Managing & Tracking Payments
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If you're participating in a campaign, your Creator Dashboard is a hub for all your collaborations with the brand or agency – including the payment status, invoices, and history.
Warning: The Paid status communicates your payout has been processed and released to your banking institution. If you haven't received the payout, please follow up with your institution to see when the amount will be available.
Getting Started
How-To: View your Creator Dashboard- Navigate to the email you received from the collaborator.
- Click
(or View Details).
- A new window with your Creator Dashboard will populate.
How-To: Check Current Payment Status- Open your Creator Dashboard.
- Review your payment updates in the What's New section.
How-To: View Payment HistoryYou can also view a history of all your transactions along with the associated payment statuses through your Dashboard's Profile Information > Payment History tab:
Note: Your Profile Information page is accessible by clicking the profile image in the top right-hand corner of your Dashboard.
How-To: Access your Payment Invoices
Warning: This option is not available for all partnering brands and agencies.
- In your Payment History tab, click the Next, or
button, next to a transaction.
- Click the Download PDF, or
, button.
- Name your file and select a folder on your device.
- Click Save.
💡 Tip: If you're experiencing any issues, please provide us with the following information when contacting us:
▹ Campaign name
▹ Payout amount
▹ The collaborator (brand/agency)
▹ Payout status
▹ Any screenshots related to the payout -
If you're working with a brand or agency as part of an affiliate program that allows you to earn commission on purchases your followers make when they use an affiliate link or coupon code that you share, then you'll be able to see information about the commission you've earned in your Creator Dashboard.
In this article, we'll walk through where you can find this commission information in your dashboard, and help you understand the details you see about each commission.
Expand the below sections for instructions on finding and understanding your commission information:
How to Find Your Commission Information
Once you've logged into your Creator Dashboard, there are a few places you might find your commission information, depending on whether you're using affiliate links or coupon codes, and depending on your partnering brand or agency's setup. Let's take a look:
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The Promo Codes section on your dashboard home page
When you log in to your Creator Dashboard, you may see a Promo Codes section, similar to this:
In this section you'll see details of any active coupon codes, and below this you can click view performance to open an overview of the performance of your coupon code(s).
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Within the Campaign
From your Creator Dashboard home page, click a Campaign to open the Campaign Details Page. Then, click See link performance to open an overview of the performance of your affiliate link or coupon code.
Then, if you're using affiliate links, you'll need to check the boxes to select which link(s) you'd like to view commission information for, and click Get Commission Details:
- Alternatively, if you're simply looking to check in on recent updates at a glance, you'll also see commission updates included in the What's New feed on your Creator Dashboard home page:
How to Understand your Commission Information
Now that you know how to find your commission information in your Creator Dashboard, let's take a look at what you'll see:
Coupon Codes
Affiliate Links
As you'll have no doubt noticed, the commission information you'll see for both coupon codes and affiliate links is very similar, and the majority of the metrics you'll see here are self explanatory, so let's dive into some key specifics to help you best understand your commission information.
Select Period
At the top right of the commission information window, you'll see the option to select a period of time to view commission information for. If you set a date range here, the commission information you see will update to reflect this time period. This can be particularly useful if you'd like to take a look at the performance of a link or code in a specific time period, for example the week after posting a particularly high-performing post.
Commission Statuses
Typically, there will be a waiting period after a consumer makes a purchase using your affiliate link or coupon codes, in order for the brand to validate the purchase and ensure that the order is not returned. This period of time will vary, depending on your partnering brand or agency's program, and you should be able to find more specifics in the terms of the affiliate program or by reaching out to your Campaign Manager.
The below commission statuses will help you to keep track of this process:
Approved: Transactions with a commission status of Approved have passed the waiting period with no issues, and will be paid to you.
Pending: Transactions with a commission status of Pending are currently within the waiting period, and have not yet been approved or declined. If the waiting period passes with no issues, the transaction will move to the Approved status.
Declined: Transactions with a commission status of Declined have run into an issue that means you are no longer eligible for commission on this order, most often because the product has been returned by the consumer. Commission associated with declined transactions will not be paid to you.
Transaction and Order IDs
These details are unique to each order, so if you do ever need to reach out to your Campaign Manager or to CreatorIQ's support team about a specific transaction, be sure to include one of these, alongside the order date when you reach out, as this will help to quickly identify the payment in relevant systems.
If you have further questions about your commissions, please reach out to your Campaign Manager, or contact the CreatorIQ Support team.
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The Promo Codes section on your dashboard home page
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Congrats on completing your campaign collaboration! Your payment invoices are located in your Creator Dashboard and Campaign Details Page.
Creator Dashboard
- In your Creator Dashboard, click on Campaigns.
- Select the Completed Campaigns sub-tab.
- The maximum payment amount will appear in the third column.
Campaign Details Page
- In your Creator Dashboard, select the campaign to see its invoice.
- Scroll to Get Paid and click the agreed-upon amount.
