attainment.

In-app communication

Team collaboration features in your chosen solution help streamline the commission discrepancy dispute resolution process. For instance, seek features that allow reps to escalate disputes through the platform, where Finance and Accounting can quickly respond.

Select the Best Sales Compensation Calculation Software

Increasingly complex compensation structures, revenue performance focus, and remote work have created the need for sales compensation tools. Selecting the best commission-tracking solution is essential for driving sales performance and fair, transparent, timely, and accurate payouts.

The benefits of commission software include accuracy, efficiency, earnings transparency, motivation, and cost savings.

Compared with key competitors, QuotaPath is easy to use and update, with transparent and low professional service fees. We offer free native, real-time integrations, a free trial, quick implementation, and superior dedicated support.

QuotaPath differs from competitors, with multiple native CRM integration options, compensation plan modeling, visible pricing, and short implementation times.

As you move through the commission software selection process, look for:

  • Easy and accessible sales compensation reporting
  • Compensation plan modeling and testing capabilities
  • Plan effectiveness tracking
  • ASC-606 compliance capabilities
  • Easy support access
  • A platform your reps will use and enjoy
  • In-app team collaboration features

QuotaPath meets all these criteria and more, making us the superior choice.

Find out why QuotaPath is the best choice. Explore QuotaPath with a free trial or schedule time with a team member today.

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