Skip to main content

Setting Up Payouts

Configure payout operations and payment channels for your affiliate program

Table of Contents

Setting Up Payouts

Payouts are created from commissions in due status and processed from the Payouts area in your dashboard.

Payout Overview

The operational flow:

  1. Affiliate earns a commission.
  2. Commission moves from pending to due after your campaign hold period.
  3. You create a payout run (single or batch).
  4. You execute payout handling based on your selected payout method.
  5. Payout is reconciled to paid.

Choose Your Payout Method

In Settings → General, set Payout method:

  • Stripe for Stripe-native payout recipient onboarding and provider execution.
  • PayPal for export-assisted PayPal payout files.
  • Manual for external payout handling.

What Each Method Means

Stripe (native)

Use this when you want in-app recipient onboarding and Stripe provider attempt tracking.

Merchant setup:

  1. Connect Stripe in Settings.
  2. Set payout method to Stripe.
  3. Ask affiliates to complete payout recipient onboarding in the affiliate portal.

PayPal (export-assisted)

Use this when you want payout files and external transfer execution.

Flow:

  1. Set payout method to PayPal.
  2. Ensure affiliates have PayPal email set.
  3. Create payout export in Payouts.
  4. Process transfers externally.
  5. Mark exported payouts as paid after confirmation.

Manual

Use this for bank wires, ACH, local transfer methods, or any custom process.

Flow:

  1. Create payouts in Payouts.
  2. Process transfers outside AffiliateBase.
  3. Reconcile payouts to paid with a reference.

Affiliate Requirements

Affiliates should keep payout details current in the affiliate portal:

  • PayPal email (for PayPal export flow)
  • Wise email (if you use Wise-formatted exports)
  • Stripe payout recipient onboarding (when payout method is Stripe)

Export Formats

From Payouts → Export you can generate:

  • Generic CSV
  • PayPal export format
  • Wise export format

These exports support external payout operations and reconciliation.

Best Practices

  1. Run payouts on a predictable cadence (for example weekly or monthly).
  2. Reconcile every run so payout state stays accurate.
  3. Require affiliates to complete payout details before creating large runs.
  4. Keep payment references for audits and support requests.

Troubleshooting

No affiliates are eligible for payout

Check:

  1. Commissions are in due state.
  2. Affiliate has required payout details.
  3. Affiliate status is active.

Stripe payouts fail at execution

Check:

  1. Account payout method is Stripe.
  2. Affiliate recipient onboarding is active.
  3. Stripe connection and payout configuration are healthy.

Export creation fails

Check:

  1. Selected payouts are exportable.
  2. Required recipient fields exist for chosen export format.

Next steps