- A window will appear with a breakdown of your requirements and payment amount.
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When you are working with a brand or agency on a paid opportunity, you should see the total payable amount listed at the top of your Campaign Details page:
Additionally, you can look out for the 'Get Paid' section on your Campaign Details page to see how your total payable amount breaks down:
In this example, you can click on the Earn up to $50 button to view the payment summary based on the Campaign Requirements. If the payments are split by post, you'll see multiple line items listed here:
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If you received payments from a partnering brand or agency through your Creator Dashboard in the previous year, you should expect to receive your 1099 tax form(s) in January. Unless you specified that you would like to receive your form(s) electronically during your payment onboarding, you will receive your tax document(s) via postal delivery to the address you provided as part of your payment information.
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Warning: If you earned income from more than one partnering brand or agency through CreatorIQ, please note that you will receive multiple 1099 forms.
FAQs
What is a 1099 form?A 1099 form is an IRS tax form used to report income received outside of traditional employment. For example, payments made to freelancers, independent contractors, or creators who earned more than $600 in a calendar year are reported on a 1099 form.
When will 1099 forms be issued?All 1099 forms will be issued by January 31 in compliance with IRS deadlines.
Who is required to receive a 1099 form?Creators who are U.S. residents and who received payments in the previous year through CreatorIQ’s payment systems will receive a 1099 form. CreatorIQ powers and manages the Creator Dashboard that you use to access campaign information and provide your payment information. Non-U.S. residents are not issued a 1099 form but should have submitted a W-8BEN form to certify their foreign tax status. Read more about W-8BEN forms here.
How will I receive my 1099 form?- Electronic Delivery: You will receive an email from noreply@trolley.com or noreply@tax1099.com with the subject line Your End of Year Tax Statement is Ready or Request Consent Statement. This email will direct you to a secure portal, where you can access and download your 1099 form.
- Paper Delivery: If you did not opt for electronic delivery or do not consent to electronic delivery, then a paper 1099 form will be mailed to the address you provided with your payment information.
Can I download my 1099 form online?Yes, you can download a PDF copy of your 1099 form through your secure payments processing portal (accessible from your Creator Dashboard > Profile page), even if you receive a paper form by mail. If you are not able to access the secure portal, please contact support@creatoriq.com.
What if I want a paper form?If you do not opt-in for electronic delivery by January 15, you will automatically receive a paper form by mail. However, you can still request that a form be mailed to you through the secure payment processing portal (accessible from your Creator Dashboard > Profile page).
What happens if I don’t receive my 1099 form?If you have not received your 1099 form by February 15, please contact support@creatoriq.com to verify your contact details and request a copy.
How long will I have access to my 1099 form?1099 forms will remain available in your secure payment processing portal (accessible from your Creator Dashboard > Profile page) until at least October 15 in compliance with IRS rules.
Who is listed as the payer on my 1099 form?The payer listed on your 1099 form will be SocialEdge, Inc. (dba CreatorIQ).
Can I receive multiple 1099 forms?Yes, you may receive multiple 1099 forms if you worked with multiple partnering brands or agencies during the previous calendar year.
What if the information on my 1099 form is incorrect?If you notice any discrepancies, please contact support@creatoriq.com as soon as possible. The issue will be reviewed, and a corrected 1099 form will be issued if necessary.
What should I do if I need to update my tax form information?If your W-9 or other tax form has incorrect information, you can update it through your secure payments processing portal (accessible from your Creator Dashboard > Profile page). Invalid forms will need to be resubmitted and reviewed.
Can I change my delivery preference after forms have been issued?No, once your 1099 form has been issued, the delivery method cannot be changed. However, you can always access the electronic version through your secure payments processing portal (accessible from your Creator Dashboard > Profile page).
Do non-U.S. residents receive a 1099 form?No, non-U.S. residents do not receive a 1099 form. Instead, you should have been asked to fill out a valid W-8BEN form during your payment onboarding to certify your foreign tax status. Payments to non-U.S. residents may be reported on Form 1042-S, if applicable.
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Once your partnering brand or agency initiates your payment, it typically takes 1-3 business days to process and reach your account. The exact timeline depends on the payment method you've chosen, as well as your bank and location.
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Warning: The following timelines are estimates and are not guaranteed. Payment processing times can vary, especially for ACH transfers to smaller credit unions or international payments to non-US institutions, which may take up to 5 days.
- ACH or Bank Transfer: 1 - 3 business days
- PayPal: Same day - 2 business days
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Warning: If you are trying to change your original selected payment method, please get in touch with your Campaign Manager at your partnering brand or agency as soon as possible.
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If you're expecting payment for your participation in a campaign, please provide the information listed in:
- Section I,
- Section II or Section III (not both)
Note: Visit our FAQs about Payments for information on timelines and how you can check your current payment status.
