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AffiliateBase Workflows

Understand the core setup, attribution, affiliate, commission, and payout workflows

Table of Contents

AffiliateBase Workflows

AffiliateBase workflows are the operating paths that move a merchant from setup to live referrals, commissions, and payouts. They are not a separate automation product in the current app.

Merchant setup workflow

Setup is a locked checklist:

  1. Connect Stripe.
  2. Configure settings.
  3. Create a campaign.
  4. Install AffiliateBase attribution or choose promo codes only.
  5. Complete setup after required proof is present or after the merchant confirms the install.

The integration step supports these paths:

Setup pathHow attribution works
Stripe Payment LinkAffiliateBase adds client_reference_id to the Stripe link after a referred visit.
Stripe Buy Button or Pricing TableAffiliateBase sets client-reference-id on the Stripe element.
Custom Checkout SessionYour page submits referral_id to your server, then your server sets client_reference_id.
Developer handoffCopy one install request with the script, checkout handoff, and test link.
Promo codes onlyAffiliateBase generates affiliate-specific Stripe promotion codes from the selected coupon.

Attribution to payout workflow

Attribution and money state move through these records:

  1. Tracking creates or updates a Referral.
  2. Qualified activity moves the referral from visitor to lead or conversion.
  3. Stripe events create a Sale.
  4. A sale creates a Commission.
  5. Mature commissions move from pending to due.
  6. Due commissions are grouped into Payout rows and optional PayoutRun batches.
  7. Payout handling moves payouts through processing to paid, or into remediation when export or payout contact details are missing.

Affiliate lifecycle workflow

Affiliates can be invited, created directly, archived, and restored. Archiving preserves historical referrals, sales, commissions, payouts, and reporting records while hiding the affiliate from active lists and portal selection.

Trackable affiliate states are pending and active. Disabled, suspicious, rejected, archived affiliate records, archived links, and archived campaigns do not drive new attribution.

Payout workflow

The launch-ready account payout methods are paypal and wise.

MethodWorkflow
paypalAffiliate PayPal emails are required; AffiliateBase generates PayPal export files and tracks reconciliation.
wiseAffiliate Wise emails are required; AffiliateBase generates Wise export files and tracks reconciliation.

Operating loop after setup

The first activation loop is first real referral, then first attributed Stripe sale:

  1. Detect setup-complete accounts with no real referral.
  2. Separate setup-test activity from real affiliate/customer activity.
  3. Review account-health drafts before any support message is sent.
  4. Classify the blocker: tracking placement, Stripe handoff, no first affiliate, link not shared, promo-code-only intent, confusing proof checklist, or cooldown.
  5. Improve the smallest product or docs surface that removes the recurring blocker.