Section I: General Information
- Name
- Email address
- Signed W-9 (US) or W-8BEN (International)
- Bank account (Section II) or PayPal information (Section III)
Section II: Bank Account
- First and last name – enter exactly as it appears in your bank account
- Name of the financial institution
- Routing number
- Account number (checking account only)
Warning: If selecting payment through a bank account, please provide a checking account only. Submitting information for a savings account will delay the process.
Section III: PayPal
- PayPal email
- First name registered in PayPal
- Last name registered in PayPal
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Affiliate marketing can be a powerful tool for you to earn commissions when you promote products or services in your content. However, sometimes commissions can go untracked or the attribution chain can be broken, which can lead to differences in the commission that you earn and the commission that you expect. Understanding how affiliate tracking works and the reasons it may not work is crucial for effectively managing your affiliate partnerships.
How Affiliate Tracking Works
Affiliate tracking records the actions that happen after someone clicks on one of the unique links that you've provided to your audience. When a consumer makes a purchase through this link, an affiliate network, the sale can be directly attributed to you and that's how your commission payouts are calculated. This process typically involves tracking cookies or similar technologies that help recognize and remember the consumer’s journey from the affiliate link to the purchase.
Common Reasons for Missing Commissions
There are certain actions that your followers can take that might interrupt the affiliate tracking process. Some common ones include:
- Browser Switching: If a consumer opens your affiliate link in one browser (e.g., Instagram's in-app browser) and then switches to another browser (like Chrome or the retailer’s mobile app) to complete the purchase, the tracking cookie may not carry over. This means that the purchase is no longer tied to your unique link, and so any commissions that you might earned through this purchase cannot be recorded.
- Coupon or Discount Browser Extensions: Browser extensions like Honey that are designed to automatically apply coupons on the checkout page can override your affiliate link. These extensions may end up "taking credit" for the purchase, leading to a loss of commission for you.
- Advanced Privacy Settings: Some consumers use advanced privacy settings or cookie blockers. Features like Apple’s “Intelligent Tracking Prevention” or ad blocking extensions can the functionality of affiliate tracking cookies, which interferes with the tracking process.
- Non-Eligible Items: Certain products or services may not be eligible for commissions. These can include gift cards, items under specific promotions, or certain categories like services. If a consumer purchases only these non-eligible items through your link, the sale may not be recorded in the affiliate network. The brand that you are partnering with will determine what items are eligible on their website, so policies that apply to one partnership won't necessarily apply to other affiliate partnerships that you engage in.
- Subsequent Clicks: If a consumer clicks on another link or ad before making a purchase, but after clicking on your unique link, this can override the attribution for the sale. Affiliate networks often use a "last click" attribution model, where the last click before the purchase is credited for the sale. For example, if a consumer clicks on your link and then clicks on an ad on the retailer's website, the commission might be attributed to the ad instead of your affiliate link.
Troubleshooting Missing Commissions
If you think you might be missing commissions for a transaction, here are some ways that you can figure out what happened:
- Verify Link Destination: Ensure the destination URL you use to generate your tracking link doesn't contain conflicting tracking information (e.g. UTM parameters) that could interfere with affiliate tracking. Avoid using links from sources like Google Ads, as these links often include additional tracking parameters.
- Check the Eligibility of Products: Check the terms of your partnership and be aware of which products or services are eligible for commissions. You may need to reach out to the brand that you are partnering with to verify this information, and you can choose to communicate these exceptions to your audience when you promote your link.
Contacting Us for Support
If you believe an order should have been attributed to you but you're missing the commission that should have been earned, please contact us for assistance. Be sure to provide the following information so we can help you get to a resolution as fast as possible:
- Order ID/Number: The unique identifier for the specific transaction.
- Date of the Order: The date and time (if available) the purchase was made.
- Subtotal/Amount: The subtotal for the purchase before discounts, shipping and taxes. If the subtotal is not available, please provide the total value of the order instead.
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Congratulations on your collaboration! To ensure there aren't any interruptions when receiving payment for completing your collaboration, you must fill out an IRS tax form – which depends on whether you reside in or out of the United States.
Warning: Please complete one of the listed IRS forms – W-9 vs W-8BEN. After completing the form, upload the file to your Creator Dashboard with your partnering brand or agency, not the IRS.
W-9 Form
The W-9 IRS form should be used for creators residing in the United States. With this form, your partnering brand or agency will receive your Tax Identification Number – or TIN – for payment.
🌎 IRS.gov source: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf
Note: A different set of fields and items must be completed when filing as an individual (or creator) or business.
Individual / Creator- Fields #1 , #3, #4, #5, #6, #7
- Part 1 → Social Security Number
- Part 2 → Signature & date
Business- Fields #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7
- Part 1 → Social Security Number & Employee Identification Number
- Part 2 → Signature & date
W-8BEN Form
The W-8BEN IRS form is for creators residing outside of the United States. This tax form declares your foreign status receiving income from United States sources. Moreover, you can claim treaty benefits and potentially reduce or eliminate the withholding tax.
🌎 IRS.gov source: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8ben.pdf